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| Born: | July 30, 1946 | |
| Birthplace: | Bessemer, Alabama | |
| Died: | February 11, 1994 (aged 47) | |
| Cause of Death: | Race car crash during practice for the 1994 Daytona 500 | |
| Achievements: | — | |
| Awards: | Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998)
inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame (1997) inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2001) |
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| NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics | ||
| 362 races run over 18 years. Events 1419 - First Defenestration of Prague. 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bessemer is a city in southwestern Jefferson County, Alabama, United States and a suburb of Birmingham near Hueytown. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 20 and ended on Sunday November 13. The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers is a list of NASCAR drivers In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration NASCAR gathered a panel to select "The The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to Auto racing either as a driver owner The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. | ||
| Best Cup Position: | 4th - 1985 (Winston Cup) | |
| First Race: | 1974 Nashville 420 (Nashville) | |
| Last Race: | 1993 Hooters 500 (Atlanta) | |
| First Win: | 1977 Capital City 400 (Richmond) | |
| Last Win: | 1988 Goodwrench 500 (Rockingham) | |
| Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
| 18 | 156 | 20 |
Lawrence Neil Bonnett (July 30, 1946 - February 11, 1994) was a NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Music City Motorplex is a NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racetrack located at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds near downtown Nashville Tennessee. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The Pep Boys Auto 500 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is an Intermediate track in Hampton Georgia, twenty miles (32 km south of Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The Chevy Rock and Roll 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond Virginia Richmond International Raceway (RIR is a 3/4-mile (12 km D-shaped asphalt race track located just outside Richmond Virginia in Henrico County. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) This article is about the Rockingham North Carolina Track for the track located in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom see Rockingham Motor The term " pole position " comes from the Horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole Events 1419 - First Defenestration of Prague. 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. Pole Position is a racing Video game released in 1982 by Namco. The Hueytown, Alabama native currently ranks 35th in all time NASCAR Cup wins. Hueytown is a City in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States and a suburb of Birmingham near Bessemer. [1]
Contents |
NASCAR career
Neil Bonnett began his NASCAR career as a protégé of the great Bobby Allison, working on the team's cars. Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937 in Hialeah Florida) is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's He later became part of the famous "Alabama Gang" that included himself, Red Farmer and the Allison family: father Bobby, brother Donnie and, later, son Davey. The Alabama Gang was the nickname for a group of NASCAR drivers who set up shop and operated out of Hueytown Alabama, near Birmingham Alabama. Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937 in Hialeah Florida) is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison (born September 7, 1939 in Miami Florida) is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/ Winston David Carl "Davey" Allison ( February 25, 1961 - July 13, 1993) was a NASCAR Race car Driver, best He began driving in NASCAR in 1974 and earned his first victory in 1977 at the Capital City 400 in Richmond, Virginia. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He later successfully won back-to-back World 600s (NASCAR's longest race, now the Coca-Cola 600) and back-to-back Busch Clash (now Bud Shootout) victories. The Coca-Cola 600 (formerly the World 600) and also known as the "Coke 600" is a in length Stock car race held annually at Lowe's Motor Speedway The Coca-Cola 600 (formerly the World 600) and also known as the "Coke 600" is a in length Stock car race held annually at Lowe's Motor Speedway
He appeared in the 1983 Burt Reynolds movie Stroker Ace. Burton Leon Reynolds Jr (born February 11 1936 is an American Actor. Stroker Ace is a 1983 action/comedy movie filmed in North Carolina and Georgia, about a NASCAR driver played by Burt Reynolds. He also appeared in the film Days of Thunder. Also his no. 12 Budweiser Chevy is in a flashback. Budweiser is an American-style lager and is one of the most popular beers in the United States.
In 1984, Bonnett joined the powerful Junior Johnson team, becoming a teammate to Darrell Waltrip. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Robert Glen Johnson Jr (born June 28, 1931 in Wilkes County North Carolina) known as Junior Johnson, was a Moonshiner in the Darrell Lee Waltrip (born February 5, 1947 in Owensboro Kentucky) is a three-time former NASCAR Winston Cup champion the 1989 Daytona In 1985, Bonnett had one of his best seasons, finishing fourth in the points standings while Waltrip went on to win his third championship. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar)
Bonnett participated in International Race of Champions (IROC) during three seasons (1979, 1980, and 1984), and finished second twice.
