Tim Flock
(Credit ISC Archives/Getty Images)
(b. 5/11/24 – d. 3/31/98)
Hometown: Fort Payne, Ala.
Competed: 1949-61
Starts: 187
Wins: 39
Poles: 38
A two-time series champion of the NASCAR premier series, Flock was one of the sport’s first dominant drivers.
Flock had 39 victories in only 187 starts. His victory total still ranks tied for 17th all-time. Flock won his first series title in 1952 while driving Ted Chester’s Hudson Hornet. He had eight wins and 22 top fives in 33 starts. Flock won his second series title in 1955 while driving Carl Kiekhaefer’s Chrysler. He dominated that season, posting 18 wins, 32 top fives and 18 poles in 39 races. Flock’s 18 wins stood as a single-season victory record until Richard Petty surpassed it with 27 wins in 1967.
In addition, Flock won NASCAR’s only sports car race, in 1955, driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL.
The entire Flock family raced at times during NASCAR’s formative years. In 1949, brothers Bob and Fonty and sister Ethel joined Tim to become the only four siblings to drive in the same NASCAR premier series race.
Flock, who died on March 31, 1998, was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers that same year.
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