Jody Ridley

Last updated
Jody Ridley
Born (1942-05-19) May 19, 1942 (age 81)
Chatsworth, Georgia, United States
Achievements1991, 1992, 1993 Slim Jim All Pro Series Champion
1987, 1988, 1990 All Pro Super Series Champion
1985 Snowball Derby Winner
1993 Myrtle Beach 400 Winner
Awards 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year
1991, 1992, 1993 Slim Jim All Pro Series Most Popular Driver
Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Inductee (2007)
NASCAR Cup Series career
140 races run over 11 years
Best finish5th (1981)
First race 1973 Dixie 500 (Atlanta)
Last race 1989 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
First win 1981 Mason-Dixon 500 (Dover)
WinsTop tens Poles
1560
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
3 races run over 2 years
Best finish75th (1982)
First race 1982 Goody's 300 (Daytona)
Last race 1985 Winn-Dixie 300 (Charlotte)
WinsTop tens Poles
020
Statistics current as of March 25, 2013.

Jody Ridley (born May 19, 1942) is a former NASCAR driver. He won the 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award and one race at Dover International Speedway the next year, the only Cup victory for Donlavey Racing.

Contents

His career statistics include 140 career starts, one win, seven top fives, 56 top tens, and two top ten points finishes (fifth in 1981, and seventh in 1980).

He now resides in Chatsworth, Georgia. He was inducted in the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2007. [1]

Early life

Born in Chatsworth, Georgia, and raised in Dalton, Ridley was a fan of cars from a young age. In 1967, he purchased Joe Lee Johnson's 1963 Ford Mustang at the age of 25. At that time, he had only been racing and affiliated with NASCAR for a year, joining the professional leagues in 1966. [2] 1967 would be the beginning of Ridley's career, participating in many NASCAR races throughout Georgia, such as in Lakewood, Trenton, and Byron. [3] [4]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
YearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031NWCCPtsRef
1973 Donlavey Racing 90 Mercury RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY BRI ATL
5
TAL
37
NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT 59th- [5]
Elliott Racing 09 Ford CAR
31
1974 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL
33
DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY BRI NSV ATL POC TAL MCH DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR
30
ONT 88th3.17 [6]
1975 93 RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL
29
NWS DAR MAR TAL ATL
11
ONT NA0 [7]
Arrington Racing 6 Dodge NSV
27
DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI
1977 Makar Enterprises 84 Mercury RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL
14
NWS DAR BRI MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 87th121 [8]
1979 Donlavey Racing 77 Mercury RSD DAY CAR RCH ATL NWS BRI DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL
5
MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT
26
NWS CAR ATL
10
ONT 47th374 [9]
1980 90 Ford RSD
16
RCH
18
CAR
29
BRI
11
DAR
10
NWS
7
MAR
7
NSV
8
DOV
6
TWS
26
RSD
11
MCH
6
NSV
8
POC
18
DAR
30
RCH
5
DOV
9
NWS
9
MAR
9
CAR
5
ATL
6
ONT
18
7th3972 [10]
Mercury DAY
10
ATL
6
TAL
10
CLT
12
DAY
7
TAL
30
MCH
18
BRI
12
CLT
8
1981 Ford RSD
7
DAY
7
RCH
8
ATL
6
BRI
6
NWS
28
DAR
7
MAR
6
TAL
31
NSV
25
DOV
1
CLT
20
TWS
6
RSD
7
MCH
4
DAY
38
NSV
10
POC
15
TAL
8
MCH
12
BRI
20
DAR
12
RCH
9
DOV
11
MAR
21
NWS
7
CLT
15
CAR
10
ATL
5
RSD
9
5th4002 [11]
Miller Racing 79 Olds CAR
17
1982 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAY
9
RCH
13
BRI
20
ATL
17
CAR
33
DAR
22
NWS
17
MAR
12
TAL
38
NSV
13
DOV
17
CLT
6
POC
9
RSD
7
MCH
27
DAY
15
NSV
8
POC
36
TAL
14
MCH
26
BRI
8
DAR
28
RCH
25
DOV
25
NWS
9
CLT
7
MAR
7
CAR
31
ATL
28
RSD
9
13th3333 [12]
1983 Robert McEntyre Racing 84 Buick DAY
10
RCH CAR ATL
17
DAR
27
NWS MAR TAL
32
NSV DOV BRI CLT
DNQ
RSD POC MCH DAY
8
NSV POC 32nd1050 [13]
Chevy TAL
31
MCH
15
BRI DAR
33
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
12
CAR ATL
10
RSD
1984 DAY
10
RCH CAR ATL
27
BRI NWS DAR
36
MAR TAL
16
NSV DOV CLT
8
RSD POC MCH
35
DAY
19
NSV
28
POC TAL
34
MCH
14
BRI DAR
16
RCH DOV
29
MAR CLT
7
NWS CAR ATL
32
RSD 14th1288 [14]
1985 Helen Rae Motorsports 00 Chevy DAY
DNQ
RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD NA- [15]
1986 RahMoc Enterprises 57 Ford DAY
12
RCH CAR ATL
29
33rd1213 [16]
75 Pontiac BRI
23
DAR
20
NWS
15
MAR
10
TAL
42
DOV
18
CLT
21
RSD POC
11
MCH
34
DAY
13
POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
1989 Melling Racing 9 Ford DAY
RL
CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL NANA
– Relieved Bill Elliott during race
Daytona 500
YearTeamManufacturerStartFinish
1980 Donlavey Racing Mercury 2710
1981 Ford 277
1982 239
1983 Robert McEntyre Racing Buick 1810
1984 Chevrolet 3310
1985 Helen Rae Motorsports Chevrolet DNQ
1986 RahMoc Enterprises Ford 3312
1989 Melling Racing Ford RL

