Wilbur Rakestraw
Encyclopedia
Wilbur Rakestraw is a retired automobile racer from Dallas, Georgia
. He was born into a family of racers. His career includes racing in the SRE (Southeastern Racing Enterprises) organization as well as the NASCAR
Cup and Convertible
series. Rakestraw was known for his toughness and thoughtfulness of other drivers due to one incident at Lakewood Speedway
in 1957 when he drove through a fence and into the infield lake to avoid T-boning another driver who had crashed in front of him. After he retired from racing, Rakestraw went to work as a mechanic and later became a service manager for a local grading company. Rakestraw, 83, still resides in Dallas, Georgia today.
’s first race car, which had been driven by Barney Oldfield
. He continued racing in the SRE circuit at various local tracks including Fairburn, Gainesville, Lakewood, Cornelia, Canton, Macon, and the Peach Bowl.
Rakestraw had 30 starts at 19 different tracks including the last Beach Race
in Daytona Beach, Florida in the NASCAR Grand National Division (now NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) from 1956-1961. He placed a top five finish at Columbia, South Carolina and 6 other top ten finishes at various different tracks. He started in three Daytona 500
Speedway races where his best finish was 22nd at the inaugural event in 1959
. He raced in several NASCAR Convertible Series events in 1958 and 1959, where he picked 3 top fives and 4 top tens.
He was also member of the Midwest Association of Race Cars (MARC) (now ARCA
), where he collected numerous wins and top ten finishes. Due to lack of funds, Rakestraw retired from racing after the 1961 season. In 2008, Wilbur Rakestraw was inducted into the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame (GRHOF).
Dallas, Georgia
Dallas is a city in and the county seat of Paulding County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 11,544. It was named for George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States of America under James K. Polk.-History:...
. He was born into a family of racers. His career includes racing in the SRE (Southeastern Racing Enterprises) organization as well as 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...
Cup and Convertible
NASCAR Convertible Division
The NASCAR Convertible Division was a division of convertible cars early in NASCAR's history.-History:NASCAR purchased SAFE 's all-convertible Circuit of Champions “All Stars” circuit late in 1955. Most drivers did not make the transition to NASCAR's sanction. NASCAR ran the division from 1956...
series. Rakestraw was known for his toughness and thoughtfulness of other drivers due to one incident at Lakewood Speedway
Lakewood Speedway
Lakewood 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 1957 when he drove through a fence and into the infield lake to avoid T-boning another driver who had crashed in front of him. After he retired from racing, Rakestraw went to work as a mechanic and later became a service manager for a local grading company. Rakestraw, 83, still resides in Dallas, Georgia today.
Career
Wilbur Rakestraw began his career in 1956 racing at his hometown track, the Dallas Speed Bowl. He drove a 1937 Ford Coupe with the number 999 in honor of Henry FordHenry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
’s first race car, which had been driven by Barney Oldfield
Barney Oldfield
Berna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval...
. He continued racing in the SRE circuit at various local tracks including Fairburn, Gainesville, Lakewood, Cornelia, Canton, Macon, and the Peach Bowl.
Rakestraw had 30 starts at 19 different tracks including the last Beach Race
Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set...
in Daytona Beach, Florida in the NASCAR Grand National Division (now NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) from 1956-1961. He placed a top five finish at Columbia, South Carolina and 6 other top ten finishes at various different tracks. He started in three 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....
Speedway races where his best finish was 22nd at the inaugural event in 1959
1959 Daytona 500
The 1959 First Annual 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona was the second race of the 1959 NASCAR Grand National season. It was held on February 22, 1959, in front of 41,921 spectators...
. He raced in several NASCAR Convertible Series events in 1958 and 1959, where he picked 3 top fives and 4 top tens.
He was also member of the Midwest Association of Race Cars (MARC) (now ARCA
Automobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
), where he collected numerous wins and top ten finishes. Due to lack of funds, Rakestraw retired from racing after the 1961 season. In 2008, Wilbur Rakestraw was inducted into the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame (GRHOF).
Accomplishments
- 30 starts in the NASCAR Cup and Convertible series from 1956-1961
- 1 top five and 6 top ten finishes in the NASCAR Grand National Division
- 3 top five and 4 top ten finishes in the NASCAR Convertible Series
- 3 Starts in the Daytona 500 (22nd place finish in the inaugural event)
- Numerous wins in the MARC series
- 2008 GRHOF Inductee
External links
- http://www.garhofa.org/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=39&catid=63