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'''John Delphus McDuffie''' (December 5, 1938 - August 11, 1991) was a former Winston Cup driver. He raced in the [[Winston Cup Series|top division]] of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career. His unexpected death was a result of a crash at [[Watkins Glen International]] in 1991.
'''John Delphus McDuffie''' (December 5, 1938 - August 11, 1991) was a former [[NASCAR]] [[Winston Cup]] (now Sprint Cup) driver. He raced in the [[Winston Cup Series|top division]] of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career. His unexpected death was a result of a crash at [[Watkins Glen International]] in 1991.


==Career==
==Career==
After attending his first race in [[Bowman Gray Stadium]] at the age of ten, McDuffie was inspired by racing legends [[Curtis Turner]], Glenn Wood, Billy Myers and others to become a race car driver. He won several small races thought the Carolina's. Including a track championship at a small dirt track near [[Rockingham, North Carolina]]. McDuffie made his NASCAR Winston (Sprint) Cup debut in 1963 at the Rambi Speedway near [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]] driving Curtis Turner’s old 1961 [[Ford]]. Though McDuffie was a expert dirt track racer he was never met with much success on asphalt tracks. His best NASCAR finish came at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in 1971 where he managed 3rd place. In 1978 McDuffie won the pole for the Delaware 500. In the 1988 Daytona 500 qualifier race McDuffie received Second and Third Degree burns in a accident after he raced without fireproof gloves because they were stolen before the race. One day before his fatal accident at Watkins Glen International Speedway, McDuffie won a celebrity race at Shangri-La Speedway not far from Watkins Glen <ref>http://www.nascardriveroftheday.com/2010/01/jd-mcduffie.html JD McDuffie Bio</ref>
After attending his first race in [[Bowman Gray Stadium]] at the age of ten, McDuffie was inspired by racing legends [[Curtis Turner]], Glenn Wood, [[Billy Myers]], and others to become a race car driver. He won several small races throughout the Carolinas including a track championship at a small dirt track near [[Rockingham, North Carolina]]. McDuffie made his NASCAR Winston (Sprint) Cup debut in 1963 at the Rambi Speedway near [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]] driving Curtis Turner’s old 1961 [[Ford]]. Though McDuffie was a expert dirt track racer, he never met with much success on asphalt tracks. His best NASCAR finish came at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in 1971 where he managed to finish 3rd. In 1978 McDuffie won the pole position for the Delaware 500. In the 1988 Daytona 500 qualifying race, McDuffie received second and third degree burns in an accident after he raced without fireproof gloves because they were stolen before the race. One day before his fatal accident at Watkins Glen International Speedway, McDuffie won a celebrity race at Shangri-La Speedway not far from Watkins Glen. <ref>http://www.nascardriveroftheday.com/2010/01/jd-mcduffie.html JD McDuffie Bio</ref>


==Death==
==Death==
McDuffie was involved in an accident in the opening laps of the 1991 [[Bud at the Glen]] race at [[Watkins Glen International Raceway]]. On the long back stretch, at 170 mph, JD (70 car) and Jimmie Means (52 car) touched wheels. As a result, the driver's side outer tie rod end dropped from the front wheel spindle. With no tie rod end, there was no control of the position of the right side tire/wheel. The uncontrolled spindle/tire/wheel assembly was ripped from the upper and lower control arms. At that time a single master cylinder was used; the loss of the front wheel resulted in total brake loss. He was unable to steer or slow down the car at all, and with an absence of a gravel trap, McDuffie skidded across the grass and slammed with tremendous velocity into the tire barrier and catch fence outside the high speed right-hander. [[Jimmy Means]] who was also collected in the accident, crashed underneath him. Means was able to slow his car down substantially before crashing and avoid injury, but the sheer violence of McDuffie's impact with the tires rolled the car in the air as the 52 of Means passed underneath. McDuffie was pronounced dead at the scene.
McDuffie was involved in an accident in the opening laps of the 1991 [[Bud at the Glen]] race at [[Watkins Glen International Raceway]]. On the long back stretch, at 170 mph, JD (70 car) and [[Jimmy Means]] (52 car) touched wheels. As a result, the driver's side outer tie rod end dropped from the front wheel spindle. With no tie rod end, there was no control of the position of the right side tire/wheel. The uncontrolled spindle/tire/wheel assembly was ripped from the upper and lower control arms. At that time a single master cylinder was used; the loss of the front wheel resulted in total brake loss. He was unable to steer or slow down the car at all, and with an absence of a gravel trap, McDuffie skidded across the grass and slammed with tremendous speed into the tire barrier and catch fence outside the high speed right-hander. Jimmy Means who was also involved in the accident, crashed underneath him. Means was able to slow his car down substantially before crashing and avoid injury, but the sheer violence of McDuffie's impact with the tires rolled the car in the air as the 52 of Means passed underneath. McDuffie was pronounced dead at the scene.


McDuffie's fatal crash which was similar to a serious injury to [[Tommy Kendall]] six weeks earlier in the Camel Continental VIII, as well as a severe crash by [[Geoff Bodine]]. In 1989 with two laps to go, McDuffie led to a new bus stop chicane shortly before Turn 5 (now turn 9) to slow down cars entering the turn.
McDuffie's fatal crash was similar to a serious injury to [[Tommy Kendall]] six weeks earlier in the Camel Continental VIII, as well as a severe crash by [[Geoff Bodine]]. In 1989 with two laps to go, McDuffie led to a new bus stop chicane shortly before Turn 5 (now turn 9) to slow down cars entering the turn.


