kids encyclopedia robot

Cale Yarborough facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Cale Yarborough
CaleYarborough.jpg
Born (1939-03-27)March 27, 1939
Timmonsville, South Carolina, U.S.
Died December 31, 2023(2023-12-31) (aged 84)
Florence, South Carolina, U.S.
Achievements 1976, 1977, 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion
1984 IROC Champion
1968, 1977, 1983, 1984 Daytona 500 Winner
1968, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1982 Southern 500 Winner
1978, 1984 Winston 500 Winner
1985 Talladega 500 Winner
Holds Winston Cup Series modern era record for most poles in a season (14 poles in 1980)
Awards 1967 NASCAR Grand National Series Most Popular Driver
International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1993)
National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame (1994)
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1994)
Court of Legends at Charlotte Motor Speedway (1996)
3× National Motorsports Press Association Driver of the Year (1977, 1978, 1979)
1977 American Driver of the Year
South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame (1978)
Talladega Walk of Fame (1996)
Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998)
NASCAR Hall of Fame (2012)
Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)
NASCAR Cup Series career
560 races run over 31 years
Best finish 1st (1976, 1977, 1978)
First race 1957 Southern 500 (Darlington)
Last race 1988 Atlanta Journal 500 (Atlanta)
First win 1965 untitled race (Valdosta)
Last win 1985 Miller High Life 500 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles
83 319 69
NASCAR Grand National East Series career
8 races run over 2 years
Best finish 13th (1973)
First race 1972 Sandlapper 200 (Columbia)
Last race 1973 Buddy Shuman 100 (Hickory)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 7 0
Statistics current as of December 31, 2023.

William Caleb "Cale" Yarborough (March 27, 1939 – December 31, 2023) was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner, businessman, farmer, and rancher. He was one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships, winning in 1976, 1977, and 1978. He was one of the preeminent stock car drivers from the 1960s to the 1980s and also competed in IndyCar events. His fame was such that a special model of the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II was named after him.

His 83 wins tie him with Jimmie Johnson for sixth on the all-time NASCAR Cup Series winner's list (behind Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip, who are tied for fourth with 84). His 14.82% winning percentage is the ninth best of all-time and third among those with 500 or more starts. Yarborough won the Daytona 500 four times; his first win coming in 1968 for the Wood Brothers, the second in 1977 for Junior Johnson, and back-to-back wins in 1983 and 1984 for Ranier-Lundy Racing. Yarborough was a three-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Driver of the Year Award (1977, 1978, 1979). After retiring, he owned Cale Yarborough Motorsports and several successful agricultural businesses as well as being a rancher and farmer himself on his own ranch at his home in Florence, South Carolina.

Beginnings

Yarborough was born to Julian and Annie Yarborough in the tiny, unincorporated community of Sardis near Timmonsville, South Carolina, the oldest of three sons. Julian was a tobacco farmer, cotton gin operator, and store owner who was killed in a private airplane crash when Cale was twelve years of age. According to his autobiography Cale, Yarborough attended the second Southern 500 in 1951 as a young spectator without a ticket. Yarborough was a high school football star at Timmonsville High School and played semi-pro football in Columbia, South Carolina for four seasons and was a Golden Gloves boxer. He made his first attempt in the Southern 500 as a teenager by lying about his age, but he was caught and disqualified by NASCAR. In 1957, Yarborough made his debut as a driver at the Southern 500, driving the No. 30 Pontiac for Bob Weatherly, starting 44th and finishing 42nd after suffering hub problems. He ran for Weatherly two years later, and finished 27th. In 1960, Yarborough ran one race, and had his first career top-fifteen, a fourteenth-place finish at Southern States Fairgrounds. He again ran one race in 1961, finishing 30th in the Southern 500 driving for Julian Buesink. In 1962, Yarborough ran eight races for Buesink, Don Harrison, and Wildcat Williams. He earned his first top-ten at the Daytona 500 Qualifying Race, when he finished tenth.

1960s

Yarborough started 1963 without a full-time ride, but soon signed on to drive the No. 19 Ford for Herman Beam. His best finish was fifth twice, at Myrtle Beach and Savannah Speedway, respectively. He began the next season driving for Beam, but left and finished the year with Holman Moody, finishing sixth at North Wilkesboro Speedway, winding up 19th in points. The next season, he drove for various owners before picking up his first career win at Valdosta Speedway driving the #06 Ford for Kenny Myler, rising to 10th in the final standings.

