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Fabulous Hudson Hornet

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File:C015983.jpg
Winner Marshall Teague beside his Fabulous Hudson Hornet racecar at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1952, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection

The Fabulous Hudson Hornet was a famous NASCAR Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) and AAA stockcar driven by Marshall Teague.

Marshall Teague

Teague drove the Fabulous Hudson Hornet in selected NASCAR events during the 1951 and 1952 seasons. Teague approached the Hudson Motor Car Company by traveling to Michigan and visiting their plant without an appointment; by the end of the visit Hudson virtually assured Teague of corporate support and cars; the relationship was formalized shortly after the visit. Teague was also instrumental in helping Hudson tune the I6 powered Hudson Hornet to its maximum stock capability. He nicknamed his Hudson Hornet the "Fabulous Hudson Hornet". When combined with the cars light weight and low center of gravity, the Hornet allowed Teague and the other Hudson drivers to dominate various stock car racing series from 1951 through 1954, consistently beating out other drivers in cars powered by larger, more modern engines. Teague and his crew chief Smokey Yunick won 27 of 34 events in major stock car events [1], including 7 NASCAR events. Teague left NASCAR during the 1952 season in a dispute with NASCAR's owner William France Sr.

Championships

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Marshall Teague beside the Fabulous Hudson Hornet with his daughter at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1952, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection

Teague was awarded the 1951 AAA Stock Car Driver of the Year, and the 1952 and 1954 AAA National Stock Car Champion while driving in the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.

Legacy

Hudson failed and became part of the American Motors Corporation. AMC raced the AMC Javelin in Trans-Am and the AMC Matador in NASCAR. They did well enough to win Trans-Am, and try again with a new fastback coupe in NASCAR. AMC also faded away. But Chrysler made a purse out of sow's ear by basing the Dodge Intrepid on AMC's Eagle Premier. Today's Charger NASCAR racer draws from both the Chrysler and AMC legacy racers.

Cars (2006)

Main article: Cars (film)

Template:Spoiler The 2006 film, Cars, starring the voice talents of Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy and directed by John Lasseter is about a racecar who thinks the world revolves around him finding himself stuck in the Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. Paul Newman provides the voice of a Hornet named Doc Hudson who has a mysterious past. The car turns out to be the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.