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Joe Weatherly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the similarly named cricketer, see Joe Weatherley.
Joe Weatherly
Weatherly in 1958
BornJoseph Herbert Weatherly
(1922-05-29)May 29, 1922
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
DiedJanuary 19, 1964(1964-01-19) (aged 41)
Riverside, California, U.S.
Cause of deathRacing crash at Riverside International Raceway
Achievements
Awards
NASCAR Cup Series career
230 races run over 12 years
Best finish1st (1962, 1963)
First race1952 Southern 500 (Darlington)
Last race1964 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside)
First win1958 Nashville 200 (Nashville)
Last win1963 untitled race (Hillsboro)
Wins Top tens Poles
25 153 18
NASCAR Convertible Division career
96 races run over 4 years
Best finish2nd (1957)
First race1956 Race #1 (Daytona Beach & Road Course)
Last race1959 Race #15 (Charlotte Fairgrounds)
First win1956 Race #26 (Buffalo)
Last win1959 Race #7 (Occoneechee)
Wins Top tens Poles
12 74 19
Statistics current as of April 15, 2013.

Joseph Herbert Weatherly (May 29, 1922 – January 19, 1964) was an American stock car racing driver. Weatherly was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2009 after winning NASCAR's Grand National Series championships in 1962 and 1963, three AMA Grand National Championships, and two NASCAR Modified championships.

Personality

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Weatherly enjoyed behaving outrageously. He once took practice laps wearing a Peter Pan suit. Moreover, he frequently stayed out partying until the early hours, usually with fellow driver and friend Curtis Turner. This behavior earned him the nickname the "Clown Prince of Racing". In 1956 at Raleigh, while racing in the convertible series, Weatherly's engine blew. With the help of Ralph Liguori pushing from behind, he displayed showmanship to the fullest extent by crossing the finish line while standing in a "chariot of fire".[2]

Motorcycle career

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He won three American Motorcycle Association (AMA) nationals between 1946 and 1950, including the prestigious Laconia Classic 100 Mile road race in 1948. In 1998 he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

NASCAR career

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Weatherly began racing cars in 1950. "Little Joe" won the first modified event that he entered. He won 49 of the 83 car races that he entered that season. In 1952 he won the NASCAR Modified National crown, and he again won 49 of 83 car races that he entered. Weatherly won 52 more races in 1953 and won the Modified National crown again.

Weatherly had a partial interest in what would later be called Richmond International Raceway from 1955 to 1956.

In 1956 he moved into the NASCAR Grand National series. He drove a factory-sponsored Ford car[2] for Pete DePaolo Engineering. For the next two seasons, Weatherly drove for Holman Moody.[2]

In 1959, Weatherly recorded six top-5 finishes and ten top-10s. He narrowly lost the 1959 Hickory 250 to Junior Johnson; being out lapped twice before the race was concluded.

Weatherly won NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award in 1961.

He won two consecutive championships, in 1962 and 1963, for Bud Moore Engineering. Moore did not have enough resources to run the full season, so Weatherly frequently "bummed a ride".

Death

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Weatherly died on January 19, 1964, from head injuries sustained in a racing accident at the fifth race of the 1964 season, at Riverside International Raceway. His head went outside the car and struck a retaining wall, killing him instantly. Weatherly was not wearing a shoulder harness and did not have a window net installed on his vehicle, because he was afraid of being trapped in a burning car.[2]

Weatherly was the first driver to die during the season after winning the Cup Series championship; since his death, this has occurred just one other time, as 1992 series champion Alan Kulwicki lost his life early in the 1993 season. Unlike Weatherly, who died in a racing accident, Kulwicki was killed in a plane crash.

Weatherly's fatal crash, combined with Richard Petty's crash at Darlington in 1970, eventually led NASCAR to mandate the window net seven years later, in 1971.

Weatherly's grave marker is a sculpture of Riverside Raceway, with a checkered flag marking the spot of his fatal crash.[3]

Awards

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He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.[4]

He was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.

He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America[5] in 2009.

Weatherly was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015.

He was named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023.


Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

Grand National Series

[edit]
NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 NGNC Pts Ref
1951 Jack Tyler 29 Olds DAB CLT NMO GAR HBO ASF NWS MAR CAN CLS CLB DSP GAR GRS BAI HEI AWS MCF ALS MSF FMS MOR ABS DAR
Wth 		CLB CCS LAN CLT DSP WIL HBO TPN PGS MAR OAK NWS HMS JSP ATL GAR NMO NA - [6]
1952 Donlavey Racing 53 Hudson PBS DAB JSP NWS MAR CLB ATL CCS LAN DAR DSP CAN HAY FMS HBO CLT MSF NIF OSW MON MOR PPS MCF AWS DAR
16 		CCS LAN DSP WIL HBO MAR NWS ATL PBS 51st 500 [7]
1954 Buckshot Morris 12 Olds PBS DAB JSP ATL OSP OAK NWS HBO CCS LAN WIL
7 		MAR SHA RSP CLT GAR CLB LND HCY MCF WGS PIF AWS SFS GRS MOR OAK CLT SAN COR DAR CCS CLT LAN MAS MAR NWS 102nd 152 [8]
1955 Schwam Motors 9 Ford TCS PBS JSP DAB OSP CLB HBO NWS MGY LAN CLT HCY ASF TUS MAR RCH NCF FOR LIN MCF FON AIR CLT PIF CLB AWS MOR ALS NYF SAN CLT FOR MAS RSP DAR
33* 		MGY LAN RSP GPS CLB
8 		MAR
6 		LVP NWS
4 		HBO
6 		47th 724 [9]
DePaolo Engineering 86 Ford MAS
32
1956 Schwam Motors 9 Ford HCY
28 		CLT
4 		WSS PBS
22 		DAB
44 		PBS
4 		WIL ATL NWS LAN RCH CLB
3 		CON GPS
5 		HCY HBO
7 		MAR LIN CLT
6 		POR EUR NYF MER MAS CLT
15 		MCF POR AWS RSP PIF CSF CHI CCF MGY OKL ROA
20 		OBS SAN DAR
8 		CSH CLT LAN POR CLB HBO 16th 3084 [10]
11 ASF
7*
Fred Frazier 35 Ford NOR
9 		PIF MYB POR
John Whitford 31 Ford NWP
4 		CLT CCF
DePaolo Engineering 72 Ford MAR
6 		HCY
112 WIL
2
1957 J12 WSS CON
8 		TIC
15 		42nd 920 [11]
9 DAB
18
97 CON
17 		WIL HBO AWS NWS LAN CLT PIF GBF POR CCF RCH MAR POR EUR LIN LCS ASP NWP CLB CPS PIF JAC
Holman-Moody 12 Ford RSP
3 		CLT MAS
26 		POR HCY
3 		NOR
2 		LCS GLN KPC LIN OBS MYB LAN
7 		CLB MAR
5 		NBR CON NWS GBF
3
9 DAR
40 		NYF AWS CSF SCF
2 CCF
12
2X CLT
26
1958 12 FAY DAB
4 		CON FAY
17 		WIL HBO FAY CLB PIF ATL
2 		CLT
5 		MAR
31 		ODS OBS GPS GBF TRN
8 		RSD CLB NBS REF LIN HCY AWS DAR
29 		CLT BIR CSF GAF 28th 2032 [12]
Dick Beaty 34 Ford STR
12 		NWS BGS
Holman-Moody 198 Ford RSP
27 		MCC SLS TOR BUF MCF BEL BRR CLB
72 NSV
1 		RCH
19 		HBO SAS
Petty Enterprises 2 Olds AWS
8 		BGS
Julian Petty 44 Chevy MBS
21
Holman-Moody 1 Ford MAR
35 		NWS
Beau Morgan 45 Ford ATL
4
1959 E. C. Wilson 48 Chevy FAY DAY
4 		DAY
5 		HBO CON ATL 18th 3404 [13]
Julian Petty 40 Chevy WIL
9 		BGS CLB NWS REF
Doc White 41 Ford HCY
2 		MAR
8 		TRN CLT
16 		NSV ASP PIF GPS ATL
15 		CLB
5 		WIL
23 		RCH
16 		BGS AWS CLT
26 		MBS
5 		CLT NSV
7 		AWS
40
12 DAY
2 		HEI DAR
43 		HCY RCH CSF HBO MAR AWS NWS CON
Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford BGS
7 		GPS CLB
1960 Holman-Moody 12 Ford CLT CLB DAY
4 		DAY DAY
41 		CLT HCY
1* 		WIL
1 		BGS GPS
15 		AWS DAR
1* 		PIF HBO
19 		CLT
43 		DAY
26 		HEI MAB MBS ATL
35* 		BIR NSV AWS PIF DAR
21 		HCY CSF GSP HBO MAR
2 		CLT
45 		ATL
8 		20th 6380 [14]
31 NWS
10 		PHO CLB
18 		MAR
16
Fred Wheat 12 Plymouth RCH
15 		BGS
6 		BGS
7
Vel Miletich 97 Ford HMS
2
Doc White 61 Ford CLB
25 		SBO
Wood Brothers Racing 16 Ford NWS
4 		RCH
16
1961 Doc White 16 Ford CLT
1 		JSP DAY 4th 17894 [15]
Bud Moore Engineering 8 Pontiac DAY
1 		DAY
2 		PIF AWS HMS ATL
22 		GPS HBO BGS MAR NWS CLB HCY RCH MAR DAR
15 		CLT CLT
1 		RSD ASP CLT
10 		PIF
14 		BIR GPS
4 		BGS NOR HAS STR DAY
6 		ATL
28 		CLB
5 		MBS
1* 		BRI
6 		NSV BGS AWS
2 		RCH SBO DAR
22 		RCH
1 		CSF ATL
16 		MAR
1 		NWS
8 		CLT
1 		BRI
1 		GPS
2 		HBO
1*
Elmo Henderson 7 Pontiac HCY
15
1962 Bud Moore Engineering 8 Pontiac CON
2 		AWS
3 		DAY DAY
1* 		DAY
3 		CON
1** 		AWS
1 		SVH
3 		HBO
11* 		RCH
4 		CLB
2 		NWS
8 		GPS
3 		MBS
13 		MAR
2 		BGS
3 		BRI
11 		HCY
