One and Done
by Tom Jensen April 27, 2022
Seven one-win car numbers and their NASCAR Hall of Fame connections.
If you’re a regular reader of Curators’ Corner, by now you know that we annually update a feature called “NASCAR Wins By Car Number,” the latest version of which can be found here: NASCAR Wins By Car Number | NASCAR Hall of Fame | Curators' Corner
As you would expect that list is loaded with Hall of Fame names who drove those cars, including Richard Petty (2010), Dale Earnhardt (2010), Jeff Gordon (2019), David Pearson (2011), Darrell Waltrip (2012) and many, many more.
For this blog post, though, we’re going to go in a different direction entirely, looking at seven of the 15 different car numbers that won only once in the more than 2,600 premier series races that have taken place since 1949. The seven we highlight here all have NASCAR Hall o Fame connections of one sort or another.
Always hard to beat, Cale Yarborough was one of the toughest racers in NASCAR. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images
Car No. 06
The first of 83 career premier series race wins for Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough (2012) came at Georgia’s Valdosta 75 Speedway in the 28th of 55 races in the 1965 season. The South Carolina driver drove a 1964 Ford owned by Kenny Myler, who fielded cars in 21 races in 1965 and ’66.
Despite a dramatic airborne last-lap crash, Carl Edwards (No. 99) escaped serious injury at Talladega Superspeedway in 2009. Photo courtesy of Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR
Car No. 09
A very memorable first race victory for Brad Keselowski came in the 2009 Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway where the Michigan driver and Carl Edwards crashed coming to the checkered flag. Edwards’ car wound up in the catch fence and Keselowski gave car owner James Finch his only victory in 251 starts. In that race, Edwards drove for Jack Roush (2019). Now Keselowski and Roush are co-owners of RFK Racing.
Is the No. 13 unlucky in NASCAR? It hasn’t been the winning number on a premier series car since 1963. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images
Car No. 13
In the first years that Daytona International Speedway operated, the Daytona 500 qualifying races were considered points races. And in the second Daytona 500 qualifier of 1963, Johnny Rutherford drove Smokey Yunick’s black-and-gold No. 13 Chevrolet to a victory in the 100-mile race over Hall of Famers Rex White (2015), Fred Lorenzen (2015) and Ned Jarrett (2011). Not only was it the only victory for No. 13, it was also Rutherford’s only win in 35 premier series starts.
Speedy Thompson was one of seven different drivers who helped team owner Carl Kiekhaefer win 52 premier series races in 1955-56, the only two seasons when Kiekhaefer competed in NASCAR. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images
Car No. 30
The 1955 and ’56 NASCAR seasons were dominated by Carl Kiekhaefer and his huge fleet of Chrysler products, which produced championships for Hall of Famers Tim Flock (2014) in 1955 and Buck Baker (2013) in 1956. In the fall of 1955, Speedy Thompson drove the No. 30 Chrysler 300 to victory in the first premier series race on pavement at Martinsville Speedway. The NASCAR Hall of Fame is celebrating Martinsville’s Speedway’s 75th anniversary with a special exhibit in our “Inside NASCAR” section.
Bobby Isaac still holds an all-time NASCAR record, winning 19 poles in a single season. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images
Car No. 37
In 1968, NASCAR still raced on dirt occasionally, and Hall of Famer Bobby Isaac (2016) came up big at South Carolina’s Columbia Speedway, a 0.500-mile dirt track in Cayce. The victory in the No. 37 K&K Insurance Dodge owned by Nord Krauskopf was the second of 37 career premier series wins for Isaac. The very next race, the team permanently changed its number from No. 37 to No. 71.
Jim Paschal drove the No. 80 Dodge in 1955-54 for owner George Hutchens. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images
Car No. 80
Driving a Dodge sponsored by Big Bear Markets, Jim Paschal captured the penultimate race of the 1953 season, a 200-lap event at Martinsville Speedway. It was Paschal’s first of 25 career premier series victories and the second and final win for car owner George Hutchens. Paschal would go on to win nine races driving for Petty Enterprises, the team founded by Lee Petty (2011).
In 1961, Buck Baker competed in 42 premier series races, all in Chryslers carrying No. 86 or No. 87 on the door. Photo courtesy of NASCAR Archives & Research Center via Getty Images
Car No. 86
Here’s a truly mind-blowing stat: In his Hall of Fame career, Buck Baker (2013) ran premier series races in cars with 33 different numbers, including 13 numbers that he won races in. On June 23, 1961, Baker delivered the only premier series race win for car No. 86, driving a Chrysler to victory in a 150-lap race on the 0.333-mile Hartsville (South Carolina) Speedway. Seven of the 18 drivers in that race wound up being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Plan your visit to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and purchase tickets by visiting nascarhall.com/tickets.
