One of the more interesting and lesser-known characters to race in the NASCAR Cup Series back in the day was Cheraw native Jimmy Ingram. He is known not for his extraordinary number of wins or his impressive character, but for the gap between his race starts in the sport. But before getting into it, the icon deserves to be given a backstory for his career in motorsports.
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Ingram was a part of an aviation unit in the United States Navy during World War 2. He served as a Seaman First Class before being discharged in 1946. It was a few years after getting relieved that the veteran decided to climb into a stock car with the intent to race it.
His first appearance behind the wheel in a competitive setting came during the 1951 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, a race which he ultimately crashed out of.
His second start came in the 1980 Mason-Dixon 500 at Dover, marking his second start in NASCAR after a gap of 28 years. He finished the event in P15.
Jimmy Ingram flipped in the 1952 Southern 500. He didn't make another Cup start until May 1980 when he finished 15th at Dover. That 28-year gap between starts is the longest in NASCAR history. pic.twitter.com/hJvteUKu0p
— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) November 21, 2024
Ingram’s escapades as a commercial pilot
Jimmy Ingram worked as a commercial pilot for Southern Airline of Atlanta and Haiti Air of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and as a company pilot for Holman-Moody, Inc. and Thurston Motor Lines, both based in Charlotte. He also operated his aerial application and charted flight business for 30 years from Cheraw Municipal Airport and served as manager of that airport.
He had also owned and operated a home construction business and trucking business and a logging and timber hauling business. Despite these distractions, the itch for racing remained with Ingram throughout.
The US Navy veteran passed away in 1998 at the age of 70 in his hometown. NASCAR has always had people with strong ties to the military, with Ingram coming in as a lesser-known example of the same, and is remembered for his rather unique contribution to the pages of stock car racing history.
