Joe Eubanks

Joseph "Joe" Eubanks
Joe Eubanks, circa 1950s
Born	(1925-08-09)August 9, 1925 Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States
Died	June 21, 1971(1971-06-21) (aged 45)
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
159 races run over 11 years
Best finish	5th – 1954 NASCAR Grand National season
First race	1950 Southern 500 (Darlington Raceway)
Last race	1961 World 600 (Charlotte Motor Speedway)
First win	1958 untitled race (Orange Speedway)
Last win	1958 untitled race (Orange Speedway)
Wins Top tens Poles 1 81 4

Joseph "Joe" Eubanks (August 9, 1925 – June 21, 1971) was a NASCAR Grand National driver from Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA.^[1] He entered the United States Armed Forces along with fellow NASCAR veterans Bud Moore and Cotton Owens.^[2] All three of these men served in World War II together.^[2]

Career summary

Eubanks raced from 1950 to 1961 collecting one win, thirty-seven finishes in the top five, and eighty-one finishes in the top ten along the way.^[1] His total career earnings were $35,338 ($280,303.53 when adjusted for inflation) and he successfully completed 14,303.3 miles (23,018.9 km) miles of racing.^[1]

As one of the first competitors to compete in a NASCAR road racing event, Eubanks finished second to Al Keller who was driving a 1951 Hudson Hornet automobile.^[3] Joe was a competitor for the 1955 Southern 500 and was credited for having the fastest Oldsmobile 88 vehicle of that particular race.^[4] Dirt tracks were Eubanks' were his greatest strong point as a driver; where a "top ten" finish was mostly guaranteed. Restrictor plate tracks turned out to be his Kryptonite, however, and his average finish on those tracks were a measly 38th place.^[5]

Eubanks' primary vehicle was the #88 Ford machine owned by Don Every and Domenic Petti of Daytona Florida.^[6] He was also one of the extras for the 1960 stock car racing film Thunder in Carolina.^[7]

References