Bill Blair (racing driver)

Bill Blair (July 14, 1911 in High Point, North Carolina, US – November 2, 1995) was an American stock car racing driver in the 1940's and the 1950's, and he was one of the pioneers of NASCAR.

Bill Blair
Born(1911-07-14)July 14, 1911
High Point, North Carolina
DiedNovember 2, 1995(1995-11-02) (aged 84)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series statistics
123 races run over 10 years
Best Cup position4th (1949)
First race1949 Race No. 1 (Charlotte)
Last race1958 Lakewood Speedway (Atlanta)
First win1950 Vernon Fairgrounds (Vernon, NY)
Last win1953 Daytona Beach
Wins Top tens Poles
3 54 1

Wins

Blair won three NASCAR Strictly Stock/Grand National races:

  • June 18, 1950 – Blair piloted a 1950 Mercury owned by Sam Rice to victory in a race at Vernon Faigrounds in Vernon, NY.
  • April 20, 1952 – Blair drove a 1952 Oldsmobile owned by George Hutchens to his second win at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, GA.
  • February 15, 1953 – In his final series victory, Blair drove his 1953 Oldsmobile to victory lane at the Beach & Road Course in Daytona Beach, FL.[1]

Memorial

Blair, Jimmie Lewallen, and Fred Harb are the subject of the independent movie "Red Dirt Rising", which is based on the book "Red Dirt Tracks: The Forgotten Heroes of Early Stockcar Racing" by Gail Cauble Gurley.[2]

References