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 The name NASCAR Grand National Series refers to former names of the following NASCAR series:
*National-level stock car series:
** NASCAR Cup Series (known as NASCAR Grand National Series between 1950 to 1970, then the NASCAR Winston Cup Grand Natio ...
races on the
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to:
Geography Australia
* Western Australia
*Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia
* West Coast, Tasmania
**West Coast Range, mountain range in the region
Canada
* Britis ...
, 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
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town.
In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...
and attempted to make the 1960
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series motor race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is the first of two Cup races held every year at Daytona, the second being the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and one of three ...
.
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
Saugus Speedway is a 1/3 mile racetrack in Saugus, Santa Clarita, California on a site. The track hosted one NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event in 1995, which was won by Ken Schrader. Schrader became the first NASCAR driver to win in a race i ...
(where he was a track champion),
Ascot Park and Orange Show Speedway, earning the nickname "Steady" Eddie Gray.
Death
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.
Awards
Gray was inducted in the
West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in its first class (2002).
References
External links
*
1920 births
1969 deaths
Burials in California
NASCAR drivers
People from Gardena, California
Racing drivers from California
Racing drivers from Los Angeles
Sportspeople from Los Angeles County, California
Place of death missing
Commercial aviators
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