NASCAR has witnessed its share of incidents over the years, with some accidents leaving drivers injured and, in tragic instances, like that of Dale Earnhardt, claiming lives. While Dale Sr.’s story is broadly recounted, the tales of others like Joe Weatherly, a 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee who passed away in January 1964, are still not known to many fans.
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Weatherly, whose tenure in NASCAR’s top series was brief, spanning only two full-time seasons, yet captured consecutive premier series championships in 1962 and 1963, died at 41 during the Motor Trend 500 at the now-defunct Riverside International Raceway.
Driving a 1964 Mercury for the team owner, Bud Moore, he passed away when his car collided with a steel retaining wall on Lap 87 as he steered turn six of the track, later succumbing to head injuries sustained in the wreck.
The catalyst for the event was Weatherly’s decision not to install a window net, stemming from his apprehension of being trapped in the fire; he also opted out of using a shoulder harness or seat belts. Consequently, without restraints to inhibit his sudden lateral movement, his head struck the barrier, resulting in instant death, as reported.
In homage to Weatherly, the track commemorated the site of his accident by marking it with a checkered flag. Despite a relatively brief stint in NASCAR, Weatherly won 25 races and amassed 105 top-5 and 153 top-10 finishes across 230 career Grand National starts.
Voted the premier series’ Most Popular Driver in 1961, Weatherly had previously secured titles with the American Motorcyclist Association and in NASCAR’s modified division.
Moreover, in his first season in the Modified class in 1950, Weatherly won his debut race alongside 49 other wins out of 83 races that season, finishing as the runner-up in the overall standings. He replicated the feat in 1952, winning 49 races from 83 starts, and finally bagged the Modified National Championship.
However, together with his compatriot Curtis Turner, Weatherly was notorious enough to be blacklisted by rental car companies for their habit of racing and wrecking numerous vehicles.
Weatherly‘s abilities on the track were such that in 1998, he was posthumously honored as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers. Beyond his racing skills, he was also renowned for his unique flair as a prankster, which earned him the moniker “Clown Prince of Racing.”
