Delma Cowart

Delma Cowart
Delma Cowart
Born	July 6, 1941 (age 83); Savannah, Georgia
NASCAR Cup Series career
	21 races run over 17 years
Best finish	44th (1982)
First race	1981 Atlanta Journal 500 (Atlanta)
Last race	1992 DieHard 500 (Talladega)
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
	1 race run over 1 year
Best finish	135th (1982)
First race	1982 Goody's 300 (Daytona)

Delma Cowart (born July 6, 1941), is a retired NASCAR and ARCA driver. While never achieving much success, Cowart achieved notoriety for being the "clown prince of racing" in the 1980s and '90s. His jovial nature made him a favorite among competitors.

Racing career

Cowart began competing in NASCAR in the Late Model Sportsman Division, now the NASCAR Xfinity Series. His notoriety in that series came in 1979 Permatex 300 at Daytona. On lap four, Joe Frasson had wrecked and was sitting in the middle of the race track. Cowart hit Frasson at nearly full speed igniting Frasson's fuel tank into a ball of fire. Neither Frasson or Cowart were injured in the crash although Don Williams was critically injured trying to avoid the accident. When changes to the structure of the late model series were made, Cowart decided that the rising expenses in that series would make it just as economically feasible to race in the Winston Cup Series. Cowart made his first start in NASCAR by qualifying for the 1981 Atlanta Journal 500 with owner Heyward Grooms. That day he finished 18th. In 1982, Cowart earned his best career finish, in the Firecracker 400 at Daytona, scoring 17th.

A superspeedway driver, Cowart qualified for the Daytona 500 four times, each time throwing an extravagant party for members of the NASCAR community in celebration.

Cowart's primary career was installing pools and septic tanks in the Savannah, Georgia area. He used his day job to advance his racing, once trading Junior Johnson's engine builder a swimming pool for a racing engine.

Tracks

Cowart's main tracks were Daytona International Speedway or Talladega Superspeedway, but he did run in the 1992 race at Rockingham, North Carolina. Cowart also tried, but failed, to make the 1994 Brickyard 400.

Numbers

His main number was 0, but he did run the 01 a few times in 1987 Daytona 500 he was in 49 for only one time in the cup but he was DNQ. Cowart repeatedly joked that he was the only driver whose car number matched his chance of winning.

1992 Daytona 500

Cowart made the 1992 Daytona 500 and made his trademark quote, "I ain't never won a race, though I ain't lost a party." An accident-filled qualifying race allowed Cowart to finish 13th and advance to the Daytona 500. "When we made the race," Cowart said, "I went out and hired a team physician. I figured we needed a team physician. I figured we needed one for all the physical requirements of our fine crew. What does the doctor specialize in? He's a veterinarian, because all we've got on our crew is a bunch of dogs!" A legendary party ensued at a Daytona area hotel. "I don't think he showed back up at the track until Sunday," Benny Parsons recalled.

The Daytona 500 that year was plagued by accidents, allowing Cowart to finish 25th, earning a career high $23,285. With the money, he bought a big screen TV and travelled to the following race at Rockingham, finishing 35th there.

Final years

Cowart tried to make the Daytona 500 from 1993–1997, but failed each time. His last race was the 1997 Winston Open, but was flagged shortly after the start. Delma Cowart Racing brought two race cars to Charlotte that weekend. One was for the ARCA race as the newer Penske Ford that Delma had bought was for the Cup race. The Cup engine developed a problem so the team decided to make an engine change. The problems that followed were that the clutch components, some of the brackets, etc., were different from what Delma had as backup parts. Once the ARCA race had completed the team worked feverishly on the Cup car to make the race. It was about 4:00 pm when the team started making the engine change as well as trying make all of the pieces fit together; by the time the car was ready it was roughly 6:00 pm. The green flag was to drop at 7:30 pm. The car had yet to pass inspection. A little after 6:00 pm, the team started the car and found that there was a transmission problem . The team now had a decision to make: to quit or keep on working. The team decided to go and make the transmission swap. Later on, the command to start engines went out. At that time Delma was still in the garage area and he started his. He left the garage area and entered the track only to see the black flag displayed. A few caution laps were made and then Delma decided to pull off. At that time the NASCAR officials were present in the garage area as Delma and his crew chief had a meeting in the NASCAR trailer. In later years Delma was featured in a Growing Bolder interview. When asked to as why he did what he did, he said, "Look, it wasn't a points race, just a money race, and the crew worked so hard, I wasn't about to let them down."

In early 1998, at age 56, Cowart announced his retirement at Whiskey Pete's, a saloon in Holly Hill, Florida. "I'm a dinosaur," Cowart said "There ain't no room for guys like me no more. To me, racing was a hobby. Now, you gotta have money."

