Jim Vandiver

Jim Vandiver
Jim Vandiver
Born	December 13, 1939; Huntersville, North Carolina
Died	June 18, 2015 (aged 75); Charlotte, North Carolina
NASCAR Cup Series career
	85 races run over 14 years
Best finish	30th (1975)
First race	1968 Hickory 250 (Hickory)
Last race	1983 World 600 (Charlotte)

Jim Vandiver (December 13, 1939 – June 18, 2015) was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who raced from 1968 to 1983.^[1]^[2] As an independent driver, he had limited financial resources but enjoyed a level of success that relatively few independent drivers had during the formative years of NASCAR.

Career edit

Vandiver competed in 85 races with five finishes in the top-five, 24 top-ten finishes, 117 laps led out of 16529, and a total mileage count of 24247.8 miles.^[1]^[2] Over his career, he had a total of $167,703 in winnings earned on the track ($513,026.62 when adjusted for inflation).^[1]^[2]

At the 1972 Daytona 500, Vandiver finished third to winner A. J. Foyt. Vandiver is also the only undefeated ARCA driver at Talladega Superspeedway with victories in 1970 and 1975.^[1]^[2]

Most of Vandiver's earlier racers were done in Dodge vehicles. In his later career, he drove Oldsmobile and Chevrolet racecars.

He later operated Choice Trucks, a used truck dealership in Huntersville, North Carolina.^{[citation needed]}

He was involved in the controversial 1969 Talladega 500, where he came in second place to Richard Brickhouse in a questionable finish. Both Vandiver and car owner Ray Fox Sr. were adamant that Brickhouse was a lap down because he had stopped to pit under the green flag (Vandiver only pitted under the Caution). Even after three hours of arguing the decision, Brickhouse was still made the winner of the event. Conspiracy theorists cite the difference in the Dodges as the determining factor since Vandiver was in an older Charger 500 and Brickhouse was in the brand new, winged Dodge Daytona.^[3]

Vandiver is known for an unusual exit to the 1973 Southern 500 in Darlington, South Carolina. He was due to be arrested for not showing up to divorce court for a child custody hearing, and had to figure out a way to avoid going to jail. His engine began running worse and worse so he waved goodbye to his pit crew and intentionally spun out his Dodge. To avoid the authorities seizing him on the track in front of the spectators, he ran across the track to escape and hitchhiked a ride to Charlotte, North Carolina in order to get home.^[4]^[3]

Personal life and death edit

Vandiver was divorced and had four children; Emory, Rhett, Nicole and Shannon. Emory is a former softball player, Rhett also drives race cars, Nicole and Shannon are practicing lawyers in Davidson, North Carolina.^[5]

Vandiver's sister, Lillian, also raced - participating in the 1976 and 1977 Nascar DASH series. ^[6]

On June 15, 2015, Vandiver was admitted to a Charlotte hospital for chest pains. He died three days later at the age of 75.^[7]

Motorsports results edit

NASCAR edit

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series edit

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	NGNC	Pts	Ref
1968	Tom Vandiver	1	Chevy	MGR	MGY	RSD	DAY	BRI	RCH	ATL	HCY 22	GPS	CLB	NWS	MAR	AUG	AWS	DAR	BLV	LGY	CLT	ASH	MGR	SMR	BIR	CAR	GPS	DAY	ISP	OXF	FDA	TRN	BRI	SMR	NSV	ATL	CLB	BGS	AWS	SBO	LGY	DAR	HCY	RCH	BLV	HBO	MAR	NWS	AUG	CLT	CAR	JFC						124th	0	^[8]
1969	Fox Racing	3	Dodge	MGR	MGY	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	CAR	AUG	BRI	ATL	CLB	HCY	GPS	RCH	NWS	MAR	AWS	DAR	BLV	LGY	CLT	MGR	SMR	MCH	KPT	GPS	NCF	DAY	DOV	TPN	TRN	BLV	BRI	NSV	SMR	ATL	MCH	SBO	BGS	AWS	DAR	HCY	RCH	TAL 2*	CLB			CLT 43	SVH	AUG	CAR	JFC	MGR	TWS	96th	24	^[9]
1969	Jim Lineberger	13	Chevy																																														MAR 10	NWS								96th	24	^[9]
1970	Fox Racing	3	Dodge	RSD	DAY 9	DAY	DAY 38	RCH	CAR	SVH	ATL 21	BRI																																														46th	519	^[10]
	Jim Vandiver	31	Dodge										TAL 33	NWS	CLB	DAR 35	BLV	LGY	CLT 10	SMR	MAR	MCH 6	RSD	HCY	KPT	GPS	DAY 33	AST	TPN	TRN	BRI	SMR	NSV	ATL 9	CLB	ONA	MCH	TAL 9	BGS	SBO	DAR	HCY	RCH	DOV	NCF	NWS	CLT 33	MAR		CAR 16
	Bub Strickler	58	Chevy																																														MGR 19
	Cecil Gordon	97	Chevy																																																LGY 14
1971	O. L. Nixon	31	Dodge	RSD	DAY	DAY 17	DAY 6	ONT	RCH	CAR	HCY	BRI	ATL 8	CLB	GPS	SMR	NWS	MAR	DAR 5	SBO	TAL 6	ASH	KPT	CLT 11	DOV	MCH	RSD	HOU	GPS	DAY	BRI	AST	ISP	TRN	NSV	ATL	BGS	ONA	MCH	TAL	CLB	HCY	DAR	MAR															48th	553	^[11]
1971	Faustina Racing	5	Plymouth																																										CLT 42	DOV	CAR	MGR	RCH	NWS	TWS								48th	553	^[11]

