NASCAR ~ Curtis Turner Will Be Inducted into NASCAR HOF on Friday

Curtis Turner, one of NASCAR's "50 Greatest Drivers" will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, January 22. Please click here to read my tribute article on the man Big Bill France called "The greatest driver I've ever seen" and Sports Illustrated described as the "Babe Ruth of auto racing."

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by WJM on January 21, 2016 at 4:43pm

He should have been inducted in the first year. Probably due to him trying to organize a drivers union in '61 with Fireball Roberts and Tim Flock that got him banned for life (NASCAR reinstated Turner in '64 under pressure from track owners).

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by PattyKay Lilley on January 21, 2016 at 4:49pm

Oh, indeed he should have. If I could have had my "druthers" all of the "Pioneers" would have been in automatically. Remember, they'd been racing for 60 years before ever turning a shovel to build that thing in Charlotte. Curtis wasn't reinstated due to track pressure. He suited a purpose for Bill at the time. That's the way things were done then, but whatever, it was better than the luke-warm tea party we get today. The biggest thing we have today is better driver safety. Not perfect, but better. Tim was invited back as well, but sorta, kinda told Bill about where the sun don't shine. :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by alan4s on January 21, 2016 at 9:47pm

His biography was one of the best racing related books I've ever read. It would make a great movie. I found it ironic that Bill France had Curtis banned - at one time, they raced the Panamera race together through Mexico in a Hudson Hornet. Sort of a precursor to the Baja races. I've always thought Curtis and Robby were kindred spirits.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by PattyKay Lilley on January 21, 2016 at 9:52pm

They well might be. As a female fan, though an "old" one, they were both really good lookin' too. :) Bill France was what most like to call a "benevolent dictator." He was a tough customer, to be sure, but he loved stock car racing and considered it his very own baby. He protected it as one would a child. He did bring Curtis back in, when it suited Bill's purpose. Tim Flock was another story. He never returned to NASCAR. So many wonderful stories from back then. Sure, they have probably been enhanced a bit through the years, but it's still such fun to tell them.
Thanks for reading and for your comments.