The People Of NASCAR: Red Byron
Wednesday, September 27th, 2006 8:49pm CDT
By Frank Morrison, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:387:l:s=1:l=http://thunderlounge.com/articles/nascar/features/the-people-of-nascar/]Robert N. Byron is in the history books for winning the first two point titles (1948 and 1949). He was branded with the name “Red†for his ability to sling dirt in Alabama as the dirt tracks in Alabama were made from red clay.
Born in Anniston, Alabama, he said he had been driving since the age of 5, and owned a Model T Ford when he was ten. He says he stripped the engine, tore off the fenders, and stiffened the suspension to rise to the challenges of the older kids in town to race on a homemade track in the cow pastures of Anniston and Oxford, Alabama.
Byron began his professional career at the ripe old age of 16. In the 1930’s, he raced anything that had an engine and 4 wheels. He was certainly the Kenny Schrader of his day. Byron rose through the ranks with a knack for learning from his mistakes and becoming a consistent leader.
With the beginning of WWII Red’s racing career was put on hold as he enlisted into the Army Air Corps and served as a B-24 flight engineer. He flew 57 successful missions, but on the 58th his plane was shot down over the Aleutian Islands and he was critically wounded. Byron spent more than two years in Army Hospitals, before he finally made a recovery.
He left the hospital in 1945 able to walk with a cane. With plans to return to racing, he figured he could do it after coming back from near death during the war.
In 1946 Red made a great comeback in a modified race in Orlando, FL, where he nosed by Roy Hall and Bill France in a three car shootout. He parked his car in a make shift victory lane, and he needed to be helped out of his car. His left leg was so badly injured during the war his crew had to bolt it to the clutch. When his helmet came off he looked like a man of 60 instead of 30.
Despite his frail looks and lame left leg Byron could run with the best of the auto jockeys. His undying patience complimented his undiminished aggression, which paid off to the tune of the first two NASCAR Championships.
Red only ran in 15 races from’49 to ’51, in the strictly stock and grand national series. He took 2 victories and 9 top 10s.
Declining health forced him to hang up his helmet and gloves in 1951. He worked with Briggs Cunningham to develop an American Grand Prix car. He then became the manager of a Corvette team that competed in Grand Prix racing. Red Byron died of a Heart Attack in Chicago on November 7, 1960 at the age of 44. Later on in history, Bobby Allison referred to Red Byron as the original member of the “Alabama Gangâ€. Along with Donnie Allison, Davey Allison, and Harry Gant, they enshrined him into the Talladega Hall of Fame. The track which was built only 20 miles from Red Byron’s hometown.
See Y’all Next Week!
Filed Under: Features, Frank Morrison, Guest Authors, Nascar, The People Of Nascar
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