Jerry Cook | |
---|---|
Nationality | ![]() |
Born | Lockport, New York, U.S. | June 20, 1943
Retired | 1982 |
Debut season | 1956 |
NASCAR Modified Tour | |
Years active | 1968–1982 |
Wins | 341 |
Best finish | 1st in 1971–72, 1974–77 |
Previous series | |
1973 1956-1967 | NASCAR Winston Cup Series Modified-Sportsman |
Championship titles | |
1971,'72,'74 '75,'76,'77 1972 | NASCAR National Modified Champion All Star Stock Car Racing League Champion |
Awards | |
1989 1993 1998 2009 2011 2016 | NMPA Hall of Fame NYSSCA Hall of Fame NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers IM Hall of Fame NDM Hall of Fame NASCAR Hall of Fame |
Jerry Cook (born June 20, 1943) is an American NASCAR modified championship race car driver. [1] He began racing at the age of 13 and won the track championship at Utica-Rome Speedway in 1969.
Jerry Cook built his first modified in 1956 to compete at Ransomville Speedway in Western New York, naming Cam Gagliardi as his driver. In 1959 he built a car for Hall of Fame driver Ken Meahl. It was number 38 and that became Cook's career number. In 1962 Meahl totaled two cars, and Cook decided that if he had to fix them he might as well drive them. In 1963, at age 18, he started racing and won his first main event that year at Utica-Rome. [2]
Cook eventually went to become a six-time champion in the NASCAR Modified series (1971–72, 1974–77). His rivalry with fellow Rome, New York driver Richie Evans is legendary. He retired after the 1982 season with 342 wins. [3] He stayed with the sport, and helped shape the series. [4]
In 1973, he attempted to qualify for the Daytona 500 in a No. 07 Chevrolet. In his Daytona 500 Qualifying Race, he spun on lap 44 and finished 25th, failing to make the 500. [5] [6]
Cook served as the Whelen Modified Series' director when it began in 1985, and retired as NASCAR's Competition Administrator in 2015. [4] [7]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
NASCAR 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 | NWCC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||
1973 | 07 | Chevy | RSD | DAY DNQ | RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL | NWS | DAR | MAR | TAL | NSV | CLT | DOV | TWS | RSD | MCH | DAY | BRI | ATL | TAL | NSV | DAR | RCH | DOV | NWS | MAR | CLT | CAR | NA | - | [10] |
Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | Chevrolet | DNQ |