BARRY DODSON - 06/04/1953 - 12/20/2017
Was a NASCAR CUP series crew chief from 1985-2001. After years serving as a crew member, Barry Dodson was hired for his first stint as crew chief in NASCAR’s top division by car owner Raymond Beadle. His initial season he was paired with driver Tim Richmond. The due ran well, but posted no wins. After one season with Richmond at the wheel of Blue Max Racing’s No. 27 Pontiac, Dodson paired with Rusty Wallace and the duo was a perfect match. With Dodson providing double duty with crew chief calls and over-the-wall service, Wallace won multiple races in each of their years together. They won two races together their initial season, and again in 1987. 1988 would see them find victory lane six times, but come up just a little short of the 1988 Championship that was won by Bill Elliott. In 1989 Dodson again won six events, and was able to get the Cup championship beating out Dale Earnhardt Sr by 12 points. Dodson paired with Wallace one more season in 1990 as they finished sixth in the points and acquired two more wins. 1991 saw Dodson move to Team III Racing working for owner Sam McMahon. He headed up multiple drivers that season including Mickey Gibbs, Dick Trickle, and Kenny Wallace. In 1992 he hooked up with Derrick Cope, and then in 1993 with Darrell Waltrip. Dodson was with Waltrip again in 1994, but after a tragic auto crash killed his 17 year old son, and 16 year old daughter he had to step away from racing. Dodson was stunned. Trey was a promising young left handed
pitcher at his high school and was going to get drafted by the majors the following year. His daughter Tia was an excellent cheerleader. Both were killed in the prime of their lives by a senseless alcohol related accident. He came back for one race in 1995 leading Kyle Petty at Dover driving for Felix Sabates. Petty was starting 37th for the Miller Genuine Draft 500, and he was a long shot to win. The weather was dark and overcast before race time. So here was Dodson, sitting on the pit box, confused as confused could be when all of a sudden the clouds opened up. Dodson, being the religious man he is, began to pray. "Trey, Tia. I know it's asking a lot but can you just make us have a nice solid run, I would really appreciate it." Then, like in a movie, the clouds closed. Dodson wasn't sure what to make of his prayer, but it all started to make sense as the day would continue to unfold. A lap-one accident that caused 20 cars to wreck on Dover's newly paved concrete would slingshot Petty towards the front. It was on lap 232 that Kyle Petty would take the lead from Dale Earnhardt and never look back. Petty led 271 of the 500 laps at Dover that afternoon, dominating the event and making Dodson's prayer come true. Dodson has said he has never prayed to his children again, knowing that they are with him forever. It was Petty’s first victory in two years, the final Cup Series win for both him and Dodson. Dodson retired from Cup in 1995. In all Dodson was a crew chief for 15 season and had 19 wins. All but the final one (with Kyle Petty) was with Rusty Wallace. Three times he finished in the top five in points with the one Cup Championship. Dodson also achieved six wins with team owner Jim Smith and driver Mike Bliss in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series from 1995-98. He was later hired as general manager when Wallace started his own team in what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series. His final season as a crew chief in the Truck Series was 2007. In 329 starts as a crew chief at NASCAR's top level, Dodson earned 19 victories; among them the 1990 World 600 and the 1989 Cup Series Championship. Dodson passed away unexpectedly in December 20, 2017 after a brief illness at the age of 64.
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