Hershel McGriff

Infobox NASCAR driver
Name = Hershel McGriff
Birthdate = birth date and age|1927|12|14
Birthplace = flagicon|USA Bridal Veil, Oregon
Best_Cup_Pos = 6th - 1954 (Grand National)
Cup_Wins = 4
Cup_Top_Tens = 31
Cup_Poles = 5
First_Cup_Race = 1950 Southern 500 (Darlington)
First_Cup_Win = 1954 unknown race (Bay Meadows Speedway)
Last_Cup_Win = 1954 Wilkes 160 (North Wilkesboro)
Last_Cup_Race = 1993 Save Mart Supermarkets 300K (Sears Point) (combined Cup/West race)
Awards = 2006 inductee in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America

2002 inductee in the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame

1986 NASCAR Winston West champion
Years_In_Cup = 27
Total_Cup_Races = 85
"NOTE: NASCAR frequently held dual sanctioned races with the Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) and Winston West (now AutoZone West) Series together, along with the Busch and Busch North (now Busch East) series. McGriff's later Cup races were joint Cup/West races as a West competitor."

Hershel McGriff (born December 14, 1927) won four races during his brief career in the NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) series, and later in the NASCAR Winston West Series.

Racing career

McGriff first raced on September 16, 1945, right after racing resumed in the United States after World War II. [http://www.stockcarreunion.com/inductees.html Biography] at the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, 2002, Retrieved November 7 2007] He was the winner of the first Carrera Panamericana in 1950, where he met NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1094624061.html?dids=1094624061:1094624061&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+15%2C+2006&author=Shav+Glick&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&edition=&startpage=D.6&desc=MOTOR+RACING] Shav Glick, "MOTOR RACING:Ward to Enter Hall of Fame", August 15, 2006, page D.6, Los Angeles Times] France convinced McGriff to come south and race in NASCAR races at Daytona Beach, the first Southern 500 race at Darlington Raceway, Detroit, and Raleigh.

France convinced McGriff to race full-time in NASCAR in 1954. He had his four wins that year in the Grand National series. He had 17 Top 10 finishes in 24 events, and finished sixth in the final points standings. [ [http://racing-reference.info/driver?id=mcgrihe01 Driver's statistics at Racing-reference.info] ] McGriff's average finishing position was higher than points champion Lee Petty.

McGriff had two options to choose from for the 1955 season. He was offered a ride in NASCAR to race for millionarie Carl Kiekhaefer's newly formed team. McGriff decided to return home to the West Coast to be closer to his family, and to tend to his growing timber and mill business. Tim Flock drove Kiekhaefer's Chrysler 300 to 18 victories that season and the season championship.

McGriff returned to racing after not racing for around 10 years. He started 41st at Riverside in 1967, and had moved up to second place by the sixth lap. He beat Ron Grable in a photo finish that day.

He became the oldest driver to win a NASCAR feature race when he won an AutoZone West Series race in 1989 at the age of 61. His 14 wins at the defunct Riverside International Raceway is the most at NASCAR-sanctioned events, and he was chosen as the grand marshal for the final race at the track in 1988. [cite episode |title=Benny Parsons' commentary, ESPN 26 hour marathon for the Top NASCAR races as it turns 50 years old at Riverside International Raceway |network=ESPN2 |station=ESPN |airdate=1999]

In November 1996, McGriff made the trip with several NASCAR champions, current Winston Cup, Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck Series drivers to Japan's Suzuka Raceway for an exhibition race. He started 26th and finished 25th in what was called the NASCAR Suzuka Thunder Special.

Career awards

McGriff was inducted in the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in its first class in 2002. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2006. McGriff, who retired from driving at age 74 said, "This is fantastic, getting in the Hall of Fame, but, hey, I might not be through yet. When I turn 80 [in two years] , I just might go out to a short track and show the young guys that I can still do it."

References