J.D. McDuffie
Encyclopedia
John Delphus McDuffie was a NASCAR
Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) driver. He raced in the top division of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career. His death was a result of a crash at Watkins Glen International
in 1991.
at the age of ten, McDuffie was inspired by racers Curtis Turner
, Glenn Wood, Billy Myers
, and others to become a race car driver.
He won several small races throughout the Carolinas including a track championship at a small dirt track near Rockingham, North Carolina
. McDuffie made his NASCAR Winston (Sprint) Cup debut in 1963 at the Rambi Speedway near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
driving Curtis Turner’s old 1961 Ford. Though McDuffie was an expert dirt track racer, he never met with much success on asphalt tracks. His best NASCAR finish came at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in 1971 where he managed to finish 3rd. Meanwhile, his first last-place finish came at the 1963 Pickens 200
. In 1978 McDuffie won the pole position for the Delaware 500. In the 1988 Daytona 500 qualifying race, McDuffie received second and third-degree burns in an accident after he raced without fireproof gloves because they were stolen before the race.
One day before his fatal accident at Watkins Glen International Speedway, McDuffie won a celebrity race in Owego, New York
at Shangri-La Speedway
, not far from Watkins Glen.
race at Watkins Glen International
. On the straight between the Esses and the Loop-Chute, at 170 mph, McDuffie and Jimmy Means
touched wheels. McDuffie's driver's side outer tie rod end dropped from the front wheel spindle, which caused him to lose control of the position of the right side tire/wheel. Further, the impact caused the front wheel assembly to completely fall off the car, starting a chain reaction that resulted in all of McDuffie's brakes failing. This left him no way of stopping the car or steering it away, and to further complicate matters there was no gravel trap in the corner that McDuffie was headed toward. As a result, McDuffie skidded across the grass and hit the outside retaining wall and tire barrier with such force that the car shot into the air, rotated in mid-air, and then came to rest upside down. Means also crashed into the same corner but was able to slow his vehicle down before the impact; his car went under McDuffie's as it was in mid-air.
Means, a fellow independent racer, suffered only minor cuts and bruises in the accident, and got out of his car to check on JD. After peering into McDuffie's car, he began frantically signaling for assistance, and a host of medical personnel and track workers rushed to the scene.
The race was delayed for an hour as McDuffie was removed from his car and his car was removed from the infield. Also, the wall that McDuffie and Means struck had to be repaired. As the cars got back on the track and cruised under yellow flag conditions, the media attention turned to Chip Williams, NASCAR's PR director, who disclosed that McDuffie had lost his life in the accident. The 52-year-old was survived by wife Ima Jean, son Jeff (who himself drove in five Winston Cup events), and daughter Linda. Race TV broadcaster ESPN erroneously reported that McDuffie was 53; he would not have been until December 5 of that year.
McDuffie's death led to changes at Watkins Glen. Six weeks earlier, Camel GT Prototype
driver Tommy Kendall
had a hard crash in the same section during the Camel Continental VIII
, when a wheel failed on his Pratt & Miller
Intrepid-Chevrolet
prototype, sliding into the barrier, breaking both ankles and sidelining him for the rest of the 1991 season, including the Cup race, where he was set to substitute for Kyle Petty
, injured at Talladega in May with a leg injury. (Kendall had substituted for Petty at Sears Point earlier in the year.) The track then responded with a bus stop chicane
placed slightly before the entrance of Turn 5, the section of track in question, and a gravel trap, for the 1992 season.
McDuffie's widow, Ima Jean, unsuccessfully (as of September 1993) sued Watkins Glen for $4.25 million, claiming the barrier McDuffie hit was unsafe. The judge in that case ruled that McDuffie was familiar enough with the track to be aware of the dangers and that mechanical failure caused the accident.
J. D. McDuffie is still the record holder for the most starts in NASCAR's top touring series without recording a win. His 653 starts ranks him 17th in all-time starts (as of April 2009).
NASCAR
The 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...
Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) driver. He raced in the top division of NASCAR from 1963 to 1991. McDuffie had 106 top-tens in his Cup Series career. His death was a result of a crash at Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
in 1991.
Career
After attending his first race in Bowman Gray StadiumBowman Gray Stadium
Bowman Gray Stadium is a NASCAR sanctioned 1/4-mile asphalt flat oval short track and football stadium located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most legendary venues, and is referred to as "NASCAR's longest-running weekly race track"...
at the age of ten, McDuffie was inspired by racers Curtis Turner
Curtis Turner
Curtis Turner was an early NASCAR driver. In addition to his success in racing, he made a fortune, lost it, and remade it buying and selling timberlands. Throughout his life he developed a reputation for drinking and partying...
, Glenn Wood, Billy Myers
Billy Myers
William Harrison Myers was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from 1935 through 1941 for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs . Listed at 5' 8", 168 lb., Myers batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Enola, Pennsylvania...
, and others to become a race car driver.
He won several small races throughout the Carolinas including a track championship at a small dirt track near Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States named after the Marquis of Rockingham. The population was 9,672 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County...
