Bob Griffin (NASCAR)

Last updated
Bob Griffin
Born(1895-02-10)February 10, 1895
Died August 2, 1979(1979-08-02) (aged 84)
NationalityFlag of the United States.svg  American
Occupation Team owner
Years active 1950–1962
Employer Griffin Motors Oldsmobile

Bob Griffin (February 10, 1895 –August 2, 1979) was a NASCAR team owner from 1950 to 1962. As owner of Griffin Motors Racing, along with his sons Tommy and Bobby, he fielded cars in the NASCAR Grand National Series. Drivers such as Buck Baker, Fireball Roberts, Lee Petty, and Fonty Flock at one point raced for Griffin Motors Racing.

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock-car racing. Its three largest or National series are the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the Xfinity Series, and the Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Regional series include the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West, the Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Pinty's Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, and NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series. NASCAR sanctions over 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 48 US states as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Europe. NASCAR has presented races at the Suzuka and Motegi circuits in Japan, and the Calder Park Thunderdome in Australia. NASCAR also ventures into eSports via the PEAK Antifreeze NASCAR iRacing Series and a sanctioned ladder system on that title.

Buck Baker American racecar driver

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Additionally, he was the owner of Griffin Motors Oldsmobile in Florence, South Carolina. The racing team, also based out of Florence, ran Oldsmobile sedans in the newly formed NASCAR series. The dealership's sponsoring of Baker's entry in the 1950 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway marked the first appearance of sponsorship in a NASCAR event. [1]

Florence, South Carolina City in South Carolina, United States

Florence is a city in, and the county seat of, Florence County, South Carolina, United States. It is probably best known for being the intersection of I-95 and I-20, and the eastern terminus of I-20. It is the county seat of Florence County and the primary city within the Florence metropolitan area. The area forms the core of the historical "Pee Dee" region of South Carolina, which includes the eight counties of northeastern South Carolina, along with sections of southeastern North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population of Florence was 37,056, and the estimated population in 2015 was 38,228.

1950 Southern 500 Auto race run in South Carolina in 1950

The inaugural Southern Five-Hundred was part of the 1950 NASCAR Grand National series that took place September 4, 1950, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. It was responsible for turning the Southern 500 into the biggest racing event prior to the 1959 Daytona 500. While this edition of the Southern 500 would be hosted in association with the Central States Racing Association, all of the other Southern 500 races would be hosted exclusively by NASCAR.

Darlington Raceway motorsport track in the United States

Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed "The Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition." It is of a unique, somewhat egg-shaped design, an oval with the ends of very different configurations, a condition which supposedly arose from the proximity of one end of the track to a minnow pond the owner refused to relocate. This situation makes it very challenging for the crews to set up their cars' handling in a way that will be effective at both ends.

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References

  1. ↑ Levine, Al (April 16, 2004). "The Sponsor Era". The Daily Reporter. Cox News Service. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
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