He's Back! Morgan Shepherd Goes for Daytona 500 Start at Age 72!

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
10 years ago
9,137 posts

Hot off the Associated Press wire as printed in today's Daytona paper with a Chattanooga dateline:

Shepherd to attempt to make Daytona 500 at 72

Morgan Shepherd gets out of his car after completing his laps during qualifying for the NASCAR Nationwide auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Friday, July 5, 2013. Shepherd will attempt to become the oldest driver to race in this year's Daytona 500.

AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Published: Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at 12:45 p.m.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. Morgan Shepherd will attempt to become the oldest driver to race in the Daytona 500 when he tries to qualify later this month.

Shepherd turned 72 in October. He became the oldest driver to compete in a Sprint Cup race last summer at New Hampshire.

He'll try to qualify for the Daytona 500 in the No. 93 Support Military Foundation Toyota in collaboration with BK Racing.

Shepherd partnered with SMF when he ran New Hampshire last July. It was Shepherd's first Cup race since 2006. He ran 92 laps before retiring. Shepherd ran eight Nationwide Series races last season, and ran the full 34-race schedule in 2011.

Shepherd has competed in 15 previous Daytona 500s, with a career-best finish of second in 1992 while driving for The Wood Brothers.




--
"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM
bill mcpeek
@bill-mcpeek
10 years ago
820 posts

As a boni-fied senior racer I'll be pulling for him of course......lol

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
10 years ago
9,137 posts

Of course!




--
"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
william ellis williams
@william-ellis-williams
10 years ago
19 posts

guess ol morgan keeps his everready battries charged up. hershel Mcgriff is another one except I think he finnally gave it up.

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
10 years ago
9,137 posts

William... to this day, my wife thinks Hershel is the best looking guy she ever met - in or out of racing! She first met him when we did some Winston West races in early 80s, then got to pick him up at hotel in Charlotte and drive him down to Darlington when he tried a comeback there. Unfortunately, car didn't make show. Tex Powell was married to Hershel's daughter.




--
"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
william ellis williams
@william-ellis-williams
10 years ago
19 posts

hershel had a great career. I think he was a well liked and respected driver. I can remember for as long as the first grand national in 49 here at Charlotte. did he run modified/sportsman befor or not. don't seem to remember.

Leon Phillips
@leon-phillips
10 years ago
626 posts

That is the only good thing i have heard of coming out of Daytona i will be watching to see if he gets in