Robert Newman Flock (April 16, 1918 - May 16, 1964) of
Fort Payne, AlabamaFort Payne is a city in DeKalb County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 12,938. The city is the county seat of DeKalb County. It bills itself as the "Official Sock Capital of the World."...
was an early
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver. He qualified on the
pole positionThe term "pole position" comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole.The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsport, a driver has pole position when he or she starts a race at the front of...
for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock (now Sprint Cup Series) race.
Flock family
He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers
Tim FlockJulius Timothy Flock was one of NASCAR's early pioneers, and a two time series champion. He was a brother to NASCAR's second female driver Ethel Mobley and NASCAR pioneers Bob Flock and Fonty Flock.- NASCAR career :...
and
Fonty FlockTruman Fontell "Fonty" Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama was an early NASCAR driver.-Flock family:He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers Tim Flock and Bob Flock, and the second female NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley...
, and the second female NASCAR driver
Ethel MobleyEthel Mobley of Fort Payne, Alabama was tied for the second female to drive in NASCAR history. She was named after the gasoline her father used in his taxi. -"Flying Flocks":...
. The four raced at the July 10, 1949 race at the
Daytona Beach Road CourseDaytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set.-World speed records:...
, which was the first event to feature a brother and a sister, and the only NASCAR event to feature four siblings. Ethel beat Fonty and Bob by finishing in eleventh.
Moonshine business
The Flock family had an illegal
moonshine| align="right"||}Moonshine is a common term for home-distilled alcohol, especially in places where this practice is illegal.The name is often assumed to be derived from the fact that moonshine producers and smugglers would often work at night...
business. The federal agents one discovered the Flock would be running a race in Atlanta, and they staked out the place to make an arrest. A gate opened as the race was beginning, and he drove on the track to take the green flag. The police vehicles quickly appeared on the track. They chased Flock for a lap or two before he drove through the fence. The police followed him until he ran out of gas later. Reminiscing years later, Bob said, "I would have won that race if the cops had stayed out of it"
http://www.kellyflock.com/.
Racing career
He was a well established driver before NASCAR was formed. He took over NASCAR founder
Bill FranceWilliam "Bill" Henry Getty France, Sr. "Big Bill" , was an American racecar driver. He is best known for co-founding and managing NASCAR, a sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing.-Background:...
's ride in 1946. He won both events at the
Daytona Beach Road CourseDaytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set.-World speed records:...
in 1947.
He sat on the pole for NASCAR's first race at
Charlotte SpeedwayFor the current NASCAR track in Charlotte, North Carolina, see Lowe's Motor Speedway.Charlotte Speedway was the site of NASCAR's first Strictly Stock series race on June 19, 1949. The Daytona Beach Road Course held the first race sanctioned by NASCAR in 1948...
on June 19 1949. He had two wins that season, and finished third in the points behind
Lee PettyLee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 60s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars.-Career:...
and champion
Red ByronRobert "Red" Byron was a NASCAR driver who was successful in the sanctioning body's first years. He was NASCAR's first Modified champion in 1948 and its first Strictly Stock champion in 1949.-Background:Born in Colorado he moved to Anniston, Alabama at an early age, Byron began...
.
He won two 100 lap ARCA races at
Lakewood SpeedwayLakewood Speedway was a race track located south of Atlanta, Georgia, in Lakewood, Georgia, just north of the eastern arm of Langford Parkway . The track held many kinds of races between 1919 and 1979, including events sanctioned by AAA/USAC, IMCA, and NASCAR. It was a one-mile dirt track which...
in 1954.
Bob Flock retired from driving when he broke his back in an on track accident. He had over 200
modifiedModified racing is one of the oldest types of racing in the United States, dating back to the days of the post-World War II coupes. There are as many different sanctioning bodies for modifieds which each sanctioning body having different body style and engine size variations of modified race cars...
wins
http://www.garhofa.com/driver-bio.php?id=3&hof=1 in his career.
Track promoter
Flock became a track promoter in Atlanta. He hired three women (
Sara Christian-1949:She competed in NASCAR's first race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Speedway . She qualified 13th in the #71 Ford owned by her husband Frank Christian. She let Bob Flock drive the car part way through the race after his engine expired on the 38th lap...
, and Mildred Williams, and his sister Ethel Mobley) to race at his new track.
Awards
- He was inducted in the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.
- He was a member of the National Motorsports Hall of Fame Association.
External links