Fantasy NASCAR Racing

a former NASCAR Cup Series crew chief and engine builder.  Wilson grew up Bakersville, North Carolina.  After graduating from the Nashville Auto and Diesel College in Tennessee, he worked for Cummins Diesel in Miami.  He started driving jalopies, street stocks, and modifieds at the Hialeah, Palmetto and Hollywood short tracks in Florida.  "I won a few," Waddell said, "but before long I figured building engines really was my niche."  Wilson began as an engine builder for Holman Moody in the early 1960s and he worked for them into 1970s.  He became recognized after building the engine that Fireball Roberts used to win the 1963 Southern 500.  Engines built by Wilson had 109 wins, and won three championships (David Pearson in 1968-69, Benny Parsons in 1973). Parsons set the record for the first 200-mile-per-hour qualifying lap at Talladega using an engine built by Wilson.  Wilson later took over as a crew chief.  His first shot came in 1979 as he led Buddy Baker in one race.  Baker won the 1980 Daytona 500, and also at Talladega that season.  He teamed with Bobby Allison in 1981, posted five wins and finished second in the Cup points.  Wins included both races at the Riverside road course and the World 600.  In 1982 Wilson started the season working for Harry Ranier and driver Benny Parsons.  They posted seven Top 5’s in the season first 14 races.  Parson was replaced by Buddy Baker for the second half of the season; but he could only manage to get three Top 5 finishes. Ranier hired Cale Yarborough to drive his car in 1983, after Yarborough had left Junior Johnson.