. McDuffie made his NASCAR Winston (Sprint) Cup debut in 1963 at the Rambi Speedway near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
driving Curtis Turner’s old 1961 Ford. Though McDuffie was an expert dirt track racer, he never met with much success on asphalt tracks. His best NASCAR finish came at Albany-Saratoga Speedway in 1971 where he managed to finish 3rd. Meanwhile, his first last-place finish came at the 1963 Pickens 200
1963 Pickens 200
The 1963 Pickens 200 was a NASCAR Grand National Series racing event that took place on July 30, 1963 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway .-Summary:Three lead changes ended up circulating amongst three different race leaders....
. In 1978 McDuffie won the pole position for the Delaware 500. In the 1988 Daytona 500 qualifying race, McDuffie received second and third-degree burns in an accident after he raced without fireproof gloves because they were stolen before the race.
One day before his fatal accident at Watkins Glen International Speedway, McDuffie won a celebrity race in Owego, New York
Owego (village), New York
Owego is a village in and the county seat of Tioga County, New York, USA. The population was 3,911 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
at Shangri-La Speedway
Shangri-La Speedway
Shangri-La Speedway was a speedway in Owego, New York. It was a half-mile oval race track facility. Over a span of fifty years, Shangri-La hosted automobile races of various kinds, including a NASCAR Grand National race in 1952, AAA Championship Cars, stock cars, Modifieds, Supermodifieds, and...
, not far from Watkins Glen.
Death
McDuffie was involved in an accident on the fifth lap of the 1991 Budweiser At The Glen1991 Budweiser At The Glen
The 1991 Budweiser At The Glen racing event was officially sanctioned as part of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Taking place on August 11, 1991 at Watkins Glen International, this race was the 18th race completed out of the 29 attempted during the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. Television...
race at Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
. On the straight between the Esses and the Loop-Chute, at 170 mph, McDuffie and Jimmy Means
Jimmy Means
James "Jimmy" Means is a former Winston Cup/Nextel Cup owner/driver. Currently, he is an adviser for Front Row Motorsports and owns his own team, Means Racing. He competed in NASCAR for eighteen years in mostly his own equipment, posting seventeen career top-tens...
touched wheels. McDuffie's driver's side outer tie rod end dropped from the front wheel spindle, which caused him to lose control of the position of the right side tire/wheel. Further, the impact caused the front wheel assembly to completely fall off the car, starting a chain reaction that resulted in all of McDuffie's brakes failing. This left him no way of stopping the car or steering it away, and to further complicate matters there was no gravel trap in the corner that McDuffie was headed toward. As a result, McDuffie skidded across the grass and hit the outside retaining wall and tire barrier with such force that the car shot into the air, rotated in mid-air, and then came to rest upside down. Means also crashed into the same corner but was able to slow his vehicle down before the impact; his car went under McDuffie's as it was in mid-air.
Means, a fellow independent racer, suffered only minor cuts and bruises in the accident, and got out of his car to check on JD. After peering into McDuffie's car, he began frantically signaling for assistance, and a host of medical personnel and track workers rushed to the scene.
The race was delayed for an hour as McDuffie was removed from his car and his car was removed from the infield. Also, the wall that McDuffie and Means struck had to be repaired. As the cars got back on the track and cruised under yellow flag conditions, the media attention turned to Chip Williams, NASCAR's PR director, who disclosed that McDuffie had lost his life in the accident. The 52-year-old was survived by wife Ima Jean, son Jeff (who himself drove in five Winston Cup events), and daughter Linda. Race TV broadcaster ESPN erroneously reported that McDuffie was 53; he would not have been until December 5 of that year.
McDuffie's death led to changes at Watkins Glen. Six weeks earlier, Camel GT Prototype
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
driver Tommy Kendall
Tommy Kendall
Tommy Kendall is an American race car driver and television broadcaster. He is best known for his SCCA Trans-Am Series career....
had a hard crash in the same section during the Camel Continental VIII
6 Hours of Watkins Glen
The Six Hours of Watkins Glen is a sports car endurance race held annually at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York...
, when a wheel failed on his Pratt & Miller
Pratt & Miller
Pratt & Miller Engineering and Fabrication is a company formed by Gary Pratt and Jim Miller in 1989.Based out of New Hudson, Michigan, they have been one of General Motors official racing teams since 1999 when they were key in the development of the Chevrolet Corvette C5-R...
Intrepid-Chevrolet
Chevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
prototype, sliding into the barrier, breaking both ankles and sidelining him for the rest of the 1991 season, including the Cup race, where he was set to substitute for Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
, injured at Talladega in May with a leg injury. (Kendall had substituted for Petty at Sears Point earlier in the year.) The track then responded with a bus stop chicane
Chicane
A chicane is an artificial feature creating extra turns in a road, used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars to lower speeds.- Motor Racing :...
placed slightly before the entrance of Turn 5, the section of track in question, and a gravel trap, for the 1992 season.
McDuffie's widow, Ima Jean, unsuccessfully (as of September 1993) sued Watkins Glen for $4.25 million, claiming the barrier McDuffie hit was unsafe. The judge in that case ruled that McDuffie was familiar enough with the track to be aware of the dangers and that mechanical failure caused the accident.
J. D. McDuffie is still the record holder for the most starts in NASCAR's top touring series without recording a win. His 653 starts ranks him 17th in all-time starts (as of April 2009).
External links
- Salute to J.D.
- Driver's statistics at racing-reference.info
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YNsk4GjM2I-ESPN race coverage of JD McDuffie's crash for historical purposes only.