Busch Series

NASCAR Busch Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829NBSCPtsRef
1982 98 Pontiac DAY
2
RCH BRI MAR DAR
2
HCY SBO CRW RCH LGY DOV HCY CLT ASH HCY SBO CAR CRW SBO HCY LGY IRP BRI HCY RCH MAR CLT HCY MAR 75th340 [17]
1985 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 8 Pontiac DAY CAR HCY BRI MAR DAR SBO LGY DOV CLT
29
SBO HCY ROU IRP SBO LGY HCY MLW BRI DAR RCH NWS ROU CLT HCY CAR MAR 86th76 [18]

Related Research Articles

<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">Neil Bonnett</span> American racing driver

Lawrence Neil Bonnett was an American NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career. Bonnett was a member of the Alabama Gang, and started his career with the help of Bobby and Donnie Allison. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s with his performances in cars owned by Jim Stacy and Wood Brothers Racing, becoming one of the top competitors in the 1980s. The Alabama native currently ranks 47th in all-time NASCAR Cup victories. He appeared in the 1983 film Stroker Ace and the 1990 film Days of Thunder. Bonnett hosted the TV show Winners for TNN from 1991 to 1994. He was a color commentator for CBS, TBS, and TNN in the years until his death. Bonnett's driving career was interrupted by a severe brain injury from a crash in 1990. He was killed while practicing for the 1994 Daytona 500 for a much-anticipated comeback.

Julius Timothy Flock was an American stock car racer. He was a two-time NASCAR series champion. He was a brother to NASCAR's second female driver Ethel Mobley and Bob and Fonty Flock.

<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">Cale Yarborough</span> American racecar driver (born 1939)

William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner, businessman, and farmer. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships, winning in 1976, 1977, and 1978. He was one of the preeminent stock car drivers from the 1960s to the 1980s and also competed in IndyCar events. His fame was such that a special model of the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II was named after him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Follmer</span> American racing driver (born 1934)

George Richard Follmer is an American former auto racing driver, and one of the most successful road racers of the 1970s. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona. His family moved to California when he was just an infant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benny Parsons</span> American racecar driver and journalist

Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst/pit reporter on SETN, TBS, ABC, ESPN, NBC, and TNT. He became famous as the 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion, and was a 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee. He was the older brother of former NASCAR driver, car owner, and broadcaster Phil Parsons of Phil Parsons Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Petty</span> 20th-century American racecar driver

Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car racing driver who competed during the 1950s and 1960s. He is the patriarch of the Petty racing family. He was one of the early pioneers of NASCAR and one of its first superstars. He was NASCAR's first three-time Cup champion. He is the father of Richard Petty, who went on to become the winningest driver in NASCAR Cup Series history and one of the most successful stock car racing drivers of all time. He is also the grandfather of Kyle Petty and great grandfather of Adam Petty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddy Baker</span> American racecar driver

Elzie Wylie "Buddy" Baker Jr. was an American professional stock car racing driver and commentator. Over the course of his 33-year racing career, he won 19 races in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1980 Daytona 500. Known by the nickname "Gentle Giant," Baker was noted for his prowess at NASCAR's superspeedways, Daytona and Talladega, at which he won a combined six races. After his racing career, he worked as a broadcaster and co-hosted a number of radio shows on Sirius XM.

<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">Buck Baker</span> American racecar driver

Elzie Wylie Baker Sr., better known as Buck Baker, was an American stock car racer. Born in Richburg, South Carolina, Baker began his NASCAR career in 1949 and won his first race three years later at Columbia Speedway. Twenty-seven years later, Baker retired after 1976 National 500.

Charles "Red" Farmer is a former NASCAR race car driver. He is a member of the Alabama Gang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnie Allison</span> American racecar driver

Donnie Allison is an American former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned from 1966 to 1988. He is part of the "Alabama Gang", and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison and Clifford Allison. He was inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Bettenhausen</span> American racing driver

Gary Bettenhausen was an American midget car driver. He was the winner the 1967 and 1970 Turkey Night Grand Prix, the 1972 Astro Grand Prix, and the 1976 Hut Hundred.

Earl Ross was a Canadian race car driver who competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series from 1973 to 1976 driving the Carling Red Cap #52.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jocko Maggiacomo</span> American racing driver

Chauncey T. Maggiacomo Jr. known as "Jocko" or, in high school, as "Chant," is a racing car driver from Poughkeepsie, New York. He is infamous for T-boning Bobby Allison, all but ending both careers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Heveron</span> American racing driver

Douglas Wayne Heveron is an American race car driver from Liverpool, New York. He has driven supermodifieds, modifieds, Indy cars, NASCAR Winston Cup cars, NASCAR Busch Grand National cars, sprint cars, late models and midgets.

Gary Balough is a retired American stock car racing driver who competed from 1979 to 2001. Balough has won more than 1000 races throughout his short-track career and has accumulated more than 20 wins in the All-Pro division.

Terry Ryan is an American stock car racing driver. The Davenport, Iowa native competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series between 1976 and 1977.

J. C. Hendrix was an American stock car racing driver. He competed in six NASCAR Grand National Series races from 1959 to 1961, recording two top-ten finishes.

References

  1. "Inductees". Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  2. Krueger, John; King, J.D. (26 Jun 1967). "Ridley is Victorious in Perry 200 Race" . The Macon Telegraph . p. 6. Retrieved 8 Jun 2023.
  3. Zier, Pat (28 Jun 1967). "Big Curtis Heads Field at Lakewood" . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . p. 34. Retrieved 8 Jun 2023.
  4. Krueger, John (4 Jul 1967). "Johnson, Ridley to Duel in '200'" . The Macon Telegraph . p. 18. Retrieved 8 Jun 2023.
  5. "Jody Ridley – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  6. "Jody Ridley – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  7. "Jody Ridley – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  8. "Jody Ridley – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  9. "Jody Ridley – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  10. "Jody Ridley – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  11. "Jody Ridley – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  12. "Jody Ridley – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  13. "Jody Ridley – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  14. "Jody Ridley – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  15. "Jody Ridley – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  16. "Jody Ridley – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  17. "Jody Ridley – 1982 NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  18. "Jody Ridley – 1985 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
Achievements
Preceded by Snowball Derby Winner
1985
Succeeded by
Awards
Preceded by NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year
1980
Succeeded by