Joesph Herbert Weatherly - Norfolk, Virginia
N 36° 55.415 W 076° 16.012
18S E 387163 N 4087144
Joe Weatherly was one of the early stars of NASCAR and a 2015 inductee into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Waymark Code: WMNK9Z
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 03/27/2015
Views: 4
Joseph Herbert “Little Joe” Weatherly was born on May 29, 1922. A native of Norfolk, Virginia he would become one of the early stars of NASCAR. He along with the likes of Lee, Petty, Glenn “Fireball” Roberts and Curtis Turner, forged NASCAR Racing into the world’s most popular form of Motorsports. Joe Weatherly was known as a prankster in the garage but on the track he was one of the sports most fierce competitors. His carefree behavior earned him the nickname “The Clown Prince of Racing,” while his driving ability earned him two NASCAR Championships in 1962-1963. Joe Weatherly died on January 19,1964 due to injuries he received while competing a NASCAR race at the Riverside International Raceway in Riverside California. NASCAR’s “Clown Prince of Racing,” is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia. The headstone that marks his grave is in the shape of Riverside International Raceway. The spot where he crashed is marked by crossed checkered flags. Source/Credit: International Motorsports Hall of Fame: ( visit link)
Description:
Joseph Herbert Weatherly was born on May 29, 1922 in Norfolk, Virginia. Weatherly had discovered motorcycles while in High School, and upon returning from the Army started racing them. Weatherly earned three American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Championships before he started racing stock cars in 1950. By 1953, Weatherly had won NASCAR's Modified National Crown with more than 52 victories. In 1952, Weatherly switched to NASCAR racing and won 49 of the 83 stock car races that year. In 1953, Weatherly won NASCAR's Modified National Crown with 52 more victories. In 1962 he won the NASCAR Grand National (now Winston Cup) Division Championship. In both 1962 and 1963, he won the "Rebel 300" at Darlington. Weatherly was the Most Popular Driver in 1961, and he won the National Championships in 1962 and 1963. Weatherly was killed in the race at Riverside, California on January 19,1964, but not before making his name as one of the greatest racing drivers in American history.
Date of birth: 05/29/1922
Date of death: 01/19/1964
Area of notoriety: Sports
Marker Type: Headstone
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daily: Dawn to Dusk
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
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