Tighe Scott
Encyclopedia
Tighe Scott is a retired American racecar driver from Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania
. He competed in dirt
modified racing
before moving up into the NASCAR
Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup Series). He had 18 Top 10 finishes in 89 races, with a career best 13th place finish in the 1978 Winston Cup.
and Middletown, New York
.
Scott was given the opportunity to race in the 1976 Daytona 500
by car owner Walter Ballard. He started 18th in the race and finished 35th after crashing on the 58th lap. Scott described the experience, "That was the first time I had ever raced on asphalt. My first time on the track, I had no idea what I was up against. It took me a couple days to get myself up to speed." He competed in five more NASCAR races that season. After a sixth place finish at Talladega Superspeedway
, Ballard offered him a full-time ride.
Scott ran 26 of 30 races that season to finish 20th in season points. In 1978, Scott had his highest points finish when he finished 13th in season points.
Scott's father, owner of Scotty's Fashions, hired Harry Hyde
to be the crew chief for his family team in 1979 with Tighe Scott as the driver. Their first race together was for the 1979 Daytona 500
. Scott blew a tire in his 125 mile qualifying race
, so he had to start 33rd in the main event. He worked his way into the Top 5 in the race. "I was with guys I had never run alongside of before," Scott said. "Our car didn’t have the horsepower they had. I couldn’t lead, but I could run good in the draft." Scott was in third place in the race when he went into the pits for his final pit stop with 30 laps left. He entered the pits at full speed (which was legal and common at that time), and spun from some water on pit row right before his pit stall. Benny Parsons
' car was overheating in the pits. It took Scott some time to refire the car and he returned to the track a 3/4 lap behind the leaders. He was unable to draft with any cars and he went a lap down with one lap left. Richard Petty
won the race after the Donnie Allison
/Cale Yarborough
crash led to a fight in the infield. Scott finished sixth in the race. At the following race at Rockingham Speedway, Scott recorded his best NASCAR result when he finished fourth. His team's lack of funds enabled them to race in only 15 more events that season.
He ran ten races in 1980. Scott's final race was at the 1982 Daytona 500 for Tom Pistone
. He started 30th and finished 29th after crashing on the 81st lap. The crash footage was featured in the movie Stroker Ace
.
He returned to his roots, racing sprint cars
on Pennsylvania and New York tracks. In 1983 he raced sprint cars at Williams Grove Speedway
and Selinsgrove Speedway
, and won a race at Selinsgrove. The following season he raced at these and other tracks including Port Royal Speedway
and a World of Outlaws
(WoO) event at Orange County Fair Speedway. His final race happened in 1985. That season he competed in four WoO events and won his second last feature in a local event at Williams Grove.
Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania
Pen Argyl is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, north of Easton, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt.-Population:In 1900, 2,784 people lived in Pen Argyl, and in 1910, 3,967 people lived here...
. He competed in dirt
Dirt track racing
Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
modified racing
Modified racing
Modified stock car racing, also known as Modified racing or simply Modified, is one of the oldest types of racing in the United States, dating back to the days of the post-World War II coupes. The name for modified racing cars come from the fact that they are not stock but, rather, modified...
before moving up into the NASCAR
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 Series). He had 18 Top 10 finishes in 89 races, with a career best 13th place finish in the 1978 Winston Cup.
Racing career
Scott began as a dirt modified and sportsman driver in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey at tracks like Bridgeport, New JerseyBridgeport, New Jersey
Bridgeport is an unincorporated area within Logan Township, located in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08014....
and Middletown, New York
Middletown, New York
Middletown is the name of two separate places located in the U.S. state of New York:*Middletown, Delaware County, New York, a town*Middletown, Orange County, New York, a city...
.
Scott was given the opportunity to race in the 1976 Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
by car owner Walter Ballard. He started 18th in the race and finished 35th after crashing on the 58th lap. Scott described the experience, "That was the first time I had ever raced on asphalt. My first time on the track, I had no idea what I was up against. It took me a couple days to get myself up to speed." He competed in five more NASCAR races that season. After a sixth place finish at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, Ballard offered him a full-time ride.
