Beyond the Flag
Fansided

Ten NASCAR Drivers Who Had Their Careers Cut Short

By Brian Thornsburg

Feb 17, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; Team spotters watch the action during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 17, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; Team spotters watch the action during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tim Richmond

Hollywood good looks, a never give up attitude and skill beyond anything anyone in the sport had seen before is what made Tim Richmond a very special kind of talent. Richmond started his racing career at the age of 21, when he was working as a crew member for Dave Shoemaker. He later took the racecar out for practice laps at Lakeville Speedway in Ohio and lamented that he was able to run faster laps in the car than Shoemaker.

Richmond later won a mini Indy car event at Phoenix International Raceway, which attracted a lot of media attention and potential sponsorship opportunities for the young driver. Following his success at Phoenix, Kart team owner, Pat Santello, replaced Larry Rice with Richmond for an upcoming race at Watkins Glen Motor Speedway. Richmond qualified 15th for the event and got the best finish of his career in the event, coming home in the eighth position.

After finishing 9th in the final Indianapolis 500 of his career and winning the races rookie of the year honors, Richmond moved on to The NASCAR Winston Cup Series and finished 12th in his very first race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Despite the strong start for Richmond, he had two DNF’s in his first five starts and finished 41st in final points standings in his rookie year.

Richmond later got the first two wins of his career at Riverside Road course in 1982 and would later go on to nab his first oval victory at Pocono Raceway the following year. After a few more years of being shuffled around by teams, Richmond landed with Hendrick Motorsports and won the 1986 race at Pocono Raceway. The win snapped a 64-race winless streak and was his first victory with veteran crew chief Harry Hyde.

Richmond raced his final full season in 1986, winning another race at Pocono Raceway and finishing third in overall points. He was also named co-driver of the year, alongside Dale Earnhardt. Richmond took home the final win of his career at Pocono Raceway in 1987 after being diagnosed with AIDS and died two years later due to complications from the virus. He was buried in Ashland Ohio at the age of 39.

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