FANTASY NASCAR Racin

McGriff first raced on September 16, 1945, right after racing resumed in the United States after World War II. He was the winner of the first Carrera Panamericana in 1950, where he met NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. France convinced McGriff to come south and race in NASCAR races at Daytona Beach, the first Southern 500 race at Darlington Raceway, Detroit, and Raleigh. After his historic victory in the 1950 Mexican road race, McGriff drove his race-winning Oldsmobile from Oregon to South Carolina to compete in the first Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, where he qualified 44th and finished ninth. In 1951 he made five starts, and again finished fourth at Darlington. In 1952 and 1953 he raced twice each season. Those starts coming at Detroit and Niagara Fall. He finished seventh at Detroit. 1953 saw him finish 14th at Shreveport and 19th at Raleigh. France convinced McGriff to race full-time in NASCAR in 1954. He had his four wins that year in the Cup series, the first coming at Bay Meadows Speedway. He had 17 top-10 finishes in 24 events and finished sixth in the final points standings. McGriff's average finishing position was higher than points champion Lee Petty. McGriff had two

options to choose from for the 1955 season. He was offered a ride in NASCAR to race for millionaire Carl Kiekhaefer's newly formed team. McGriff decided to return home to the West Coast to be closer to his family and to tend to his growing timber and mill business. Tim Flock drove Kiekhaefer's Chrysler 300 to 18 victories that season and the season championship. McGriff returned to racing after not racing for around ten years. He started 41st at Riverside in 1967 and had moved up to second place by the sixth lap. He beat Ron Grable in a photo finish that day. McGriff next raced in the Cup series in 1971. All three starts came on the West coast, with two starts at Riverside, and one at Ontario CA. He had a best finish of 12th. Pretty good for someone who had not raced at the Cup

feature race when he won an AutoZone West Series race in 1989 at the age of 61. His 14 wins at the defunct Riverside International Raceway is the most at NASCAR-sanctioned events and he was chosen as the grand marshal for the final race at the track in 1988. With later starts in the Camping World/K&N Pro Series East and West, he set and broke his records as the oldest driver in series history. He announced his retirement following the 2002 season. In2018, at the age of 90, he announced plans to run the K&N West races at Tucson Speedway, and upon starting became the oldest person to contest in a race sanctioned by NASCAR. McGriff was inducted in the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in its first class in 2002. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2006. In 2023, he was inducted in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, alongside 2003 Cup Series Champion, Matt Kenseth, 4-Time Cup Series winning crew chief, Kirk Shelmerdine, and NASCAR Executive, Mike Helton. A long-time competitor in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, formerly known as the

Fantasy NASCAR Racing

HERSHEL ELDRIDGE McGRIFF - 12/14/1927