Barry Beggarly
Encyclopedia
Barry Beggarly was an American race car driver that competed on the short-tracks
of Virginia and North Carolina mainly during the 1980s and 1990s.
Beggarly, who resides in the small town of Pelham, North Carolina, earned notoriety in the NASCAR
Late Model Stock division. His greatest accomplishment was winning the Winston Racing Series National Championship in 1993, when he was credited with 27 victories on the season in NASCAR Winston Racing Series action and 32 overall. This championship battle was determined by a tiebreaker after Beggarly took a win and two second-place finishes to defeat Dennis Setzer. He won the NASCAR Winston Racing Series Mid-Atlantic Region Championship in 1993 and 1994 and finished in the Mid-Atlantic Region Top 10 in several other years. Among his other accomplishments were winning track titles at Orange County Speedway
in Rougemont, NC, South Boston Speedway
, and Ace Speedway
in Altamahaw, NC. Beggarly also won special events for Late Model Stock Cars at Martinsville Speedway
, North Wilkesboro Speedway
, and various other local tracks, including New River Valley Speedway in Radford, VA, Myrtle Beach Speedway
, and Volusia County Speedway. He also competed in a number of televised races from North Wilkesboro Speedway
and Martinsville Speedway
.
In 2006 Beggarly was named to the Top 25 Drivers of All Time of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series. In 2007 he was named one of the Top 50 Drivers All Time at South Boston (VA) Speedway.
Beggarly always used number 82 on his cars. In a Golden Age of short track motor racing
in his region, he is considered by many to be one of the best drivers of his era. Barry carries the nickname of "The Southern Gentleman"
Beggarly has been running a full season in 2011 at Ace Speedway in the late model division. Currently Beggarly is the late model points leader both at at Ace Speedway and for the ASA national points
Short track motor racing
In North American auto racing, particularly with regard to NASCAR, a short track is a racetrack of less than one mile in length. Short track racing, often associated with fairgrounds and similar venues, is where stock car racing first got off the back roads and into organized and regulated...
of Virginia and North Carolina mainly during the 1980s and 1990s.
Beggarly, who resides in the small town of Pelham, North Carolina, earned notoriety in the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Late Model Stock division. His greatest accomplishment was winning the Winston Racing Series National Championship in 1993, when he was credited with 27 victories on the season in NASCAR Winston Racing Series action and 32 overall. This championship battle was determined by a tiebreaker after Beggarly took a win and two second-place finishes to defeat Dennis Setzer. He won the NASCAR Winston Racing Series Mid-Atlantic Region Championship in 1993 and 1994 and finished in the Mid-Atlantic Region Top 10 in several other years. Among his other accomplishments were winning track titles at Orange County Speedway
Orange County Speedway
Orange County Speedway is a 3/8 mile asphalt oval in Orange County, near Rougemont, North Carolina. It first opened in 1966 as 1/4 mile and 5/8 mile dirt ovals, which operated until 1967 and 1973, respectively...
in Rougemont, NC, South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway or "SoBo" is a short track located just outside South Boston, Virginia, U.S.A.. SoBo is located approximately sixty miles east of another area familiar to most NASCAR fans, Martinsville. It is owned by Mattco, Inc, the Mattioli family trust that owns Pocono Raceway, with...
, and Ace Speedway
Ace Speedway
ACE Speedway is a 4/10Mile Oval in Elon, NC, The track opened in 1956 as a 1/3 mile dirt oval and was expanded to a 3/8 mile dirt oval and in 1990, the track was paved and was under the NASCAR Winston Racing Series banner...
in Altamahaw, NC. Beggarly also won special events for Late Model Stock Cars at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
, and various other local tracks, including New River Valley Speedway in Radford, VA, Myrtle Beach Speedway
Myrtle Beach Speedway
The Myrtle Beach Speedway, originally named Rambi Raceway, was built in 1958 and is located on U.S. Route 501 near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.The speedway is a semi-banked asphaltic oval track that spans...
, and Volusia County Speedway. He also competed in a number of televised races from North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
and Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
.
In 2006 Beggarly was named to the Top 25 Drivers of All Time of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series. In 2007 he was named one of the Top 50 Drivers All Time at South Boston (VA) Speedway.
Beggarly always used number 82 on his cars. In a Golden Age of short track motor racing
Short track motor racing
In North American auto racing, particularly with regard to NASCAR, a short track is a racetrack of less than one mile in length. Short track racing, often associated with fairgrounds and similar venues, is where stock car racing first got off the back roads and into organized and regulated...
in his region, he is considered by many to be one of the best drivers of his era. Barry carries the nickname of "The Southern Gentleman"
Coming out of retirement
- In 2010 Beggarly came out of retirement to once again race at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw NC. Only racing the last half of the 2010 season, Beggarly managed to captured several wins. Beggarly attempted to qualify for the 2010 'Viginia is for Race Lovers 300" at Martinsville Speedway, failing to qualify for the race and forced to run in one of four heat races to make the field. Beggarly fail to make the field in the heat race due to mechanical failure.
Beggarly has been running a full season in 2011 at Ace Speedway in the late model division. Currently Beggarly is the late model points leader both at at Ace Speedway and for the ASA national points
Honors
- As part of the 25th anniversary of the NASCAR Weekly Series in 2006, Beggarly was named one of the series' All Time Top 25 drivers.