Wilbur Rakestraw: Difference between revisions
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Wilbur Rakestraw began his career in 1956 racing at his hometown track, the Dallas Speed Bowl, where he drove a 1937 Ford Coupe with the number 999 in honor of Henry Ford’s first race car. He continued racing in the SRE circuit at various local tracks including Fairburn, Gainesville, Lakewood, Cornelia, Canton, Macon, and the Peach |
Wilbur Rakestraw began his career in 1956 racing at his hometown track, the Dallas Speed Bowl, where he drove a 1937 Ford Coupe with the number 999 in honor of Henry Ford’s first race car. He continued racing in the SRE circuit at various local tracks including Fairburn, Gainesville, Lakewood, Cornelia, Canton, Macon, and the Peach |
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Rakestraw had 30 starts at 19 different tracks including the last Beach Race in Daytona Beach, Florida in the NASCAR Grand National Division (now NASCAR Cup Series) from 1956-1961. He placed a top five finish at Columbia, South Carolina and 6 other top ten finishes at various different tracks. He started in three Daytona 500 Speedway races where his best finish was 22nd at the inaugural event in 1959. He raced in several NASCAR Convertible Series events in 1958 and 1959, where he picked 3 top fives and 4 top tens. |
Rakestraw had 30 starts at 19 different tracks including the last Beach Race in Daytona Beach, Florida in the NASCAR Grand National Division (now NASCAR Cup Series) from 1956-1961. He placed a top five finish at Columbia, South Carolina and 6 other top ten finishes at various different tracks. He started in three Daytona 500 Speedway races where his best finish was 22nd at the inaugural event in 1959. He raced in several NASCAR Convertible Series events in 1958 and 1959, where he picked 3 top fives and 4 top tens. |
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He was also member of the Midwest Association of Race Cars (MARC) where he collected numerous wins and top ten finishes. Due to lack of funds, Rakestraw retired from racing after the 1961 season. In 2008, Wilbur Rakestraw was inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame (GRHOF). |
He was also member of the Midwest Association of Race Cars (MARC) where he collected numerous wins and top ten finishes. Due to lack of funds, Rakestraw retired from racing after the 1961 season. In 2008, Wilbur Rakestraw was inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame (GRHOF). |
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Revision as of 04:57, 23 February 2009
Wilbur Rakestraw was born on June 6, 1928 . He is a former Automobile Racer from Dallas, Georgia. He was born into a family racers. His career includes racing in the SRE (Southeastern Racing Enterprises) organization as well as the NASCAR Cup and Convertible series. Rakestraw was known for his toughness and thoughtfulness of other drivers due to one incident at Lakewood Speedway in 1957 when he drove through a fence and into the infield lake to avoid T-boning another driver who had crashed in front of him. After retiring from racing, Rakestraw went to work as a mechanic and later became a service manager for a local grading company. Rakestraw, 79, still resides in Dallas, Georgia today
Career – Wilbur Rakestraw began his career in 1956 racing at his hometown track, the Dallas Speed Bowl, where he drove a 1937 Ford Coupe with the number 999 in honor of Henry Ford’s first race car. He continued racing in the SRE circuit at various local tracks including Fairburn, Gainesville, Lakewood, Cornelia, Canton, Macon, and the Peach Bowl. Rakestraw had 30 starts at 19 different tracks including the last Beach Race in Daytona Beach, Florida in the NASCAR Grand National Division (now NASCAR Cup Series) from 1956-1961. He placed a top five finish at Columbia, South Carolina and 6 other top ten finishes at various different tracks. He started in three Daytona 500 Speedway races where his best finish was 22nd at the inaugural event in 1959. He raced in several NASCAR Convertible Series events in 1958 and 1959, where he picked 3 top fives and 4 top tens. He was also member of the Midwest Association of Race Cars (MARC) where he collected numerous wins and top ten finishes. Due to lack of funds, Rakestraw retired from racing after the 1961 season. In 2008, Wilbur Rakestraw was inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame (GRHOF).
Accomplishments –
- 30 starts in the NASCAR Cup and Convertible series from 1956-1961 - 1 top five and 6 top ten finishes in the NASCAR Grand National Division - 3 top five and 4 top ten finishes in the NASCAR Convertible Series - 3 Starts in the Daytona 500 (22nd place finish in the inaugural event) - Numerous wins in the MARC series - 2008 GRHOF Inductee
www.garhofa.org/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=39&catid=63 www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2008/02/15/racing_0217.html www.thunderroadusa.com/Inductees_Press_Release1.html www.ga.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/pdf/hr1264.pdf www.thunderroadusa.com/Website_2007_Info/Inductee%20Info/Wilbur%20Rakestraw.pdf vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1070263/inde