Cale Yarborough is one of the most celebrated drivers in car racing history who bagged three consecutive NASCAR wins and has a racing car named after him.
A career studded with several gems, William Caleb Yarborough, later famed as 'Cale', was born in 1939 in Timmonsville, California, USA. He ran his first race in 1957, and by the end of his career, he had competed in a total of 560 races and compiled a record of 83 victories, 319 top-ten finishes, and 69 starts on the pole position. The racer's statistics are so bright that any racer might envy the numbers.
Cale was a racing fanatic from his childhood itself till he became a NASCAR champion. He mentioned in his autobiography that he attained his first race, the Southern 500, at the age of twelve as a ticketless spectator. Winning was something in his blood, evident from the horrific events he passed through in his childhood, such as being bitten by a snake, being struck by lightning, and wrestling with an Alligator, still emerging victorious. Similar was the scenario of his career; it was laden with wins.
He won voraciously in almost every tournament of stock car racing at that time, and here's what makes Yarborough the best NASCAR racer of all time.
Cale's Debut In 1957
Cale's first appearance in the NASCAR circuit was no less courageous than entering the stadium without a ticket or fighting an Alligator. In 1957, he paneled himself as a driver lying about his age and the act eventually was discovered by NASCAR and led to disqualification.
Denied by NASCAR, Cale participated in the 1957 Southern 500 for Bob Weatherly and finished at the 42nd position due to car hub problems. That was the only brief stint he had that year, but in 1960 he earned his career's first top-fifteenth position, and in 1962 he achieved his first position in the top ten at the Daytona 500 qualifying race.
Marking His Prominence In The 60s
Yarborough's stunning performance as a newcomer alerted the racing world that an energetic and aggressive racer was now in the circuit. In 1963, he was hired by Herman Beam and scored seven top-ten and three top-five finishes. He attained his first Grand National victory in 1965 when he was driving for Holman and Moody team at Valdosta Speedway.
In 1965, he raced in 46 competitions and finished in the top ten 21 times, in the top five 13 times, and his net prize money earned for that season year was more than $24,000.
Cale Yarboroughs' next stop was his first Indianapolis 500. He won the Atlanta 500 and the Firecracker 400 while driving for the Wood Brothers team in 1967 and finished the year with $57,000 in earnings. His success continued next year as he triumphed in his first Daytona 500 and Southern 500. He concluded that season with six victories and bagged $138,000 in prize money. Honoring his terrific performances, in 1969, the US automobile giant, Ford, produced a NASCAR 500 Standard Cale Yarborough special edition car, the Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II.
Dominating The NASCAR In The 70s
Cale started the 70s with many glorious victories and pole positions, such as Michigan 400, American 500, and Daytona 125 qualifying races, together with a number of top-ten and top-five finishes. In 1973, for the first time in his career, Cale raced in every NASCAR grand national race and bagged several wins, including the Southern 500, the National 500, and the Southeastern 500. Further, he achieved nineteen top-ten positions and finished the season in the second position in terms of total points.
In 1974, Cale was almost unstoppable and won a career-high of ten races, including his fourth Atlanta 500 win followed by his second Southern 500 win. His journey of victories continued with the winning at Daytona 500 in 1977, Southern 500 in 1978, and the consecutive Winston Cup titles in 1976 and 1978. His legendary performance in the years from 1976 to 1978 won him the title of 'National Motorsports Press Association Driver Of The Year' consecutively.
Moreover, Cale was named as the American Driver of the Year in 1977 and secured a spot in the South Carolina Athletic Hall Of Fame in 1978. He also appeared on Sports Illustrated's cover, an honor only one NASCAR driver had before him.
Cale Bidding Adieu To The Circuit In The 80s
Cale Yarborough's reign continued in 1980, and he won fourteen pole positions, which was not only a record in his career but was a record in the history of NASCAR. Similarly, a saga of victories followed in 1982 Southern 500 and Daytona 500 in 1983 and 1984. Likewise, in 1984, the IROC championship trophy also found a place in Cales' trophy stand. His final victory was in 1985 at Miller High Life 500, and after which the legend announced retirement from racing in 1988. However, he never quitted from being behind the wheel before his retirement.
Cale's career speaks for itself as to why he believed to be the best NASCAR racer of all time. He won every race, not once but several times. His achievements also earned him several honors. A portion of California Highway 403 that passes through Timmonsville is named after him as well. An array of honors, titles, and records make Cale Yarborough a living legend of NASCAR racing.