Yarborough drove for Banjo Matthews at the beginning of 1966. Despite two consecutive second-place finishes, he left the team early in the season and ended the year driving the No. 21 Ford for the Wood Brothers. He won two races in 1967 at the Atlanta 500 and the Firecracker 400 for the Wood Brothers, but dropped to 20th in standings because he only ran 17 races. Yarborough also ran the Indianapolis 500 in 1966 and 1967 driving Vollstedt-Fords. After running the season-opening Middle Georgia 500 for Bud Moore Engineering, finishing 21st, Yarborough ran the rest of the season for the Wood Brothers, winning his first Daytona 500 in a duel with LeeRoy Yarbrough, the Firecracker 400, which made him the second driver in history to sweep both Daytona events, and his first Southern 500 garnering a total of six wins that season. Running a limited schedule, he finished 17th in points. The next season, he won his third straight Atlanta 500 along with the first NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway the Motor State 500 and six pole positions.

In 1969, the Ford Motor Company produced a Cale Yarborough Special Edition Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II (and they also produced a Mercury Cyclone Spoiler). It was a white Mercury Cyclone (fastback) in white with a red roof and stripe. The Spoiler II was outfitted with a special aerodynamic front end. This was a limited edition homologation special that was made to satisfy the NASCAR 500-car minimum production regulations. There was only one engine choice available in the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, a 351 cubic inch Windsor; a very similar car was also produced by Mercury in 1969 as a white car with blue trim as the Dan Gurney Special.

1970s

Yarborough continued to drive a limited schedule for the Wood Brothers in 1970, winning his second consecutive Michigan 400 and the American 500 for the first time along with one of the Daytona 125-mile qualifying races and four poles. At the end of the season, Yarborough was released after Ford withdrew factory support for NASCAR teams. He drove four races in 1971, posting one top-ten in Daytona in the No. 3 Ray Fox-owned Plymouth. He also ran in the Indianapolis 500, finishing 16th in a Gene White-owned, Firestone-sponsored Mongoose-Ford. The next season, Yarborough ran five NASCAR races, his best finish coming at Michigan driving for James Hylton. He ended the season with two consecutive Top 10's driving for Hoss Ellington. He also ran his final Indianapolis 500 in a Bill Daniels sponsored Atlanta-Foyt, finishing 10th. Yarborough mostly focused on driving USAC races in 1971 and 1972. In 1973, Yarborough returned to NASCAR and ran every NASCAR Grand National race in a season for the first time in his career, driving the No. 11 Kar-Kare Chevrolet for Richard Howard. He won four races, including his second Southern 500, the National 500 and the Southeastern 500 at Bristol in which he led every lap, and had 19 Top 10's, finishing second in points.

NASCAR Chevelle Laguna- -11
Cale Yarborough's No. 11 Chevelle Laguna

In 1974, Yarborough won a career-high ten races, but lost the championship by nearly 600 points. Midway through the season, Yarborough's team was bought by Junior Johnson with Carling sponsorship. Yarborough swept both races at Riverside International Raceway, captured his fourth Atlanta 500, and his second consecutive Southern 500 and third overall. Despite his successful 1974 campaign, the team began 1975 without major sponsorship, and missed three races, before Holly Farms became the team's primary sponsor. He won three races, including sweeping the events at Rockingham, but dropped to ninth in the final standings.

The next 3 years would be Cale Yarborough's time to shine. In 1976, he won nine races, including four in a row late in the season, along with winning the Firecracker 400, in winning his first career Winston Cup Championship. The 1977 season would be the greatest year in Cale Yarborough's legendary career. Not only that he would go on to repeat his nine-win performance from 1976, but he finished every single race, and did not finish outside of the Top 6 during the last 14 races of the season. In just a 30-race schedule for 1977, he scored a total of 5000 points under the Winston Cup points system, earning him his second consecutive championship. He won the title by 386 points over Richard Petty. Yarborough became the first driver in NASCAR history to win the championship and NOT score a single DNF. Bobby Labonte would join Cale and become only the second driver to do the same thing in 2000. As of 2022, they are the only two drivers in history to do so. Yarborough led the Winston Cup points standings throughout the entire 1977 season, making him the only driver in NASCAR history to accomplish that feat. However, there was a tie in points after the very first race of the season. David Pearson went on to win the race at Riverside. Yarborough finished second, and he received the bonus points for leading the most laps. Both drivers were scored at 180 points each after Riverside. Technically, back in the Winston Cup points system, the tiebreaker would go to the driver who has the most wins. NASCAR listed Pearson as the points leader because he scored the season's first win, but, he was also racing on a part-time schedule. They also listed Yarborough as the points leader because he was racing full-time and competing for the season's championship, and more importantly, defending his championship from 1976. The 1977 season became the only year in NASCAR history to list two drivers as the points leader. Another highlight of the season was his second Daytona 500 victory, earning him a cover appearance on Sports Illustrated, the second NASCAR driver so honored. He also scored two victories in IROC IV, finishing second in the standings. In 1978, his team switched to Oldsmobiles and received new sponsorship from First National City Travelers Checks. He matched his previous career high of 10 wins from 1974, including leading every lap of the Music City USA 420, his fourth Southern 500 and first Winston 500 at Talladega, and went on to win his third consecutive NASCAR Winston Cup championship (clinching it at the American 500). Cale Yarborough became the very first driver in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships. He clinched the 1978 championship with two races to go, becoming the second driver to win the title that early in the Winston Cup points system. Richard Petty clinched the 1975 championship with four races to go. In IROC V he captured one victory, finishing fourth in the standings.

