Harry Jefferson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harry Jefferson |
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| Born | November 2, 1946 Naches, Washington, United States |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 12 races run over 5 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 45th – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season | ||||||
| First race | 1973 Winston Western 500 (Riverside International Raceway) | ||||||
| Last race | 1977 Los Angeles Times 500 (Ontario Motor Speedway) | ||||||
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Harry Jefferson is a retired American race car driver. He competed in the exciting world of NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). His career in the top-level Winston Cup Series lasted from 1973 to 1977.
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Harry Jefferson's Racing Career
Harry Jefferson was a talented driver who raced in several different NASCAR series. Besides the main Winston Cup Series, he also competed in the Winston West Series. This series featured races mostly on the western side of the United States.
Racing Cars and Famous Drivers
In 1973, Harry Jefferson drove a Mercury Cougar car in the Winston West Series. This car had an interesting journey! It was later updated in 1979 to become a Ford Granada. Some really famous NASCAR drivers then got behind its wheel. These legends included Derrike Cope, David Pearson, and Bobby Allison. It's cool to think one car was driven by so many different racers!
Race Statistics and Achievements
During his career, Harry Jefferson completed many laps. He raced a total of 1,739 laps. This is like driving about 3,189.2 miles (5,132.5 km)! He usually started races from about 18th place. He often finished around 24th place.
He earned over $20,000 in prize money from his races. This amount would be worth much more today because of inflation.
Qualifying for Races
Sometimes, drivers need to "qualify" for a race. This means they have to drive fast enough in a special practice session to earn a spot. Harry Jefferson only "did not qualify" (DNQ) for two races in his career. These were the 1972 Miller High Life 500 and the 1988 Checker 500. This shows he was usually fast enough to get into the main race!
Success in Other Series
Beyond the big NASCAR series, Harry Jefferson also had a very successful career. He raced in the late model Sportsman series. These races were popular in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