McDuffie's widow, Ima Jean, unsuccessfully (as of September 1993) sued Watkins Glen for $4.25 million, claiming the barrier McDuffie hit was unsafe. The judge in that case ruled that McDuffie was familiar enough with the track to be aware of the dangers and that mechanical failure caused the accident. <ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE6DC153DF936A3575AC0A965958260&n=Top%2fClassifieds%2fAutos%2fTopics%2fWheel%20Spin SPORTS PEOPLE: AUTO RACING; Track Found Not Liable - New York Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.
McDuffie's widow, Ima Jean, unsuccessfully (as of September 1993) sued Watkins Glen for $4.25 million, claiming the barrier McDuffie hit was unsafe. The judge in that case ruled that McDuffie was familiar enough with the track to be aware of the dangers and that mechanical failure caused the accident. <ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE6DC153DF936A3575AC0A965958260&n=Top%2fClassifieds%2fAutos%2fTopics%2fWheel%20Spin SPORTS PEOPLE: AUTO RACING; Track Found Not Liable - New York Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>.

Revision as of 02:24, 26 November 2010

J. D. McDuffie
Cause of deathRace car crash in turn 5 at Watkins Glen International during the Bud at the Glen
NASCAR Cup Series career
653 races run over 27 years
Best finish9th - 1971 (Grand National)
First race1963 Speedorama 200 (Myrtle Beach Speedway)
Last race1991 The Bud at the Glen (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles
106 1

John Delphus McDuffie (December 5, 1938 - August 11, 1991) was a former NASCAR Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) driver. He raced in the top division of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career. His unexpected death was a result of a crash at Watkins Glen International in 1991.

Career

After attending his first race in Bowman Gray Stadium at the age of ten, McDuffie was inspired by racing legends Curtis Turner, Glenn Wood, Billy Myers, and others to become a race car driver. He won several small races throughout the Carolinas including a track championship at a small dirt track near Rockingham, North Carolina. McDuffie made his NASCAR Winston (Sprint) Cup debut in 1963 at the Rambi Speedway near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina driving Curtis Turner’s old 1961 Ford. Though McDuffie was a expert dirt track racer, he never met with much success on asphalt tracks. His best NASCAR finish came at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in 1971 where he managed to finish 3rd. In 1978 McDuffie won the pole position for the Delaware 500. In the 1988 Daytona 500 qualifying race, McDuffie received second and third degree burns in an accident after he raced without fireproof gloves because they were stolen before the race. One day before his fatal accident at Watkins Glen International Speedway, McDuffie won a celebrity race at Shangri-La Speedway not far from Watkins Glen. [1]

Death

McDuffie was involved in an accident in the opening laps of the 1991 Bud at the Glen race at Watkins Glen International Raceway. On the long back stretch, at 170 mph, JD (70 car) and Jimmy Means (52 car) touched wheels. As a result, the driver's side outer tie rod end dropped from the front wheel spindle. With no tie rod end, there was no control of the position of the right side tire/wheel. The uncontrolled spindle/tire/wheel assembly was ripped from the upper and lower control arms. At that time a single master cylinder was used; the loss of the front wheel resulted in total brake loss. He was unable to steer or slow down the car at all, and with an absence of a gravel trap, McDuffie skidded across the grass and slammed with tremendous speed into the tire barrier and catch fence outside the high speed right-hander. Jimmy Means who was also involved in the accident, crashed underneath him. Means was able to slow his car down substantially before crashing and avoid injury, but the sheer violence of McDuffie's impact with the tires rolled the car in the air as the 52 of Means passed underneath. McDuffie was pronounced dead at the scene.

McDuffie's fatal crash was similar to a serious injury to Tommy Kendall six weeks earlier in the Camel Continental VIII, as well as a severe crash by Geoff Bodine. In 1989 with two laps to go, McDuffie led to a new bus stop chicane shortly before Turn 5 (now turn 9) to slow down cars entering the turn.

McDuffie's widow, Ima Jean, unsuccessfully (as of September 1993) sued Watkins Glen for $4.25 million, claiming the barrier McDuffie hit was unsafe. The judge in that case ruled that McDuffie was familiar enough with the track to be aware of the dangers and that mechanical failure caused the accident. [2].

J.D. McDuffie is still the record holder for the most starts in NASCAR's top touring series without recording a win. His 653 starts ranks him 17th in all-time starts (as of April 2009).

The day before his fatal crash, J.D. McDuffie won a celebrity race in Owego, New York at Shangri-La Speedway near Watkins Glen[3].

References

  1. ^ http://www.nascardriveroftheday.com/2010/01/jd-mcduffie.html JD McDuffie Bio
  2. ^ SPORTS PEOPLE: AUTO RACING; Track Found Not Liable - New York Times
  3. ^ ESPN coverage of the 1991 Budweiser at the Glen
Preceded by NASCAR Winston Cup Series fatalities
1991 		Succeeded by

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