2015 Hall of Fame Class: Rex White

By Richard Tix

NASCAR Behind the Wall will take a short look at each 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee. These articles will be spread out in time until the 2015 Hall of Fame induction (mostly depending on how much free time I find)

Previous 2015 HoF Driver Articles: Wendell Scott, Fred Lorenzen, and Joe Weatherly


Forth up on NASCAR Behind the Wall's quick reviews of the Hall of Fame Class of 2015 is Rex White. Rex's racing life began as a little boy when he was diganosed with Polio. White also grew up during the great depression so the last thing he thought would bring him fame and a career was a car. He just thought car's were a way of tranportation.

Rex White started in NASCAR in 1956 where he ran 24 of 56 races on the year. He finished with 14 top tens and three top fives that year.  The following year White only ran 9 of the 53 races but finishing in the top ten six times (top five four times).

In 1958 thinks started to turn into Rex White's favor. He moved to join up with Louis Clements who at the time was his partner and lead mechanic. At this time they started to build there own late model Chevy's to compete in NASCAR. That season they ran in 22 of the 51 races and White won his first race of his career which was also the first race of the 1958 season. White won two total races in 1958 with 13 top fives and 17 top tens while accumulating 7 Pole's.

1959 came and went somewhat like 1958. White ran 23 races of the total 44 and had 5 total wins. He also notched 11 top fives and 13 top tens.

Rex White will also go down in NASCAR history as a Champion. In 1960 White won his first and only championship along with becoming NASCAR's Most Popular Driver for the season. Along the way he won 6 races, finished top five 25 times, and top ten 35 times all in 40 races. He only finished outside the top ten an amazing 5 times in 1960 (14, 14, 12, 11, and 23).

The next two season's Rex White combined to win 15 races while also finishing top five 47 times, top ten 61 times, 16 Poles, all in 84 total races. In a two year span White only missed out on a top 10 23 times. During his entire career White finished in the top ten almost 70% of the time. He ran 233 career races, had 28 total wins, 110 top fives, and 163 top tens.

His run from 1959 to 1963 was one for the books. In that time span he had more wins then any other driver at the time. What makes it an even greater accomplishment is that he did it against some notable drivers like Lee Petty, Ned Jarrett, Joe Weatherly, and Fireball Roberts.

Some Extra Rex White Photo's

Congratulations Rex White on you 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction

Throw Back Thursday: Martinsville

It's Thursday and yet we are over a week away from the next Nascar Sprint Cup Race at Martinsville. So since we have the time, lets take a look back over the past few years at some of the finishes at Martinsville Speedway.

Fall 2012: Last time Nascar was at Martinsville, Fall of last year for one of ten Chase Races. The winner, Jimmie Johnson. Late in the race JJ holds of Kyle Busch to get the win.



Spring 2012: Ryan Newman gets his first and only win of 2012 at Martinsville. Late lap restart has Newman and AJ Allmendinger battling for the win. Too bad Dinger didn't push a little harder for the win, would have been interesting.

Fall 2011: A good finish in 2011, Jimmie Johnson tries to get past Tony Stewart on a late restart, but Smoke hold him off around turn four for the win.

 

 

Spring 2011: Kevin Harvick runs down Dale Earnhardt Jr late in the race and stops Jr from ending his win less streak.

 

Spring 2010: One of the best finishes at Martinsville in recent years. Green White Checkered restart gets everyone in the mix and Denny Hamlin comes out on top.



 

 

That's if for this week. Early next week I will have a Throw Back Tuesday that looks at some more Martinsville Finished in the earlier 2000's. Also check out Twitter for even more updates and follow me.