Yarborough began the 1979 season with Busch Beer sponsorship and getting into a fight with Donnie and Bobby Allison after the Daytona 500, when Donnie and Yarborough wrecked while racing for the lead on the final lap. This was the first NASCAR 500-mile race to be broadcast on live television in its entirety (through CBS Sports). The confrontation and the exciting race that led up to it are credited with starting the mass growth of NASCAR. Yarborough went on to finish fourth in the standings, winning four races, including the Coca-Cola 500 at Pocono Raceway and the National 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, one pole, and finishing third in the IROC VI standings.

1980s

Yarborough won a career-high and modern-era record 14 poles in 1980, captured six races including sweeping the events at Rockingham, and scoring wins at Bristol, Michigan, Texas and Atlanta. Yarborough barely missed out on his fourth championship in five years, losing the championship to Dale Earnhardt by 19 points. At the end of the season, Yarborough announced he was leaving the Junior Johnson team and would run a part-time schedule for the rest of his career. He was replaced by Darrell Waltrip. Yarborough won 55 races while driving for Johnson from 1973 to 1980, compiling an amazing winning percentage of 26.57 percent.

Yarborough competed in 18 races in the 1981 season in the No. 27 Valvoline-sponsored Buick for M.C. Anderson, winning his fourth Firecracker 400 and his fifth Coca-Cola 500 at Atlanta, finishing in the Top 10 a total of 10 times. Yarborough competed in 16 races in 1982, winning three, including his hometown Southern 500 for the fifth and final time. He also ran the 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans finishing 13 laps before a crash ended the team's efforts.

CaleYarborough28racecar1983
1983 racecar

In 1983, Anderson closed his operation, and Yarborough moved to the No. 28 Hardee's-sponsored Chevrolet owned by Ranier-Lundy, competing in 16 events. He won four races, including his third Daytona 500, his sixth Atlanta Coca-Cola 500, and swept both events at Michigan, along with three poles. In 1984, he repeated by winning his fourth Daytona 500, becoming the second driver to score back-to-back wins, the Winston 500 at Talladega, a race that featured 75 lead changes, and the Van Scoy Diamond Mine 500, along with four poles. Yarborough also captured the IROC VIII championship. In 1985, after his team switched to a Ford, he won his first Talladega 500 and scored his final win in the Miller High Life 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He also finished eighth in the final standings of IROC IX.

In 1986, Yarborough won his final career pole at the Firecracker 400, and had five Top 10 finishes. He scored a victory at Talladega during IROC X and finished third in the standings. In 1987, he left the Ranier-Lundy team and purchased Jack Beebe's Race Hill Farm team. Yarborough took the Hardee's sponsorship and began running the No. 29 Oldsmobile Delta 88 as an owner/driver, posting two Top 5 finishes. He ran his final season in 1988 in an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, entering 10 races and posting two ninth-place finishes. He retired at the end of the year.

Politics

In 1972, Yarborough became the first Republican elected to the Florence County Council since Reconstruction. During the 1976 United States presidential election, he campaigned for his longtime friend, Jimmy Carter. That year, Yarborough was reelected to the county council, this time as a Democrat.

Ownership

In 1986 Yarborough purchased Jack Beebe's Race Hill Farm team, renaming the team Cale Yarborough Motorsports and running a part-time schedule in 1987 and 1988. During the 1988 season, Yarborough split time in the No. 29 car with Dale Jarrett, who took over full-time in 1989 following Yarborough's retirement.