Winston Cup Series edit

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	NWCC	Pts	Ref
1972	O. L. Nixon	31	Dodge	RSD	DAY 3	RCH 28	ONT 51	CAR 3	ATL 32	BRI 17	DAR 16	NWS 26		TAL 36	CLT 40										MCH 36	NSV	DAR 8	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT 33	CAR 30	TWS	31st	2514.35	^[12]
	Bill Strong	51	Chevy										MAR 32
	A. J. Cox	81	Dodge													DOV 22	MCH	RSD	TWS	DAY	BRI	TRN	ATL	TAL
1973	O. L. Nixon	31	Dodge	RSD	DAY 28	RCH	CAR 7	BRI	ATL 10	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL 8	NSV	CLT 6	DOV	TWS	RSD	MCH	DAY 32	BRI	ATL			DAR 27	RCH	DOV	NWS	MAR	CLT 17	CAR 32				31st	2508.85	^[13]
1973	J. Marvin Millis	4	Dodge																				TAL 35	NSV												2508.85	^[13]
1974	O. L. Nixon	31	Dodge	RSD	DAY 27	RCH	CAR	BRI	ATL	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL 16	NSV	DOV	CLT 8	RSD	MCH	DAY 35	BRI	NSV	ATL	POC	TAL 33	MCH	DAR 15	RCH	DOV	NWS	MAR	CLT 39	CAR	ONT		31st	40th	71.4	^[14]
1975	John Keselowski	99	Dodge	RSD	DAY 35	RCH	CAR	BRI																											30th	1228	^[15]
1975	Elder-Ranier	31	Dodge						ATL 26	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL 27	NSV	DOV	CLT 15	RSD	MCH	DAY 14	NSV	POC	TAL 33	MCH	DAR 4	DOV	NWS 9	MAR 8	CLT 23	RCH 27	CAR 8	BRI	ATL 28	ONT		30th	1228	^[15]
1976				RSD	DAY	CAR	RCH	BRI	ATL	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL 13	NSV	DOV	CLT	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	ONT		87th	124	^[16]
1977				RSD	DAY 20	RCH	CAR	ATL	NWS	DAR	BRI	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	ONT		90th	103	^[17]
1978	O. L. Nixon	89	Chevy	RSD	DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	BRI	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL	DOV	CLT 27	NSV	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	ONT		81st	131	^[18]
1979	O. L. Nixon	89	Olds	RSD	DAY 41	CAR	RCH	ATL	NWS	BRI	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT 19	TWS	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI					CLT 34	NWS	CAR	ATL	ONT	62nd	225	^[19]
1979	Elder-Ranier	9	Chevy																							DAR 28	RCH	DOV	MAR						62nd	225	^[19]
1980	O. L. Nixon	89	Olds	RSD	DAY 37	RCH	CAR	ATL	BRI	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL 39	NSV	DOV	CLT 8	TWS	RSD	MCH	DAY 25	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	NWS	MAR	CLT	CAR	ATL	ONT	52nd	328	^[20]
1983	Gordon Racing	24	Chrysler	DAY	RCH	CAR	ATL 39	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	BRI	CLT 21	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	RSD		88th	88	^[21]

Daytona 500 edit

Year	Team	Manufacturer	Start	Finish
1970	Ray Fox	Dodge	17	38
1971	O. L. Nixon	Dodge	32	6
1972			8	3
1973			18	28
1974			6	27
1975	John Keselowski	Dodge	34	35
1977	Elder-Ranier	Dodge	19	20
1978	O. L. Nixon	Chevrolet	24	38
1979		Oldsmobile	39	41
1980		Oldsmobile	40	37

References edit

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "1976 Dixie 500 information". Driver Averages. Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "1976 Dixie 500 information (second reference)". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
^ ^a ^b Higgins, Tom (July 18, 2015). "Jim Vandiver, first Talladega 500 runner-up, dies in Charlotte". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
^ "A Sit Down With Jim Vandiver; A True Pioneer Of NASCAR". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
^ "Meet the Staff of Choice Trucks". Choice Trucks. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
^ "Lillian Vandiver".
^ Bonkowski, Jerry (June 20, 2015). "Inaugural Talladega runner-up Jim Vandiver remembered". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2015-06-20.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
^ "Jim Vandiver – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

External links edit

Jim Vandiver driver statistics at Racing-Reference

[driveraverages-1] "1976 Dixie 500 information". Driver Averages. Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2011-02-03.

[racingreference-2] "1976 Dixie 500 information (second reference)". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2011-02-03.

[Vandiver,_first_Talladega_500_runner-up-3] Higgins, Tom (July 18, 2015). "Jim Vandiver, first Talladega 500 runner-up, dies in Charlotte". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

[4] "A Sit Down With Jim Vandiver; A True Pioneer Of NASCAR". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2012-12-14.

[5] "Meet the Staff of Choice Trucks". Choice Trucks. Retrieved 2012-12-14.

[6] "Lillian Vandiver".

[7] Bonkowski, Jerry (June 20, 2015). "Inaugural Talladega runner-up Jim Vandiver remembered". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2015-06-20.

[8] "Jim Vandiver – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[9] "Jim Vandiver – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[10] "Jim Vandiver – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[11] "Jim Vandiver – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[12] "Jim Vandiver – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[13] "Jim Vandiver – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[14] "Jim Vandiver – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[15] "Jim Vandiver – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[16] "Jim Vandiver – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[17] "Jim Vandiver – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[18] "Jim Vandiver – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[19] "Jim Vandiver – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[20] "Jim Vandiver – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

[21] "Jim Vandiver – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 27, 2023.

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