Marshall Teague
Encyclopedia
Marshall Teague was an American
race car driver
.
He was nicknamed by NASCAR fans as the "King of the Beach" for his performances at the Daytona Beach Road Course
.
He walked into fellow Daytona Beach resident Smokey Yunick
's "Best Damned Garage in Town", and launched Yunick's legendary NASCAR mechanic career.
and visiting the plant without an appointment: by the end of the visit Hudson virtually assured Teague of corporate support and cars: the relationship was formalized shortly after the visit. During the 1951 and 1952 seasons Teague was a member of the Hudson Motors
team and driving what he called the Fabulous Hudson Hornet
.
Teague was also instrumental in helping Hudson tune the 308 CID straight-6 powered Hudson Hornet
to its maximum stock capability. When combined with the cars light weight and low center of gravity, the Hornet allowed Teague and the other Hudson drivers to dominate stock car racing from 1951 through 1954, consistently beating out other drivers in cars powered by larger, more modern engines. Yunick and Teague won 27 of 34 events in major stock car events.
However, he left NASCAR in 1953 following a dispute with NASCAR founder William France Sr.
and went to the AAA
and USAC
.
Teague was also the inspiration for Doc Hudson in the film Cars
.
. He was conducting test sessions in preparation for the April debut of the United States Auto Club championship with Indy-style roadsters. He was driving a "Sumar Special" streamliner, a Kurtis-Kraft chassis with a Meyer-Drake Offenhauser
270 engine. On February 10, 1959, Teague set an unofficial closed course speed record of 171.821 mph (276.5 km/h).
Teague was attempting to go even faster on February 11, 1959, eleven days before the first Daytona 500
. "Teague pushed the speed envelope in the high-powered Sumar Special streamliner - to an estimated 140 mph (225.3 km/h)." His car spun and flipped through the third turn and Teague was thrown, seat and all, from his car. He died nearly instantly.
* Shared drive with Duane Carter
, Jimmy Jackson
and Tony Bettenhausen
** Shared drive with Gene Hartley
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
.
He was nicknamed by NASCAR fans as the "King of the Beach" for his performances at the Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set...
.
He walked into fellow Daytona Beach resident Smokey Yunick
Smokey Yunick
Henry "Smokey" Yunick was an American mechanic and car designer associated with motorsports. Yunick was deeply involved in the early years of NASCAR, and he is probably most associated with that racing genre...
's "Best Damned Garage in Town", and launched Yunick's legendary NASCAR mechanic career.
Career
Teague competed in 23 NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) races from 1949 to 1952 winning seven of them. Teague approached Hudson by traveling to MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and visiting the plant without an appointment: by the end of the visit Hudson virtually assured Teague of corporate support and cars: the relationship was formalized shortly after the visit. During the 1951 and 1952 seasons Teague was a member of the Hudson Motors
Hudson Motor Car Company
The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other brand automobiles in Detroit, Michigan, from 1909 to 1954. In 1954, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator Corporation to form American Motors. The Hudson name was continued through the 1957 model year, after which it was dropped.- Company strategy...
team and driving what he called the Fabulous Hudson Hornet
Fabulous Hudson Hornet
The Fabulous Hudson Hornet was a famous NASCAR Grand National and AAA stock car produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company. Marshall Teague and Herb Thomas each drove in a Hudson Hornet that they nicknamed the "Fabulous Hudson Hornet"....
.
Teague was also instrumental in helping Hudson tune the 308 CID straight-6 powered Hudson Hornet
Hudson Hornet
The Hudson Hornet is an automobile that was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan between 1951 and 1954. The Hornet was also built by American Motors Corporation in Kenosha, Wisconsin and marketed under the Hudson brand between 1955 and 1957.The first-generation Hudson...
to its maximum stock capability. When combined with the cars light weight and low center of gravity, the Hornet allowed Teague and the other Hudson drivers to dominate stock car racing from 1951 through 1954, consistently beating out other drivers in cars powered by larger, more modern engines. Yunick and Teague won 27 of 34 events in major stock car events.
However, he left NASCAR in 1953 following a dispute with NASCAR founder William France Sr.
William France Sr.
William Henry Getty France Sr. , also known by Bill France Sr. or Big Bill, was an American race car driver. He is best known for co-founding and managing NASCAR, a sanctioning body of United States-based stock car racing.-Early life:France was born in Washington, D. C...
and went to the AAA
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
and USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
.
Teague was also the inspiration for Doc Hudson in the film Cars
Cars (film)
Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
.
Death
Teague died while attempting a closed course speed record in a reconfigured Indy car at the newly opened Daytona International SpeedwayDaytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. He was conducting test sessions in preparation for the April debut of the United States Auto Club championship with Indy-style roadsters. He was driving a "Sumar Special" streamliner, a Kurtis-Kraft chassis with a Meyer-Drake Offenhauser
Offenhauser
Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which...
270 engine. On February 10, 1959, Teague set an unofficial closed course speed record of 171.821 mph (276.5 km/h).
Teague was attempting to go even faster on February 11, 1959, eleven days before the first Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
. "Teague pushed the speed envelope in the high-powered Sumar Special streamliner - to an estimated 140 mph (225.3 km/h)." His car spun and flipped through the third turn and Teague was thrown, seat and all, from his car. He died nearly instantly.
Indy 500 results
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Duane Carter
Duane Carter was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. Carter was born in Fresno, California, and he died in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, Jimmy Jackson
Jimmy Jackson (driver)
Jimmy Jackson was an American racecar driver from Indianapolis, Indiana.-Indy 500 results:* shared drive with Duane Carter-World Championship career summary:...
and Tony Bettenhausen
Tony Bettenhausen
Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958....
Gene Hartley
Leslie "Gene" Hartley was an American racecar driver. He was born and died in Roanoke, Indiana.Hartley was the son of midget car driver Ted Hartley, who competed into his 60s. "Auto racing is all I’ve ever known," Gene once said in an interview at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway...