Charles "Red" Farmer (born October 15, 1932) is an American professional stock car racing and dirt track racing driver. He currently competes part-time in 602 Crate Dirt Late Models in the No. F97 Ford Mustang for his own team. He is a member of the Alabama Gang.
Red Farmer | |||||||
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Born | Charles Farmer October 15, 1932 Nashville, Tennessee, United States | ||||||
Achievements | 1969, 1970, 1971 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Division Champion 1956 NASCAR Winston Modified Tour Champion | ||||||
Awards | Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame (2002) International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2004) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2022) Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
36 races run over 13 years | |||||||
Best finish | 50th (1968) | ||||||
First race | 1953 untitled race (Daytona Beach) | ||||||
Last race | 1975 Talladega 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
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NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
2 races run over 1 year | |||||||
Best finish | 72nd (1992) | ||||||
First race | 1992 Fram Filter 500k (Talladega) | ||||||
Last race | 1992 Kroger 200 (IRP) | ||||||
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ARCA Menards Series career | |||||||
34 races run over 21 years | |||||||
Best finish | 23rd (1985) | ||||||
First race | 1969 Daytona ARCA 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
Last race | 2004 Southern Illinois 100 (DuQuoin) | ||||||
First win | 1970 Nashville 200 (Nashville) | ||||||
Last win | 1988 ARCA 500K (Talladega) | ||||||
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Statistics current as of July 30, 2023. |
Racing career
editHis first race was at Opa-locka Speedway near Miami, Florida in a 1934 Ford in 1948. He became famous as a member of the Alabama Gang and he considered his hometown to be Hueytown, Alabama. Estimates of Farmer's career victories range from 700 to 900 victories, most occurring in the late 1950s and early 60's. He raced 36 NASCAR Cup Series races from 1953 to 1975. He won numerous championships at local tracks. Before racing in the Grand National series, he raced modified stock cars in the northeast. He was one of the first to transition from the modified series to the early Grand National Series.[1][2] He was the NASCAR National Late Model Sportsman champion (later Xfinity Series) for three consecutive years from 1969 to 1971. Farmer's best finish in NASCAR's top division was fourth at both the 1972 Talladega 500, and the 1968 Middle Georgia 500 near Macon, Georgia. He entered so few Cup races because he was content to run primarily in the Late Model Sportsman Series. He was named NASCAR's most popular driver four times. Farmer raced in the white and gold number 97 car. In the mid-60's, however, Farmer raced a white, gold, and red Ford Fairlane, number F-97.
He was Davey Allison's crew chief in the Busch Series.
Farmer has retained his skills as a driver in spite of his age. He competed in two Busch Grand National races in 1992, and the season opening ARCA event at Daytona in 1993. In June 2005, at age 72, Farmer turned heads in winning a heat over current NASCAR Sprint Cup stars, and finished 8th in the feature during the Sprint Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway, owned by Tony Stewart.
As of 2022, Farmer still regularly competes in a late model at Talladega Short Track,[3] a 1/3 mile oval dirt track in Eastaboga, Alabama located near the Talladega Superspeedway.[4][5] His grandson, Lee Burdett, also races there.[5]
Farmer's house, race shop, race hauler, and dirt late model were damaged by a tornado on March 25, 2021.[6]
Awards
editHis accolades are numerous, being a member of five halls of fame. Farmer was named one of the 50 Greatest Drivers in NASCAR history in 1998. He was a member of the first Class of Inductees into the Talladega-Texaco Walk Of Fame. When the International Motorsports Hall of Fame inducted Farmer, they had to waive their rule of 5 years of retirement – they figured he never would retire. Red Farmer was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2022.[7]
Helicopter crash
editOn July 12, 1993, Farmer was a passenger in a helicopter crash at Talladega Superspeedway that took the life of NASCAR Winston Cup driver Davey Allison, which occurred as Allison was attempting to land the aircraft in a nearby parking lot. The two were en route to the track in order to watch David Bonnett (son of fellow Alabama Gang driver Neil Bonnett) drive in a practice session.[8] Farmer suffered a broken collarbone and fractured ribs in the crash.[9]
Motorsports career results
editNASCAR
edit(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Grand National Series
editWinston Cup Series
editNASCAR Winston Cup 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 | NWCC | Pts | Ref | |||||||
1972 | Long-Lewis | 97 | Ford | RSD | DAY 30 |
RCH | ONT 41 |
CAR | ATL 31 |
BRI | DAR | NWS | MAR | TAL 39 |
CLT | DOV | MCH | RSD | TWS | DAY | BRI | TRN | ATL | TAL 4 |
MCH | NSV | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | TWS | 63rd | 749.5 | [19] | |||||||
1973 | RSD | DAY 32 |
RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL | NWS | DAR | MAR | TAL 32 |
NSV | CLT | DOV | TWS | RSD | MCH | DAY | BRI | ATL | TAL 32 |
NSV | DAR | RCH | DOV | NWS | MAR | CLT | CAR | 72nd | - | [20] | |||||||||||||
1974 | RSD | DAY DNQ |
RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL | DAR | NWS | MAR | TAL 27 |
NSV | DOV | CLT | RSD | MCH | DAY | BRI | NSV | ATL | POC | TAL 23 |
MCH | DAR | RCH | DOV | NWS | MAR | CLT | CAR | ONT | 76th | 5.22 | [21] | |||||||||||
1975 | RSD | DAY QL† |
RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL | NWS | DAR | MAR | TAL 37 |
NSV | DOV | CLT | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL 44 |
MCH | DAR | DOV | NWS | MAR | CLT | RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL | ONT | 96th | 83 | [22] | |||||||||||
† – Qualified for Bob Burcham |
Daytona 500
editYear | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
1960 | Long-Lewis | Ford | 39 | 56 |
1962 | Frank Rhoads | Ford | 23 | 40 |
1965 | Ford | 42 | 36 | |
1967 | Ben Arnold | Ford | 28 | 42 |
1968 | Long-Lewis | Ford | 30 | 43 |
1971 | Giachetti Brothers Racing | Ford | 22 | 32 |
1972 | Long-Lewis | Ford | 18 | 30 |
1973 | 23 | 32 | ||
1974 | DNQ | |||
1975 | QL |
Busch Series
editNASCAR Busch 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 | NBSC | Pts | Ref | ||||
1992 | Allison Racing | 28 | Ford | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | MAR | DAR | BRI | HCY | LAN | DUB | NZH | CLT DNQ |
DOV | ROU | MYB | GLN | VOL | NHA | TAL 22 |
IRP 17 |
ROU | MCH | NHA | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | MAR | CAR | HCY | 72nd | 209 | [23] |
ARCA Re/Max Series
edit(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
References
edit- ^ Glory Road Preview: Modified To Cup Racing In NASCAR, retrieved 2020-07-08
- ^ "Early Modified racer of Alabama's Red Farmer | Old race cars, Racing car model, Stock car racing". Pinterest. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- ^ Demmons, Doug (September 26, 2013). "NASCAR legend Red Farmer has a prescription for what ails short tracks". The Birmingham News. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ "Talladega Short Track - Track Information". Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ a b "1970 Nashville ARCA 200 winner Red Farmer Still at the Controls". ARCA. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
- ^ Walters, Shane (25 March 2021). "Red Farmer's house, hauler and race car damaged in Alabama tornado (Photos)". RacingNews.co.
- ^ "Red Farmer | NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee". Nascar Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ Siano, Joseph (July 14, 1993). "Davey Allison, Stock-Car Driver, Dies at 32 After Helicopter Crash". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ Hinton, Ed (July 26, 1993). "Requiem For A Racing Man". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 5, 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1953 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1992 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1985 ARCA Talladega SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1986 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1987 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1988 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1989 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1990 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1991 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1992 ARCA SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 1993 ARCA Hooters SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 2002 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ "Red Farmer – 2004 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
External links
edit- Red Farmer driver statistics at Racing-Reference
- Alabama Gang website Archived 2005-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
- Talladega Walk of Fame