For 1990, Jarrett was replaced by Dick Trickle in the renumbered No. 66 car, with backing from Phillips 66. The team won the pole at Dover International Speedway, finishing 24th in points. Multiple drivers raced for Yarborough in 1991, including Trickle, Lake Speed, Dorsey Schroeder, Chuck Bown, and Randy LaJoie. Chad Little, Bobby Hillin, Jr, and Jimmy Hensley would all drive the No. 66 in 1992, with Hensley winning Rookie of the Year honors.

In 1993, the team switched to the No. 98 with Bojangles' sponsorship and Derrike Cope behind the wheel, finishing 26th in points. Cope began 1994 with sponsorship from Fingerhut, but was replaced by Jeremy Mayfield after struggling.

RCA became the team's new primary sponsor in 1995, and Mayfield finished 31st in points despite missing four races. In 1996, Mayfield had two top-five finishes and won the pole at Talladega Superspeedway. Towards the end of the season, Mayfield left to drive for Michael Kranefuss, whose previous driver John Andretti moved to the 98, finishing fifth at Martinsville Speedway. Andretti won the team's second pole at Talladega in 1997, and at the 1997 Pepsi 400, he led 113 laps and won Yarborough's only race as a car owner.

JohnAndretti1997Pocono
John Andretti driving the #98 Cale Yarborough Motorsports Ford in 1997

Despite the win and a 23rd-place points finish, RCA left the sport and Andretti signed with Petty Enterprises. Yarborough signed Greg Sacks to drive his Thorn Apple Valley Ford in 1998, but Sacks suffered a neck injury at Texas Motor Speedway and was unable to race for the rest of the year. Rich Bickle took his place, and had a fourth-place finish at Martinsville. After the season Bickle resigned to drive for Tyler Jet Motorsports and Thorn Apple departed due to financial problems within the organization.

Due to the lack of financing, Yarborough originally closed his team, but soon reopened and hired Rick Mast as the driver, with car dealer Wayne Burdett joining as a co-owner. Despite having no primary sponsor, Yarborough and his team ran the full schedule, picking up short-term deals with Sonic Drive-In and Hobas Pipe. Soon after, Burdette left the team and the team signed Universal Studios/Woody Woodpecker as its primary sponsor. Mast posted two top-tens and did not have a DNF all season, the second driver since Yarborough to accomplish that feat. Despite rumors of a second team with Mike Ciochetti driving, Mast and Universal both departed following the season. In January 2000, Yarborough closed the team until a buyer could be found.

He sold the team in the summer of 2000 to Chip MacPherson. Renamed MacPherson Motorsports, the team ran 2 races with drivers Jeff Fuller and Geoffrey Bodine. Both drivers failed to finish the race and finished 41st. Soon afterward, the team disappeared from the Cup circuit.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