On April 1, 1990, Neil Bonnett suffered a life-threatening crash during the TranSouth 500 at Darlington, South Carolina. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Darlington is a city in and the County seat of Darlington County, in the northeastern part of the U Left with amnesia and dizziness, Bonnett retired from racing and turned to television, becoming a race color commentator for TNN, CBS Sports, and TBS Sports, and hosting the TV show Winners for TNN. Amnesia (from Greek) is a condition in which Memory is disturbed Spike (formerly called Spike TV) a division of MTV Networks, is an American cable network designed for an audience described CBS Sports is a division of CBS which airs many of the sports telecasts in the United States. Turner Broadcasting System Inc (often abbreviated TBS Networks or TBS Inc
However, Bonnett still desired to continue racing. In 1992, he began testing cars for good friends Dale Earnhardt and car owner Richard Childress. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr ( April 29, 1951 &ndash February 18, 2001) was an American race car driver best known for his career driving Richard Childress (born September 21, 1945 in Winston-Salem North Carolina) is a former NASCAR driver and successful team owner of Richard Cleared to race again in 1993 and upon Earnhardt's suggestion, Childress gave Bonnett a ride for the 1993 DieHard 500 at Talladega Superspeedway which was numbered 31 and sponsored by Mom and Pop's one of Earnhardt's associate sponsors. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Talladega Superspeedway is a Motorsports complex located in Talladega Alabama United States But Bonnett's comeback race was marred by a crash in which his car spun, became airborne, and crashed into the specator fence. Bonnett was uninjured and actually called the rest of the race from the CBS broadcast booth. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. He would also start the final race of the 1993 season in Atlanta, but he dropped out after just three laps. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is an Intermediate track in Hampton Georgia, twenty miles (32 km south of The reason the team gave for removing the car from the race was a blown engine, however Bonnett was teamed with points leader Dale Earnhardt, and the car was retired to assist Earnhardt in winning the season's championship. Earnhardt needed to maximize his finishing position, and by Bonnett quitting the race he was assured of those three championship points.
Death
Despite the setbacks, Bonnett was encouraged because he had secured a ride and sponsorship for at least six races in the 1994 season with car owner James Finch, including the season opening Daytona 500. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) James Finch is the owner of the Phoenix Racing team in NASCAR. The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. But on February 11, 1994, during the first practice session for the 1994 Daytona 500, Bonnett's car suffered a right front tire failure in the track's fourth turn. Events 660 BC - Traditional founding date of Japan by Emperor Jimmu. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. Bonnett's car hit the outside wall nearly head-on. Bonnett was taken to nearby Halifax Medical Center, but he had died on impact. He was survived by his wife, Susan, and their two children, son David Bonnett (had 19 Busch Series starts), and daughter, Kristen. The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a Stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. In a tragic twist, Bonnett's close friend Dale Earnhardt would be killed in an almost identical crash in the same location on the same track a little over seven years later. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr ( April 29, 1951 &ndash February 18, 2001) was an American race car driver best known for his career driving
Awards
- Bonnett was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame in 1997.
- He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2001. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to Auto racing either as a driver owner
- He was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers is a list of NASCAR drivers In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration NASCAR gathered a panel to select "The
See also
References
External links
- Drivers statistics at racing-reference.info
- Neil Bonnett at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
| Wood Brothers Racing | |
| Sprint Cup drivers | Bill Elliott (21) | Jon Wood (#21) |
| Craftsman Truck Series drivers | Jon Wood (#21) | Keven Wood (#21) |
| Development drivers | Marcos Ambrose | Jonathan Cash | Jon Wes Townley |
| Owners | Glen Wood | Wood Brothers |
| Notable former drivers | Donnie Allison | Neil Bonnett | A. J. Foyt | Dale Jarrett | Kyle Petty | Morgan Shepherd | Michael Waltrip | Cale Yarborough |
| Partnerships & Alliances | JTG Racing | Roush Fenway Racing |
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