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	NWCC	Pts
1981	Heyward Grooms	0	Buick	RSD	DAY	RCH	CAR	ATL	BRI	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	TWS	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL 18	RSD		NA	-
1982	Heyward Grooms			DAY 33	RCH	BRI									CLT 32	POC	RSD	MCH																		44th	410
1982	H. L. Waters Racing						ATL 23	CAR	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV					DAY 17	NSV	POC	TAL 30	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	NWS	CLT DNQ	MAR	CAR	ATL	RSD			44th	410
1983				DAY 31	RCH	CAR	ATL	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	BRI	CLT	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY 35	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS			ATL 24	RSD			49th	277
1983			Chevy																											CLT 35	CAR					49th	277
1984			Chevy	DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR																TAL DNQ	MCH DNQ	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	ATL	RSD			64th	152
1984			Buick				ATL 36	BRI	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT 22	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC															64th	152
1985			Chevy	DAY 40	RCH	CAR	ATL DNQ	BRI	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL DNQ	DOV	CLT DNQ	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY DNQ	POC	TAL 37	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	RSD					80th	95
1986				DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	BRI	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL 19	DOV	CLT DNQ	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL 29	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT 39	CAR	ATL DNQ	RSD				60th	-
1987		49		DAY DNQ	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	NWS	BRI	MAR	TAL	CLT	DOV	POC	RSD	MCH																			107th	-
1987		0																DAY DNQ	POC	TAL 24	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ	CAR	RSD	ATL DNQ				107th	-
1988				DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	CLT	DOV	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY DNQ	POC	TAL DNQ	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	PHO	ATL				NA	-
1989				DAY DNQ	CAR	ATL	RCH	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL DNQ	CLT DNQ	DOV	SON	POC	MCH	DAY DNQ	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	PHO	ATL				NA	-
1990			Ford	DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	CLT DNQ	DOV	SON	POC	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL DNQ	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ	CAR DNQ	PHO	ATL				NA	-
1991				DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	CLT	DOV	SON	POC	MCH	DAY DNQ	POC	TAL DNQ	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ	CAR	PHO	ATL DNQ				NA	-
1992				DAY 25	CAR 35	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL DNQ	CLT DNQ	DOV	SON	POC	MCH	DAY DNQ	POC DNQ	TAL 37	GLN	MCH DNQ	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	PHO	ATL				54th	198
1993				DAY DNQ	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL DNQ	SON	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	DAY DNQ	NHA	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	PHO	ATL			NA	-
1994				DAY DNQ	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL DNQ	SON	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	DAY DNQ	NHA	POC	TAL DNQ	IND DNQ	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ	CAR	PHO	ATL		NA	-
1995				DAY DNQ	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL DNQ	SON	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	DAY DNQ	NHA	POC	TAL DNQ	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ	CAR	PHO	ATL DNQ		NA	-
1996				DAY DNQ	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL DNQ	SON	CLT DNQ	DOV	POC	MCH	DAY	NHA	POC	TAL	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ	CAR	PHO	ATL		NA	-
1997				DAY DNQ	CAR	RCH	ATL	DAR	TEX	BRI	MAR	SON	TAL	CLT	DOV	POC	MCH	CAL	DAY	NHA	POC	IND	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	NHA	DOV	MAR	CLT	TAL	CAR	PHO	ATL	NA	-

Daytona 500

Year	Team	Manufacturer	Start	Finish
1982	Heyward Grooms	Buick	37	33
1983	H. L. Waters Racing	Buick	38	31
1984		Chevrolet	DNQ
1985			30	40
1986			DNQ
1987			DNQ
1988			DNQ
1989			DNQ
1990		Ford	DNQ
1991			DNQ
1992			27	25
1993			DNQ
1994			DNQ
1995			DNQ
1996			DNQ
1997			DNQ

Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series

NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	NBLMSS	Pts
1982	Heyward Grooms	37	Chevy	DAY 17	RCH	BRI	MAR	DAR	HCY	SBO	CRW	RCH	LGY	DOV	HCY	CLT	ASH	HCY	SBO	CAR	CRW	SBO	HCY	LGY	IRP	BRI	HCY	RCH	MAR	CLT	HCY	MAR	135th	112

ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	ABMHSC	Pts
1987		00	Chevy	DAY 11	ATL	TAL	DEL	ACS	TOL	ROC	POC	FRS	KIL	TAL	FRS	ISF	IND	DSF	SLM	ATL									92nd	-
1990	H. L. Waters Racing	0	Ford	DAY	ATL	KIL	TAL	FRS	POC	KIL	TOL	HAG	POC	TAL 14	MCH	ISF	TOL	DSF	WIN	DEL	ATL								90th	-
1991		0		DAY	ATL	KIL	TAL	TOL	FRS	POC	MCH	KIL	FRS	DEL	POC	TAL 10	HPT	MCH	ISF	TOL	DSF								72nd	-
1991		00																				TWS 10	ATL						72nd	-
1995	H. L. Waters Racing	0	Ford	DAY 16	ATL 16	TAL 14	FIF	KIL	FRS	MCH	I80	OWO	FRS	POC	POC	KIL	FRS	SBS	LVL	ISF	DSF	WIN	SLM	ATL 16					41st	860
1996				DAY 25	ATL	SLM	TAL 27	FIF	LVL	CLT 16	CLT 11	KIL	FRS	POC	MCH	FRS	TOL	POC	MCH	IND	SBS	ISF	DSF	KIL	SLM	WIN	CLT 20	ATL 31	38th	-
1997				DAY	ATL	SLM	CLT	CLT	POC	MCH	SBS	TOL	KIL	FRS	MIN	POC	MCH	DSF	GTW	SLM	WIN	CLT	TAL DNQ	ISF	ATL				NA	-

External links

Delma Cowart driver statistics at Racing-Reference