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

Grand National Series

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 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 NGNC Pts Ref
1957 Bob Weatherly 30 Pontiac WSS CON TIC DAB CON WIL HBO AWS NWS LAN CLT PIF GBF POR CCF RCH MAR POR EUR LIN LCS ASP NWP CLB CPS PIF JAC RSP CLT MAS POR HCY NOR LCS GLN KPC LIN OBS MYB DAR
42
NYF AWS CSF SCF LAN CLB CCF CLT MAR NBR CON NWS GBF 159th -
1959 Bob Weatherly 30 Ford FAY DAY DAY HBO CON ATL WIL BGS CLB NWS REF HCY MAR TRN CLT NSV ASP PIF GPS ATL CLB WIL RCH BGS AWS DAY HEI CLT MBS CLT NSV AWS BGS GPS CLB DAR
27
HCY RCH CSF HBO MAR AWS NWS CON 110th 80
1960 CLT CLB DAY DAY DAY CLT
14
NWS PHO CLB MAR HCY WIL BGS GPS AWS DAR PIF HBO RCH HMS CLT BGS DAY HEI MAB MBS ATL BIR NSV AWS PIF CLB SBO BGS DAR HCY CSF GSP HBO MAR NWS CLT RCH ATL 132nd 104
1961 Julian Buesink 52 Ford CLT JSP DAY DAY DAY PIF AWS HMS ATL GPS HBO BGS MAR NWS CLB HCY RCH MAR DAR CLT CLT RSD ASP CLT PIF BIR GPS BGS NOR HAS STR DAY ATL CLB MBS BRI NSV BGS AWS RCH SBO DAR
30
HCY RCH CSF ATL MAR NWS CLT BRI GPS HBO NA 0
1962 CON AWS DAY DAY
10
DAY
48
CON AWS SVH HBO RCH CLB NWS GPS MBS MAR BGS BRI RCH HCY CON DAR
13
PIF CLT 50th 1884
92 ATL
40
BGS AUG RCH SBO DAY CLB ASH GPS AUG SVH MBS BRI CHT NSV HUN AWS STR BGS PIF VAL
Don Harrison DAR
38
HCY RCH DTS AUG
13
MAR NWS ATL
33
Wildcat Williams 9 Ford CLT
25
1963 Julian Buesink 52 Ford BIR GGS THS RSD DAY DAY
20
DAY
DNQ
PIF AWS HBO ATL HCY BRI AUG RCH GPS SBO BGS MAR NWS CLB THS DAR
11
ODS RCH 25th 8062
Toy Bolton 18 Pontiac CLT
23
BIR ATL
Lewis Osborne 97 Chevy DAY
34
Herman Beam 19 Ford MBS
5
SVH
5
DTS BGS ASH OBS BRR BRI
14
GPS
15
NSV
8
CLB
8
AWS
14
PIF
5
BGS ONA DAR
17
HCY
10
RCH
11
MAR
12
DTS
6
NWS THS CLT
12
SBO HBO RSD
1964 CON AUG
15
JSP SVH RSD DAY DAY
11
DAY
17
RCH
16
BRI
12
GPS BGS AWS
18
HBO PIF CLB
23
NWS
23
MAR
7
SVH
5
DAR
19
LGY HCY SBO CLT
28
GPS
9
ASH
5
ATL CON
14
NSV CHT
19
BIR
6
VAL
22
PIF
7
DAY ODS OBS BRR ISP GLN LIN BRI NSV MBS 19th 12618
Ray Osborne 92 Ford ATL
24
Holman-Moody 00 Ford AWS
20
DTS ONA CLB BGS STR MAR
10
SVH NWS
6
CLT
19
HAR AUG JAC
06 DAR
8
HCY RCH ODS
Tom Spell 31 Ford HBO
22
1965 Gary Weaver 10 Ford RSD DAY DAY
21
DAY
9
ASW
3
RCH
15
DAR
24
LGY 10th 20192
Pontiac PIF
13
Tom Spell 08 Ford HBO
21
Lester Hunter 35 Dodge ATL
19
Sam Fogle 31 Ford GPS
22
NWS
27
MAR
18
CLB
10
BRI
17
BGS
8
HCY
7
HAR
21
NSV
9
BIR
6
OBS
20
Matthews Racing 7 Ford CLT
22
Herman Beam 78 Ford CCF
20
ASH
Kenny Myler 06 Ford ATL
13
GPS
15
MBS
4
VAL
1
ODS
4
ISP
4
GLN
4
AWS
5
SMR PIF
2
AUG
6
CLB
5
DTS
16
BLV
11
BGS
5
LIN
7
ODS
17
HBO
4
Matthews Racing 27 Ford DAY
17*
BRI
22
NSV CCF DAR
30
HCY MAR
24
NWS
2
CLT
34
CAR
2
DTS
Kenny Myler 96 Ford RCH
37
1966 06 AUG
9
18th 15188
Matthews Racing 27 Ford RSD
26
DAY
10
DAY DAY
2
CAR
2*
BRI
24
ATL
6
Seifert Racing 45 Ford HCY
19
CLB GPS
Reid Shaw 0 Ford BGS
6
NWS MAR DAR LGY MGR MON RCH CLT DTS ASH PIF SMR AWS BLV GPS DAY ODS BRR OXF FON ISP BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB AWS BLV BGS
Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford DAR
11
HCY RCH HBO MAR
12
NWS
19
CLT
26
CAR
4
1967 AUG RSD
45
DAY DAY
3
DAY
39
AWS BRI
2
GPS BGS ATL
1*
CLB HCY NWS
2
MAR
2*
SVH RCH DAR BLV LGY CLT
41
ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR
4
GPS MGY DAY
1
TRN OXF FDA ISP BRI
33
SMR NSV ATL
29
BGS CLB SVH DAR
44
HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR
28
CLT
10
CAR
16
20th 16228
Neil Castles 06 Dodge NWS
7
Bud Moore Engineering 16 Mercury AWS
12
1968 MGR
21
MGY 17th 1804
Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford RSD
5
BRI
24
RCH HCY
16
Mercury DAY
1*
ATL
1*
HCY GPS CLB NWS MAR
1
AUG AWS DAR
20
BLV LGY CLT
44
ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR
32
GPS DAY
1*
ISP OXF FDA TRN BRI
2
SMR NSV ATL
18
CLB BGS AWS SBO LGY DAR
1*
RCH
3
BLV
18
HBO MAR
2
NWS
5
AUG CLT
5
CAR
26
JFC
1
1969 MGR MGY RSD
24
ATL
1*
CLB HCY GPS RCH NWS MAR
25
AWS DAR
2
BLV LGY CLT
23
MGR SMR MCH
1
KPT GPS NCF DAY
37
DOV TPN TRN BLV BRI
24
NSV SMR ATL
7
MCH
4
SBO BGS AWS DAR
29
HCY RCH TAL
DNQ
CLB MAR
17
NWS CLT
25
SVH AUG CAR
29
JFC MGR TWS
25
23rd 1715
Ford DAY
2*
DAY DAY
38
CAR
3
AUG BRI
4
1970 Mercury RSD DAY
1*
DAY DAY
37
RCH CAR
2
SVH ATL
2*
BRI
3
TAL
5
NWS CLB CLT
2
SMR MAR
3
MCH
1
RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY
35
AST TPN TRN BRI
17
SMR NSV ATL
2
CLB ONA MCH
10
TAL
6
BGS SBO DAR
20
HCY RCH DOV NCF NWS CLT
40
MAR
3
MGR CAR
1*
LGY 34th 1016
Matthews Racing 27 Ford DAR
13
BLV LGY
1971 Fox Racing 3 Plymouth RSD DAY
7
DAY DAY
33
ONT RCH CAR HCY BRI ATL
29
CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR DAR SBO TAL ASH KPT CLT DOV MCH RSD HOU GPS DAY BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL BGS ONA MCH TAL CLB HCY DAR MAR NA 0
James Mason 87 Mercury CLT
28
DOV CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS

