Kennie Childers

Last updated

Kennie Childers is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series owner whose career spanned from 1978 to 1981. [1] In addition to being a NASCAR team owner, Childers also owned a collection of coal mines throughout the Southern United States. [2]

Racing career

Various drivers drove for Childers in his 4-year career including: Harry Gant, Neil Bonnett, Jack Ingram, Lennie Pond, Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Tim Richmond, and Buck Simmons. [1] Although no wins were created after 59 races, these drivers helped Childers get credit for four finishes in the "top five" and 12 finishes in the "top ten. [1] Childers' drivers would end up leading 498 laps out of 11,451 - the equivalent of 14,511.6 miles (23,354.2 km). [1] The average start of the drivers would be 15th while the average finish would be 23rd. [1]

While his final race as an owner would be at the 1981 Wranger Sanfor-Set 400, Childer's first race as owner would be at the 1978 World 600. Childers would also end his career with his grand total for prize earnings at $130,250 ($419,260.07 when adjusted for inflation). [1]

All of Childers' vehicle used the number 12. It served as a symbolic and/or lucky number for him. While no wins were recorded under his ownership regime, Childers' vehicle led dozens of laps and finished in 10th place on a really good race weekend. [3] The team did score one pole in the NASCAR Winston West Series in the series finale in 1979 at Phoenix International Raceway with driver Buck Simmons, although they used the No. 72 which was the first and only time that they didn’t use the No. 12.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Earnhardt</span> American racing driver (1951–2001)

Ralph Dale Earnhardt was an American professional stock car driver and racing team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series, most notably driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. His aggressive driving style earned him the nicknames "the Intimidator", "the Man in Black" and "Ironhead"; after his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the Cup Series circuit in 1999, Earnhardt was generally known by the retronyms Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Sr. He is regarded as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history and named as one of the NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers class in 1998 as well as in the NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers class in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. J. Foyt</span> American race car driver (born 1935)

Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. is an American retired auto racing driver who has raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes United States Automobile Club Champ cars, sprint cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won several major sports car racing events. He holds the USAC career wins record with 159 victories, and the American championship racing career wins record with 67.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrell Waltrip</span> American racing driver and commentator

Darrell Lee Waltrip is an American motorsports analyst, author as well as a former national television broadcaster and stock car driver. He raced from 1972 to 2000 in the NASCAR Cup Series, most notably driving the No. 11 Chevrolet for Junior Johnson. Waltrip is a three-time Cup Series champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Elliott</span> American racecar driver and team owner

William Clyde Elliott Sr., also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville, Million Dollar Bill, or Wild Bill is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He competes full time in the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience. His accolades include the 1988 Winston Cup Championship and garnering 44 wins in that series, including two Daytona 500 victories in 1985 and 1987, three Southern 500 victories in 1985, 1988, and 1994, one Winston 500 victory in 1985, one Brickyard 400 victory in 2002, one "The Winston All-Star Race" win in 1986, and a record four consecutive wins at Michigan International Speedway between 1985 and 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Pearson (racing driver)</span> American racecar driver (1934–2018)

David Gene Pearson was an American stock car driver, who raced from 1960 to 1986 in the former NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series, most notably driving the No. 21 Mercury for Wood Brothers Racing. Pearson won the 1960 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award and three Cup Series championships. He never missed a race in the years he was active. NASCAR described his 1974 season as an indication of his "consistent greatness", finishing third in the season points having competed in only 19 of 30 races. Pearson's career paralleled Richard Petty's, the driver who has won the most races in NASCAR history. They accounted for 63 first/second-place finishes, with the edge going to Pearson. Petty had 200 wins in 1,184 starts, while Pearson had 105 wins in 574 starts. Pearson was nicknamed the "Fox" for his calculated approach to racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brett Bodine</span> American race car driver

Brett Elias Bodine III is an American former stock car racing driver, former driver of the pace car in Cup Series events, and current NASCAR employee. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine and the older brother of 2006 and 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine. He was born in Chemung, New York. Brett has been named one of the 50 greatest NASCAR modified drivers of all time, was the runner-up for the 1986 Xfinity Series championship, and collected a total of five Xfinity Series wins and sixteen pole positions. Brett made 480 Cup series starts with one win and five pole positions. He has led over 1,000 career laps in both the NASCAR Cup series and the NASCAR Xfinity series.

Ronald William Keselowski is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver who raced from 1970 to 1974. He is the uncle of current and retired NASCAR Cup Series drivers Brad and Brian Keselowski along with being the brother of retired NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series driver Bob Keselowski.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henley Gray</span> Former NASCAR driver

Clarence Henley Gray Jr. is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1964 to 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1959 Southern 500</span> Auto race held at Darlington Raceway in 1959

The 1959 Southern 500, the 10th running of the event, was a NASCAR Grand National Series event that was held on September 7, 1959, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 Delaware 500</span> Auto race held at Dover International Speedway in 1978

The 1978 Delaware 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on September 17, 1978, at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1981 Mason-Dixon 500</span> Auto race held at Dover Downs International Speedway in 1981

The 1981 Mason-Dixon 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on May 17, 1981, at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Delaware.

Frank Christian was a NASCAR race car owner who owned a series of stock car vehicles from 1949 to 1955. Christian finished sixth in his only NASCAR race start (1949-03).

L. G. DeWitt (1912-1990) was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series stock car owner from 1965 to 1980.

Frederick "Fred" Elder is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series race car owner whose primary manufacturer was Dodge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 Southern 500</span> Auto race held at Darlington Raceway in 1976

The 1976 Southern 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that took place on September 5, 1976, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1979 Northwestern Bank 400</span> Auto race held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1979

The 1979 Northwestern Bank 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that took place on March 25, 1979, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

Roger Hamby is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and NASCAR team owner whose career spanned from 1977 to 1981. He was one of the runners-up for the 1978 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award and has employed fellow NASCAR drivers Mark Martin, Lake Speed, and Sterling Marlin as a NASCAR team owner during the late 1980s. Now owns “Hambys Muffler” in Wilkesboro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Holly Farms 400</span> Auto race held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1987

The 1987 Holly Farms 400 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing event that was held on October 4, 1987, at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Winston Western 500</span> Auto race held at Riverside International Raceway in 1987

The 1987 Winston Western 500 was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race that was held on November 8, 1987, at Riverside International Raceway in Riverside, California.

Charles Leroy "Buck" Simmons was an American professional dirt track racing and stock car racing driver. He won over one thousand feature events across Dirt Super Late Models and Asphalt Super Late Models reaching 1,012 feature wins by the end of his career in 2005.

References


NASCAR practice.jpg

This biographical article related to NASCAR is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.