Famous nascar drivers

Beyond helping to start and sustain the series, Parks is considered its first team owner, and one of its most successful. The black car made its way down the dirt road that ran from Dawsonville, Georgia to Atlanta. In the early morning stillness just outside of town, it stopped next to a stream and under a bridge where the driver got out. Pulling a bucket and towels from the car, Raymond Dawson Parks cleaned off any traces of red clay to avoid attention, put on a three-piece suit and, looking more like a doctor than a whiskey hauler, blended in with the traffic making its way to the big city.

Not the traditional way one would picture a hauler plying his trade. But Parks was never caught on the road. He was born in in rural Dawson County, set in mountainous North Georgia, where he was the oldest of He bought a farm in South Georgia and moved his family out of the mountains. Parks was making so much money he began looking for another business to get into.

Stock car racing was the rage around Atlanta at the time so, in , he bought two new Fords and hired two of his teenage cousins—angelic-looking Lloyd Seay and rough-and-tough Roy Hall.

List of all nascar drivers past and present

Both were amazing drivers with quite different driving styles. Bill France became part of the team and won his share of races. By , Parks had returned from the war in Europe and France had retired from driving, promoting races full time. France had a vision for the sport that would have credibility with everyone, competing under one set of rules with guaranteed purses.

Raymond Parks, who passed away in June at 96, had a truly amazing life and there is speculation that NASCAR may not have survived those wild early years if not for Mr. Header Menu Main Content Footer. Raymond Parks.