RAYMOND "FRIDAY" HASSLER - 07/29/1935 - 02/17/1972
was a NASCAR Cup Series driver. He made his debut in 1960 but only drove a hand full of races per year until 1967 when he drove 21 of the 49 races for Red Sharp and finished 32nd in points. His first start would come in the National 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October of 1960. He would start 22nd and also finish 22nd in the race. He had a career best finish of second at Islip Speedway in NY. It came in July of 1961. He would start fourth but Richard Petty would claim the win in the 250 lap race. Hassler drove to victory at the 1971 Volunteer 500 at Bristol in 1971; but as a relief driver for Charlie Glotzbach. It was not an official win for Hassler since the driver that starts the race gets credit for the finish position; and its only one of three instances where two drivers drove the winning car in a NASCAR premier series race. Hassler had started his own car that day and fell out on lap 104 when a wheel bearing failed. The race ran caution free; yet the team was able to make the driver change under green; get Hassler back out and he would
win by over three laps. Of course back in those days a pit stop often took over 30 second so a drivers changed wouldn’t of added much extra time to the stop. As of 2017 this race still stands as the fastest Bristol race ever. It is said Hassler, an independent driver, helped develop the modern NASCAR race car. Because he was unable to buy the "factory" new equipment as an independent driver, he simply put the improved parts where they would go on the older cars. Thus began the modern race car. His final career Cup start would come at Riverside Ca in the 1972 season opening race. He would start seventh and drive to a respectable ninth place finish. Hassler lost his life in a crash the next event in Qualifying race #1 for the Daytona 500; at the age of 36 and the peak of his career. The accident happened on Lap 19 and was started when the
Cup series 1970
car of David Ray Boggs cut a tire on a restart, resulting in a 13 car pile-up. Hassler got turned sideway on the back straight; and as it was slowing to nearly a stop; it was rammed in the passengers side door by the #54 Dodge of Jimmy Crawford, the impact catapulting the car back into the wall. Hassler was killed instantly from massive head and neck injuries. Hassler is buried at the Chattanooga Memorial Park in his hometown at Chattanooga, Tennessee. For his career Friday raced in 135 Cup events; he posted a career best of second along with 12 top five finishes and 48 top tens. Video of Hassler crash can be found HERE Some info from Wikipedia.
Aftermath of Hassler's fatal crash
All Photos copyright and are property of their respective owners