Rex White facts for kids

Rex White (born August 17, 1929) is a retired American auto racer. He is famous for being a NASCAR champion. Rex was one of the first drivers for the original Chevrolet racing team.

He started racing in 1956 and quickly showed his talent. In 1960, he had his best year, winning six races and the NASCAR Grand National Series championship. When he stopped racing in 1964, he had won 28 races in his career. Rex usually drove gold and white General Motors cars with the number "4" on the side.

After retiring, Rex White was honored many times. He was put into the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Hall of Fame in 1974. In 1998, he was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. Later, in 2015, he joined the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

About Rex White

Rex White was born on August 17, 1929, in Taylorsville, North Carolina. He grew up during the Great Depression, a time when many people had little money.

When he was just eight years old, Rex was already working on his family's Ford Model T car. He saw cars as a way to get around. He also learned to drive at age six by driving a neighbor's truck in the fields.

As a young boy, Rex had polio. This made one of his legs weaker. But Rex learned to be brave. He said, "The biggest lesson I learned was how to conquer fear."

Rex's Racing Journey

In 1954, Rex White bought his first car, an old 1937 Ford. He got it with help from his wife's family. Within a year, he was earning enough money from racing to support himself.

Rex's first race was in the Sportsman division at West Lanham Speedway in Maryland. He had to stop early because of engine problems. But by the end of that year, Rex, as a new racer, won the Sportsman championship at that track.

Racing in NASCAR

Replica of White's 1959 NASCAR car

Rex White began racing in NASCAR in 1956. Back then, NASCAR's top racing series was called the Grand National division. In 1956, he raced 24 times and finished in the top 10 in 14 of those races.

In 1958, Rex moved to Spartanburg to work with his friend Louis Clements. Louis was also his partner and chief mechanic. Together, they built their own late-model Chevy car for NASCAR races. They had met earlier when they both worked for Chevrolet's factory racing team. That team stopped racing in 1957.

Rex won his first NASCAR race in 1958 at Champion Speedway in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was 29 years old. That year, he won two races and finished in the top 10 seventeen times.

Becoming a Champion

Rex White's biggest year was 1960 when he won his first and only championship. He won his first race of the season early on. By the end of the year, he had won six races in total. He finished in the top 10 in 35 out of 40 races that season. This amazing performance helped him win the championship.

In 1960, Rex also won the Most Popular Driver Award. He also received the Driver of the Year award. Rex secured his championship before the last race of the season. His chances improved when some of his main rivals, like Richard Petty and Junior Johnson, were disqualified in an earlier race. Rex's prize money for winning the 1960 NASCAR championship was $13,000.

In 1961, Rex won seven races. He finished second in the overall points standings. He raced in 47 events that year. He had 29 top 5 finishes and a career-best 39 top 10 finishes.

Rex had his best year for wins in 1962, with eight victories. He finished fifth in the points standings. He often said his win at the 1962 Atlanta speedway was one of his best. He remembered how he saved fuel and passed Marvin Panch right at the end.

In 1963, Rex didn't win any races. But he still finished ninth in points and had 14 top 10 finishes. From 1959 to 1963, Rex White won more races (28) than any other driver. This included famous drivers like Lee Petty, Richard Petty, and Ned Jarrett.

Rex was known for being a strong competitor. He was also one of the first drivers to really focus on winning the Grand National Series title. He won 36 poles (starting first in a race). He had 28 career wins in 233 races. Rex finished in the top 10 in points in six of his nine years in NASCAR.

Rex White's Legacy

Rex White was only five feet, four inches tall and weighed 135 pounds. This made him the smallest person to ever win a NASCAR championship.

In his 10 years of racing, Rex competed in 233 races. He earned 28 wins, 110 top-5 finishes, and 163 top 10 finishes. NASCAR considers Rex White one of its top 50 drivers. He also won awards like the Living Legends of Auto Racing Pioneers award.

Rex is a member of the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in Darlington. He is also in the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame.

Rex's record of 163 top 10 finishes in 233 races (about 70%) is very impressive. It is a record that is hard for modern drivers to beat.

Rex White wrote his own life story called Gold Thunder. He also worked on another book called All Around The Track. This book shared stories from 58 past and present NASCAR legends.

In January 2015, Rex White was chosen to be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. At that time, he was NASCAR's "oldest living champion" at 85 years old. He still holds that title today.

There is a place called Rex White Motorsports Memorial Plaza in Hephzibah, Georgia. It is part of the Diamond Lakes Regional Park.

Images for kids

• 

  Rex White Motorsports Memorial Plaza