TRAVIS CARTER - 11/21/1949
a former car owner and crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series. He served as crew chief for two decades beginning in 1973. He would work for L.G. DeWitt and lead driver Benny Parsons to one win and the 1973 Championship. The duo would remain together through 1975 and Parsons would finish fifth in the points in 1974 and fourth in 1975. Parsons would also claim the Daytona 500 victory in 1975 beating Bobby Allison by over a lap. In 1976 Carter would join forces with Allison working for owner Roger Penske. They would produce no wins; but would have 15 Top 5 finishes and a fourth place result in the points. Bobby Allison left Penske in 1977 and Dave Marcis was brought on to wheel the Cam 2 Motor Oil Chevy. They would only run 14 events but post five Top 5 results. 1978-1981 Carter would not lead a team anywhere. But he was back in 1981 taking over crew chief duties working for Hal Needham. He was on the pit box for 22 races with Harry Gant; and ten races with Stan Barrett. Barrett posted one Top 10 finish; while Gant would finish second SEVEN times. From 1982
through 1988 Carter would partner with Gant and they would claim nine wins over that span; including the 1984 Southern 500. Gant would be injured in a hard crash and Morgan Shepherd would drive for him in five races. Gant would leave to go drive for Jackson Brothers Racing and Rick Mast was hired to take his place. The team ran just 13 races that season posting only one Top 10. 1991 would be Carters last full time season as a crew chief. He would start his own team and hire Jimmy Spencer as driver. Spencer had a season best third place finish and also had six Top 10 finishes. Spencer would start six races in 1992 and did not qualify for four events. Travis would continue to field Cup Series teams through 2003; but he would hire others to be his crew chiefs. He did serve as crew chief for four races in 1999 for Darrell Waltrip with no success. For his career as a crew chief he would have 11 wins; including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500. He also claimed the Cup Championship with Benny Parsons and had his drivers finish inside the Top 5 in points on eight occasions.
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