Winston Cup Series

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 Fox Racing 3 Plymouth RSD DAY
6
RCH ONT CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL TAL 51st 949.5
Hylton Motorsports 98 Mercury MCH
5
NSV DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS
Ellington Racing 28 Chevy CLT
39
CAR
6
TWS
9
1973 Howard & Egerton Racing 11 Chevy RSD
24
DAY
22
RCH
3
CAR
2
BRI
1**
ATL
5
NWS
6
DAR
19
MAR
2*
TAL
41
NSV
1*
CLT
3
DOV
2
TWS
4
RSD
24
MCH
6
DAY
36
BRI
19
ATL
2
TAL
6
NSV
14*
DAR
1*
RCH
2
DOV
25
NWS
3
MAR
2*
CLT
1*
CAR
3
2nd 7106.65
1974 RSD
1*
DAY
2
RCH
3
CAR
2
BRI
1*
ATL
1
DAR
5
NWS
2
MAR
1*
TAL
9
NSV
14*
DOV
1*
CLT
11
RSD
1*
MCH
27
2nd 4470.3
Junior Johnson & Associates DAY
3
BRI
1*
NSV
1
ATL
14
POC
3
TAL
4
MCH
3
DAR
1*
RCH
21
DOV
28
NWS
1*
MAR
11*
CLT
23
CAR
2*
ONT
3
1975 RSD DAY
3
RCH CAR
1*
BRI
20
ATL
22
NWS
2
DAR
36
MAR
3
TAL
40
NSV
14*
DOV
27
CLT
2
RSD MCH
4
DAY
26
NSV
1*
POC
35
TAL
41
MCH
3
DAR
19
DOV
4
NWS
2
MAR
19*
CLT
19
RCH
26
CAR
1*
BRI
20
ATL
5
ONT
4
9th 3295
1976 RSD
2
DAY
42
CAR
3
RCH
4
BRI
1*
ATL
3*
NWS
1*
DAR
25
MAR
2
TAL
2
NSV
1*
DOV
27*
CLT
3
RSD
7*
MCH
2*
DAY
1*
NSV
5
POC
25
TAL
26
MCH
2*
BRI
1*
DAR
23
RCH
1*
DOV
1*
MAR
1*
NWS
1*
CLT
2
CAR
5
ATL
4
ONT
23
1st 4644
1977 RSD
2*
DAY
1*
RCH
1*
CAR
6
ATL
3*
NWS
1*
DAR
16
BRI
1*
MAR
1*
TAL
2
NSV
2*
DOV
1
CLT
24
RSD
3
MCH
1*
DAY
23
NSV
4
POC
6
TAL
2
MCH
5*
BRI
1*
DAR
5
RCH
4
DOV
3
MAR
1*
NWS
2
CLT
2
CAR
4
ATL
5
ONT
3
1st 5000
1978 Olds RSD
1*
DAY
2
RCH
3
CAR
18
ATL
4
BRI
4
DAR
15*
NWS
26
MAR
16
TAL
1*
DOV
2
CLT
4
NSV
1**
RSD
5*
MCH
1
DAY
2
NSV
1*
POC
26
TAL
4*
MCH
2*
BRI
1*
DAR
1*
RCH
4
DOV
2
MAR
1*
NWS
1
CLT
22
CAR
1*
ATL
8
ONT
2
1st 4841
1979 RSD
3
DAY
5
CAR
18
RCH
1
ATL
4
NWS
9
BRI
24
DAR
6
MAR
11
TAL
33
NSV
1
CLT
4
MCH
3
DAY
20
TAL
24
RCH
5
MAR
8
NWS
20
ATL
3*
ONT
3
4th 4604
Chevy DOV
2*
TWS
4
RSD
4*
NSV
2
POC
1
MCH
17
BRI
5
DAR
19
DOV
3*
CLT
1
CAR
3
1980 RSD
23
RCH
25
ATL
8*
BRI
5
DAR
12
NWS
4
MAR
4
NSV
3*
DOV
16*
CLT
17
TWS
1*
RSD
4
MCH
2
NSV
2*
POC
3
MCH
1
BRI
1*
DAR
29
DOV
4
NWS
10
CLT
2
CAR
1*
ATL
1*
ONT
3
2nd 4642
Olds DAY
19
CAR
1*
TAL
6
DAY
40
TAL
2
RCH
26
MAR
3
1981 M.C. Anderson Racing 27 Olds RSD DAY
8
RCH 24th 2201
Buick CAR
2*
ATL
1
BRI NWS DAR
26
MAR
21
TAL
24
NSV DOV
10
CLT
3
