Ron Bouchard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ronald Bouchard |
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| Born | November 23, 1948 Fitchburg, Massachusetts |
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| Died | December 10, 2015 (aged 67) Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Cause of death | Cancer | ||||||
| Awards | 1981 NASCAR Rookie of the Year New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame (1998) |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 160 races run over 7 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 8th (1982) | ||||||
| First race | 1981 Valleydale 500 (Bristol) | ||||||
| Last race | 1987 Winston 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
| First win | 1981 Talladega 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 20 races run over 5 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 31st (1984) | ||||||
| First race | 1983 Darlington 250 (Darlington) | ||||||
| Last race | 1987 Winn-Dixie 300 (Charlotte) | ||||||
| First win | 1984 Dixie Cup 200 (Darlington) | ||||||
| Last win | 1984 Darlington 200 (Darlington) | ||||||
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Ronald R. Bouchard (born November 23, 1948 – died December 10, 2015) was an American NASCAR driver. He became famous for winning the 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award. His brother, Ken Bouchard, also won this award in 1988. Racing was a family passion for Ron. His father-in-law, Ed Flemke Sr., and brother-in-law, Ed Flemke Jr., were also well-known NASCAR Modified racers.
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Ron Bouchard: Early Racing Days
Ron Bouchard started his racing journey in 1963 at Brookline Speedway. He filled in for a sick driver in his father's car. After finishing high school, he continued racing his dad's car. He quickly became a top driver in late model races at Seekonk Speedway. From 1967 to 1971, he won five championships in a row at that track.
Ron then started racing his Camaro at other local tracks. His talent caught the eye of a car owner named Bob Johnson. Johnson soon put Bouchard in his special modified car at the famous Stafford Speedway. Ron won his first race there in April 1972. He went on to win 35 races at Stafford during his career. He also won track championships in 1973 and 1979.
Bouchard also drove for other car owners, like Bob Judkins and Len Boehler. He won many races at tracks such as Thompson Speedway, Seekonk Speedway, Waterford Speedbowl, and Westboro Speedway. One of his biggest wins in a modified car was the Thompson 300 in 1980. Ron Bouchard was also a big rival of fellow New England racer, Geoffrey Bodine. They often battled for wins on the track.
Becoming a NASCAR Star
Ron Bouchard began his NASCAR career in 1981. He drove the No. 47 Buick for the Race Hill Farm team. Even though he only raced in 22 out of 31 events, he earned the 1981 NASCAR Rookie of the Year title. He finished in the top 10 in 12 of those 22 races.
His most famous win was at the Talladega 500 in 1981. On the very last lap, he was in third place behind Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte. As Waltrip and Labonte raced side-by-side, Bouchard zoomed past them both. All three cars crossed the finish line almost at the same time! Bouchard won in what is called a "photo finish," meaning it was too close to tell without a picture. After the race, Waltrip famously asked, "Where the hell did he come from?"
Many people consider Bouchard's Talladega win one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history. This victory helped him secure the Rookie of the Year award. In 1982, Bouchard had his best year, finishing eighth in the final points standings. He had 15 top-10 finishes in 30 races that year. He continued to race full-time from 1983 to 1985, always finishing well in the points. He came very close to winning other races, like at Martinsville in 1984 and Rockingham in 1985.
In 1986, he switched to the No. 98 Pontiac for Mike Curb's team. The team often finished in the top 20. In 1987, he raced in five events for Hoss Ellington's team. He finished eighth and twelfth in two of those races.
Awards and Recognition
Ron Bouchard received several honors for his racing career. In 1998, he was inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame. He was part of the very first group of racers to be honored there.
After his passing, the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame created a special award in his name. Starting in 2016, they began giving out the Ron Bouchard Award. This award recognizes people who have given a lot to motorsports in the New England area.
Life After Racing
After his NASCAR career, Ron Bouchard returned to his hometown of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He opened Ron Bouchard's Auto Stores, which sells cars from brands like Honda, Stellantis, Hyundai, and Nissan.
Ron married Paula Flemke in June 1983. Paula was the daughter of famous Modified racer "Steady" Ed Flemke, Sr. Ron and Paula had five children: Eugene, Robert, Michelle, Tracey, and Chad.
In September 2015, Ron opened a museum at his Stellantis dealership. This museum celebrated his long and successful motorsport history. Ron Bouchard passed away from cancer on December 10, 2015, just three months after opening his museum.
Images for kids
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Ron Bouchard's No. 47 race car in 1983.
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Ron Bouchard's race car in 1984.
