Eddie Gray (NASCAR)

Infobox NASCAR driver|
Name = Eddie Gray
Birthdate = birth date|1920|2|4|mf=y
Birthplace = Gardena, California
Died = October 25, 1969
Cause of Death = Heart Attack
Awards = 1958/1961/1962 Winston West Series Champion

Best_Cup_Pos = 44th - 1958 (Grand National)
Cup_Wins = 4
Cup_Top_Tens = 9
Cup_Poles = 1
First_Cup_Race = 1954 Willow Springs Speedway
First_Cup_Win = 1958 Crown America 500 (Riverside)
Last_Cup_Win = 1961 California State Fairgrounds dirt track
Last_Cup_Race = 1966 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside)
Total_Cup_Races = 22
Years_In_Cup = 9

Eddie Gray (February 4, 1920 - October 25, 1969) was a race car driver from Gardena, California. He became champion of a predecessor of the NASCAR Winston West Series in 1958, 1961 and 1962. The series was then known as NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model (PCLM).

Gray also participated in NASCAR Grand National races on the West Coast, capturing 4 wins, including two as an owner-driver. On May 31, 1958, Gray won a 500 mile race at Riverside International Raceway, the first NASCAR event held at the track. He also ran the 1958 Southern 500 at Darlington and attempted to make the 1960 Daytona 500.

Gray raced Jalopies with the California Jalopy Association (CJA) and became one of the top short track Stock Car racers in Southern California at tracks like Saugus Speedway (where he was a track champion), Ascot Park and Orange Show Speedway, earning the nickname "Steady" Eddie Gray. Gray was a commercial pilot for Western Airlines.

Suffered a severe heart attack while driving in the Permatex 100 race for Late Model Sportsman cars at Riverside International Raceway in January 1969 and died nine months later while undergoing heart surgery. He is buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

References

* [http://racing-reference.info/driver?id=grayed01 Racing-reference.info: Eddie Gray]