TWS RSD MCH
8
DAY
1*
NSV POC
5
TAL
28
MCH
17
BRI DAR
10
RCH DOV
13
MAR NWS CLT
31
CAR
25
ATL
3
RSD
1982 DAY
2
RCH BRI ATL
3
CAR
1
DAR
2
NWS MAR TAL
37
NSV DOV CLT
4
POC
28
RSD MCH
1*
DAY
22
NSV POC
26
TAL
4
MCH
28
BRI DAR
1*
RCH DOV NWS CLT
33
MAR CAR
25
ATL
35
RSD 27th 2022
1983 Ranier-Lundy Racing 28 Pontiac DAY
1
RCH 28th 1960
Chevy CAR
9*
ATL
1
DAR
6
NWS MAR TAL
29
NSV DOV
22
BRI CLT
28
RSD POC
27
MCH
1
DAY
40
NSV POC TAL
24
MCH
1*
BRI DAR
7
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
10
CAR
36
ATL
23
RSD
1984 DAY
1*
RCH
14
CAR ATL
3
BRI NWS DAR
4
MAR TAL
1
NSV DOV CLT
21
RSD POC
1*
MCH
13*
DAY
3*
NSV POC
2
TAL
5
MCH
5
BRI DAR
17
RCH
14
DOV MAR CLT
3
NWS CAR ATL
11
RSD 22nd 2448
1985 Ford DAY
36
RCH CAR
7
ATL
22
BRI DAR
30
NWS MAR TAL
3*
DOV CLT
40
RSD POC
24
MCH
3
DAY
36
POC
31
TAL
1
MCH
32
BRI DAR
2
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
1
CAR
28*
ATL
2
RSD 26th 1861
1986 DAY
27
RCH CAR
6
ATL
27
BRI DAR
22
NWS MAR TAL
37
DOV CLT
3*
RSD POC
3
MCH
30
DAY
17
POC
25
TAL
24
GLN MCH
7
BRI DAR
10
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
36
CAR
33
ATL
34
RSD 29th 1642
1987 Cale Yarborough Motorsports 29 Olds DAY
10
CAR
28
RCH ATL
8
DAR
15
NWS BRI MAR TAL
37
CLT
42
DOV POC
4
RSD MCH
33
DAY
24
POC TAL
5
GLN MCH
40
BRI DAR
13
RCH DOV
36
MAR NWS CLT
24
CAR
37
RSD ATL
40
29th 1450
1988 DAY
38
RCH CAR ATL
32
DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL
18
CLT
38
DOV RSD POC MCH
9
DAY
41
POC TAL
9
GLN MCH
18
BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT
22
NWS CAR PHO ATL
10
38th 940
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1962 Julian Buesink Ford 21 48
1963 DNQ
1964 Herman Beam Ford 22 17
1965 Gary Weaver Ford 32 9
1966 Matthews Racing Ford 19 2
1967 Wood Brothers Racing Ford 8 39
1968 Mercury 1 1
1969 Ford 5 38
1970 Mercury 1 37
1971 Fox Racing Plymouth 13 33
1972 16 6
1973 Howard & Egerton Racing Chevrolet 3 22
1974 4 2
1975 Junior Johnson & Associates Chevrolet 6 3
1976 14 42
1977 4 1
1978 Oldsmobile 1 2
1979 3 5
1980 5 19
1981 M.C. Anderson Racing Oldsmobile 29 8
1982 Buick 3 2
1983 Ranier-Lundy Racing Pontiac 8 1
1984 Chevrolet 1 1
1985 Ford 2 36
1986 13 27
1987 Cale Yarborough Motorsports Oldsmobile 22 10
1988 32 38

Winston West Series

NASCAR Winston West 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 NWWSC Pts Ref
1977 Jim Stacy Racing 6 Dodge RSD LAG ONT SJS MMR ASP RSD SGS YAK EVG WSP USP POR AAS CRS ASP SHA POR ONT PHO
1
50th 138

International Race of Champions

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

International Race of Champions results
Year Make Q1 Q2 Q3 1 2 3 4 Pos. Pts Ref
1974–75 Chevy MCH
2
RSD
8
RSD
9
DAY
3
3rd NA
1976–77 Chevy MCH
9
RSD
9
RSD
1*
DAY
1
2nd NA
1977–78 MCH
2
RSD
10
RSD
1
DAY
4
4th NA
1978–79 MCH
2
MCH RSD RSD
2
ATL
4
3rd NA
1979–80 MCH
5
MCH RSD RSD ATL NA 0
1984 Chevy MCH
12
CLE
1
TAL
2
MCH
2*
1st 58
1985 DAY
6
MOH
12
TAL
C
MCH
3
8th 29
1986 DAY
2
MOH
10
TAL
1*
GLN
6
3rd 57

American open-wheel racing

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

USAC Championship Car

USAC Championship Car results
Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Pos. Pts
1966 Jim Robbins Vollstedt 65 Ford 255 ci V8 PHX TRE INDY
28
MIL LAN ATL PPR IRP
DNS
LAN ISF MIL DSF INF TRE SAC PHX NC 0
1967 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 67 Ford 255 ci V8 PHX TRE INDY
17
MIL LAN PPR MOS MOS IRP LAN MTR MTR ISF MIL DSF INF TRE SAC HAN PHX RSD NC 0
1971 Gene White Co Mongoose 71 Ford 159ci V8t RAF
8
RAF
8
PHX
13
TRE
5
INDY
16
MIL
DNQ
POC
32
MCH
5
MIL
8
ONT
14
TRE
11
PHX
DNQ
16th 710
1972 Gene White Co Atlanta 72 Ford 159ci V8t PHX TRE INDY
10
MIL MCH POC MIL ONT TRE PHX 28th 150
Indianapolis 500
Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
1966 Vollstedt Ford 24 28 Jim Robbins
1967 Vollstedt Ford 20 17 Vollstedt Enterprises
1971 Mongoose Ford 14 16 Gene White Co
1972 Atlanta Ford 32 10 Gene White Co

24 Hours of Le Mans results

24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1981 United States Stratagraph Inc. United States Billy Hagan
United States Bill Cooper
Chevrolet Camaro IMSA GTO 13 DNF DNF

Legacy

Yarborough was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993, the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1994, the Court of Legends at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1996 and was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998). In 2009, Yarborough was one of the 25 nominees for the first class to be inducted in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, though he was not selected. In 2010, he was nominated for induction in the second class of the Hall of Fame, and again he failed to make the cut. In 2011, Yarborough finally was elected to the NASCAR HOF. A stretch of South Carolina Highway 403 through Timmonsville is named Cale Yarborough Highway in his honor.

In March 2013, Yarborough was inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame.

Personal life and death

In high school Yarborough was a halfback, then played four years of semi-pro football and was offered a tryout with the Washington Redskins.

Yarborough was married to Betty Jo Thigpen from 1961 and they had three daughters (Julie, Kelley, and B.J.). He owned Cale Yarborough Honda in Florence, South Carolina for over 25 years. He later resided in Sardis, South Carolina. Yarborough was not related to fellow NASCAR veteran Lee Roy Yarbrough though they were close friends.

Yarborough died at the McLeod Hospice House in Florence, South Carolina, on December 31, 2023. He was 84.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cale Yarborough para niños

kids search engine
Cale Yarborough Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.