3 		CON
1 		DAR
18 		PIF
5 		CLT
2 		ATL
18 		BGS
5 		AUG
1 		RCH
7 		SBO
7 		DAY
23 		CLB
2 		ASH
2 		GPS
19 		AUG
1 		SVH
1 		MBS
2 		BRI
6 		CHT
1 		NSV
4 		HUN
7 		AWS
2 		STR
2 		BGS
3 		PIF
2 		VAL
3 		DAR
10 		HCY
5 		RCH
1 		DTS
2 		AUG
3 		MAR
5 		NWS
3 		CLT
5 		ATL
2 		1st 30836 [16]
Fred Harb 17 Ford RCH
4
1963 Bud Moore Engineering 8 Pontiac BIR
8 		GGS
3 		THS
2 		RSD
24 		DAY DAY
13 		DAY
8 		HBO
15 		ATL
4 		BRI
10 		RCH
1 		MAR
6 		NWS
23 		DAR
1 		CLT
4 		ATL
5 		DAY
18 		OBS
7* 		BRR
13 		BRI
6 		NSV
3 		CLB
11 		PIF
17 		ONA
2 		SBO
3 		HBO
1* 		1st 33398 [17]
Floyd Powell 17 Pontiac PIF
4 		AWS
4
Pete Stewart 57 Pontiac HCY
57
Major Melton 88 Chrysler AUG
11
Cliff Stewart Racing 2 Pontiac GPS
24 		BGS
10 		CLB
19 		THS
2 		ODS
9 		RCH BIR
15 		MBS
3 		SVH
14 		DTS
13 		BGS
7
Worth McMillion 83 Pontiac SBO
16
Petty Enterprises 41 Plymouth ASH
4
Possum Jones 05 Pontiac GPS
8
Wade Younts 36 Dodge AWS
8
361 BGS
9
Bud Moore Engineering 8 Mercury DAR
7 		HCY
21 		RCH
21* 		MAR
3 		DTS
2 		NWS
6 		THS
2 		CLT
5 		RSD
7
1964 Pontiac CON
2 		48th 2928 [18]
Bill Stroppe 15 Mercury AUG
4
Sherman Utsman 61 Ford JSP
14
Ray Osborne 92 Ford SVH
10
Bud Moore Engineering 8 Mercury RSD
29 		DAY DAY DAY RCH BRI GPS BGS ATL AWS HBO PIF CLB NWS MAR SVH DAR LGY HCY SBO CLT GPS ASH ATL CON NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF DAY ODS OBS BRR ISP GLN LIN BRI NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA CLB BGS STR DAR HCY RCH ODS HBO MAR SVH NWS CLT HAR AUG JAC
Daytona 500
[edit]
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1959 E. C. Wilson Chevy 7 5
1960 Holman-Moody Ford 7 41
1961 Bud Moore Engineering Pontiac 2 2
1962 4 3
1963 26 8

References

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  1. ^ "The Class of 2009". AutoWeek. 59 (17). Detroit, Michigan: Crain Communications: 62. August 24, 2009. ISSN 0192-9674.
  2. ^ a b c d Edelstein, Robert (2011). NASCAR Legends. New York City: The Overlook Press. pp. 308. ISBN 978-1-59020-184-8.
  3. ^ "Joseph "Little Joe" Weatherly (1922-1964) - Find". Find a Grave.
  4. ^ "AMA Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame | Joe Weatherly". hof.motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  5. ^ Joe Weatherly at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
  6. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  7. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1952 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  8. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1954 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  9. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1955 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  10. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  11. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1957 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  12. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1958 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  13. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1959 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  14. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  15. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  16. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  17. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  18. ^ "Joe Weatherly – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
[edit]
Achievements
Preceded by NASCAR Grand National Champion
1962–1963 		Succeeded by
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