Scott ran 26 of 30 races that season to finish 20th in season points. In 1978, Scott had his highest points finish when he finished 13th in season points.
Scott's father, owner of Scotty's Fashions, hired Harry Hyde
Harry Hyde
Harry Hyde was a leading crew chief in NASCAR stock car racing in the 1960s through the 1980s, winning 56 races and 88 pole positions. He was the 1970 championship crew chief for Bobby Isaac...
to be the crew chief for his family team in 1979 with Tighe Scott as the driver. Their first race together was for the 1979 Daytona 500
1979 Daytona 500
The 1979 Daytona 500 was the second race of the 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup season. It was held on February 18, 1979. Critics consider the 1979 Daytona 500 to be the most important race in stock car history....
. Scott blew a tire in his 125 mile qualifying race
Gatorade Duel
The Gatorade Duel is NASCAR Sprint Cup Series preliminary event to the Daytona 500 held annually in February at Daytona International Speedway. It consists of two races, and serves as a qualifying race for the Daytona 500...
, so he had to start 33rd in the main event. He worked his way into the Top 5 in the race. "I was with guys I had never run alongside of before," Scott said. "Our car didn’t have the horsepower they had. I couldn’t lead, but I could run good in the draft." Scott was in third place in the race when he went into the pits for his final pit stop with 30 laps left. He entered the pits at full speed (which was legal and common at that time), and spun from some water on pit row right before his pit stall. Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
' car was overheating in the pits. It took Scott some time to refire the car and he returned to the track a 3/4 lap behind the leaders. He was unable to draft with any cars and he went a lap down with one lap left. Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
won the race after the Donnie Allison
Donnie Allison
Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
/Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough
William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
crash led to a fight in the infield. Scott finished sixth in the race. At the following race at Rockingham Speedway, Scott recorded his best NASCAR result when he finished fourth. His team's lack of funds enabled them to race in only 15 more events that season.
He ran ten races in 1980. Scott's final race was at the 1982 Daytona 500 for Tom Pistone
Tom Pistone
"Tiger" Tom Pistone is a former NASCAR Grand National driver from Chicago. He made his Grand National debut in 1955. He won two races and finished 6th in championship points in the 1959 season for Carl Rupert, his best season statistically...
. He started 30th and finished 29th after crashing on the 81st lap. The crash footage was featured in the movie Stroker Ace
Stroker Ace
Stroker Ace is a 1983 action comedy film, filmed in North Carolina and Georgia, about a NASCAR driver, the eponymous Stroker Ace, played by Burt Reynolds....
.
He returned to his roots, racing sprint cars
Sprint car racing
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
on Pennsylvania and New York tracks. In 1983 he raced sprint cars at Williams Grove Speedway
Williams Grove Speedway
Williams Grove Speedway is a half-mile automobile race track located in Williams Grove, between Mechanicsburg and Dillsburg in Pennsylvania, USA. It opened in 1939, and hosted Championship Car races from 1949 to 1959 named the "Indianapolis Sweepstakes", contested by a small field of the best Champ...
and Selinsgrove Speedway
Selinsgrove Speedway
Selinsgrove Speedway is one-half mile dirt racetrack in Penn Township just south of Selinsgrove, Snyder County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It hosts Road-Runner, Pro Stock, Late Model, and Sprint Car racing every Saturday night...
, and won a race at Selinsgrove. The following season he raced at these and other tracks including Port Royal Speedway
Port Royal Speedway
Port Royal Speedway is a half mile dirt racetrack in Port Royal, Juniata County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It was opened on September 10, 1938. Like all of the tracks in the United States, it closed during the World War II years and re-opened in 1946. Port Royal Speedway hosts a weekly...
and a World of Outlaws
World of Outlaws
The World of Outlaws is an American motorsports sanctioning body. The body sanctions two major national touring series. It is best known for sanctioning a national tour of sprint cars. It later purchased a national tour of late model stockcars called the World of Outlaws Late Model Series...
(WoO) event at Orange County Fair Speedway. His final race happened in 1985. That season he competed in four WoO events and won his second last feature in a local event at Williams Grove.