Bob Flock

Infobox NASCAR driver
Name = Robert Newman Flock
Birthdate = birth date|1918|4|16
Died = death date and age|1964|5|16|1918|4|16
Birthplace = flagicon|USA Fort Payne, Alabama
Best_Cup_Pos = 3rd - 1949 (Strictly Stock)
Cup_Wins = 4
Cup_Top_Tens = 18
Cup__Poles = 2
First_Cup_Race = 1949 Charlotte Speedway (NASCAR's first race)
First_Cup_Win = 1949 Occoneechee Speedway
Last_Cup_Win = 1952 Asheville-Weaverville Speedway
Last_Cup_Race = 1956 Memphis-Arkansas Speedway
Awards = inducted in the George Automobile Racing Hall of Fame in 2003
Years_In_Cup = 7
Total_Cup_Races = 36

Robert "Bob" Newman Flock (April 16, 1918 - May 16, 1964) of Fort Payne, Alabama was an early NASCAR driver. He qualified first for NASCAR's first race. [http://racing-reference.info/race?id=1949-01&series=W]

Flock family

He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers Tim Flock and Fonty Flock, and the second female NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley. The four raced at the July 10, 1949 race at the Daytona Beach Road Course, which was the first event to feature a brother and a sister, and the only NASCAR event to feature four siblings. Ethel beat Fonty and Bob by finishing in eleventh.

Moonshine business

The Flock family had an illegal moonshine business. The federal agents one discovered the Flock would be running a race in Atlanta, and they staked out the place to make an arrest. A gate opened as the race was beginning, and he drove on the track to take the green flag. The police vehicles quickly appeared on the track. They chased Flock for a lap or two before he drove through the fence. The police followed him until he ran out of gas later. Reminiscing years later, Bob said, "I would have won that race if the cops had stayed out of it" [http://www.kellyflock.com/] .

Racing career

He was a well established driver before NASCAR was formed. He took over NASCAR founder Bill France's ride in 1946. He won both events at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1947.

He sat on the pole for NASCAR's first race at Charlotte Speedway on June 19 1949. He had two wins that season, and finished third in the points behind Lee Petty and champion Red Byron.

He won two 100 lap ARCA races at Lakewood Speedway in 1954.

Bob Flock retired from driving when he broke his back in an on track accident. He had over 200 modified wins [http://www.garhofa.com/driver-bio.php?id=3&hof=1] in his career.

Track promoter

Flock became a track promoter in Atlanta. He hired three women (Sara Christian, and Mildred Williams, and his sister Ethel Mobley) to race at his new track.

Awards

*He was inducted in the George Automobile Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.
*He was a member of the National Motorsports Hall of Fame Association.

External links

* [http://www.racing-reference.info/driver?id=flockbo01 NASCAR drivers statistics at racing-reference.info]
* [http://www.garhofa.com/driver-bio.php?id=3&hof=1 Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame]
* [http://www.nascar.com/2002/kyn/history/dbd/02/04/1949/ 1949 season recap at NASCAR.com]
* [http://www.kflock.com/nascar/TheFlocks/ Flock family website - includes photos (mainly of Fonty)]