H. B. Bailey facts for kids

Herring Burl "H. B." Bailey (born November 15, 1936 – died April 17, 2003) was a famous NASCAR driver. He drove his No. 36 Pontiac car for many years. He raced part-time as an independent driver in the Grand National and Winston Cup series. His career lasted from 1962 to 1993, and he competed in 85 races.

Even though H.B. Bailey didn't race a full schedule every year, he had many fans. He holds a special place in history. He was the very first driver to complete a qualifying lap for the first-ever Brickyard 400 race in 1994.

Bailey started his racing journey early. He began racing at Playland Park in Houston in 1954. He even won the track championship there in 1959.

Darlington Raceway was one of H.B. Bailey's favorite places to race. He was a three-time member of the UNOCAL/Darlington Record Club. This club recognized drivers who performed well at the famous South Carolina track. Bailey's last race was the 1993 Southern 500, which took place at Darlington.

In 1972, Bailey showed his skill in the NASCAR Grand American division. He won the pole position for the first race at Daytona International Speedway. He also won a race at Nashville. That year, he finished second in the national championship standings.

H.B. Bailey passed away on April 17, 2003, due to heart failure. Richard Petty, another legendary NASCAR driver, spoke about Bailey. Petty said, "Our sport was built by people like H.B. Bailey." He added, "H.B. was a racer through and through, and the sport is better off because he was a part of it. We will miss him."

H.B. Bailey's son, Joe Dan, followed in his father's footsteps in racing. Joe Dan worked as a mechanic on his father's cars. Later, he became an engineer for several NASCAR teams. These teams included the one that won the 1990 Daytona 500. He also worked with Richard Childress Racing when they won the NASCAR Cup Series championships in 1993 and 1994.

H.B. Bailey's Racing Career

H.B. Bailey competed in different NASCAR series. He raced in the Grand National and Winston Cup series. He also took part in the ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series.

Grand National Series Highlights

H.B. Bailey raced in the Grand National Series from 1962 to 1970.

• 1963 Daytona 500: He finished 19th.
• 1965 Southern 500: He had a great run, finishing 6th.
• 1965 National 400: He finished 8th.

Winston Cup Series Highlights

Bailey continued his career in the Winston Cup Series from 1971 to 1993.

• 1972 Southern 500: He achieved a strong 5th place finish.
• 1979 Texas 400: He finished 16th.
• 1979 Dixie 500: He finished 20th.
• 1981 Budweiser NASCAR 400: He finished 15th.
• 1981 National 500: He finished 16th.
• 1986 TranSouth 500: He finished 12th.
• 1986 Southern 500: He finished 17th.
• 1987 Motorcraft Quality Parts 500: He finished 18th.
• 1987 TranSouth 500: He finished 17th.
• 1987 Atlanta Journal 500: He finished 19th.
• 1988 TranSouth 500: He finished 16th.

ARCA Series Highlights

H.B. Bailey also raced in the ARCA series, which is another type of stock car racing.

• 1964 Daytona International Speedway: He finished 7th.
• 1964 Corpus Christi Speedway: He finished 7th.
• 1973 Royal Triton 300: He finished 2nd.
• 1990 Michigan 200: He finished 14th.
• 1991 Michigan ARCA 200: He finished 5th.
• 1991 Michigan ARCA 200 (second race): He finished 8th.
• 1993 GM Goodwrench 200: He finished 16th.