Norm Nelson
Encyclopedia
Norm Nelson was an American stock car racer. He competed in the United States Auto Club (USAC) Stock Cars in the 1950s through 1970s. He won the season championship in 1960, 1965, and 1966 as a driver. Nelson also won five owner's championships. He competed in five NASCAR
Grand National/Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup Series) events and won one. He had 35 USAC victories including 11 at the Milwaukee Mile
near his hometown Racine, Wisconsin
. He was nicknamed "The Great Dane" because he was 6 feet 4 inches tall.
y field near Pleasant Prairie
. His first race ended when his jalopy
got stuck on the straightaway. He continued in the car until the 1940-41 winter indoor series, when he got a ride in a midget car
at the Chicago Amphitheater. He ended up driving the midget into the wall in the first corner. Racing in the United States ended for World War II
and he served the United States Army
. After the war ended, he returned to successfully race midget cars. He stopped racing midgets in favor of late model
stock cars
so he could race more frequently.
Nelso had been introduced to stock car racing
in 1948 when Milwaukee
promoter Tom Marchese brought stock cars to the region. Nelson said "Once I got into stock car racing, I knew that it was for me. I couldn't get get into just any midget. We always had to make special ones for me." He raced in his first stock car race on the dirt of the Milwaukee Mile in 1948 and finished third in the 100 miles (160.9 km) event.
(AAA) Stock Car division in its first season and was leading the national points going into the final race at the Springfield Mile
. Second-place driver Jay Frank
was the only driver who could catch him in the points and he had to win while Nelson had to not finish the race. "That's exactly what happened", Nelson said. "The engine on my Oldsmobile blew and he won the race." Earlier that season he lost all of his points earned for winning a race at Milwaukee after USAC determined he had used an illegal gear. He was using a special mountain gear in his Oldsmobile
; he pointed out (to no avail) that the part can be found in a parts catalog. He continued to race in AAA Stock Car races in 1952, 1953, and 1954 - collecting top five finishes at Toledo Raceway Park, Dayton Speedway
, Illiana Speedway, and Milwaukee.
Nelson joined up with Carl Kiekhaefer
's Chrysler
team in 1955. He won a 1955 stock car race at the Milwaukee Mile and blew his right front tire right after winning the race causing the car to skid into the walls. Nelson's crew had done their pit stop in 1 minute and second place finisher Marshall Teague
had a 1 minute and 40 seconds stop. He raced at Wilmot Speedway in Racine in 1959 and won the track's modified stock class. He returned to driving on the national tour and finished third in 1958 and 1959. For the first time in his career, Nelson drove in someone else's car when Bill Trainor hired him to race. He won a race at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack
and had several second-place finishes during his 1960 championship season. He added a win in the Midwest Association for Race Cars (MARC), the forerunner to ARCA
in a race under dual sanction with USAC.
Beginning in 1963, Nelson hired Jerry Kulwicki (Alan Kulwicki
's father) to build engines for his race cars. Nelson began his 25th season of racing in 1965 by winning the season-opening USAC Stock Car race at Milwaukee over Paul Goldsmith
. Nelson took the lead away from Parnelli Jones
when his engine blew up late in the race. Three NASCAR drivers competed in the event - Richard Petty
, David Pearson, and Bobby Isaac
.
Nelson won the Yankee 300 race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 1965 which contributed toward him winning his second driver's championship that season. Nelson won the 150-mile event at Langhorne Speedway
in 1966 and he won his third season championship. He also won his second straight Yankee 300 at IRP.
When Nelson retired from driving in 1976 because of detached retina
, he was tied with A. J. Foyt
for second on the all-time USAC victories list with 35 wins.
at the only NASCAR race held at the 1-mile dirt
Las Vegas Park Speedway
. While driving for Carl Kiekhaefer
's championship team, he led the final 106 laps of a 111 lap race which was shortened from its original 200 lap distance because of darkness. He competed in three more NASCAR races, once each in 1966, 1967, and 1968.
to drive for him in 1968, starting a two-car operation as Nelson began to wind down his career. In 1975, McCluskey had to miss a race because he had a burned foot; Nelson drove the car for him. Other drivers include A. J. Foyt
.
Nelson's cars started in 13 NASCAR; nine of these races ended in a Top 10 finish. Jim Hurtubise
drove Nelson's only win as a car owner at Atlanta International Raceway.
said, "I can remember guys like A. J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones drove against him, and Norm wasn't as much a charger as those guys, but he was always there at the end of a race. Because he owned his own cars, he didn't run them as hard as those other guys did." Kulwicki added, "He was a good, smooth driver and very intelligent."
sales and repair shop in Racine. Caroline and several of their children worked at the shop.
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...
Grand National/Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup Series) events and won one. He had 35 USAC victories including 11 at the Milwaukee Mile
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
near his hometown Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
. He was nicknamed "The Great Dane" because he was 6 feet 4 inches tall.
Early career
Nelson prepared for racing when, as a 14-year-old, he borrowed his sister's 1934 Chevrolet and he raced it on the back streets of Racine. He competed for the first time on a rainy 1939 afternoon race in a swampSwamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
y field near Pleasant Prairie
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
Pleasant Prairie is a village in Kenosha County, Wisconsin located between Milwaukee and Chicago. The population was 16,136 at the 2000 census. The neighborhoods of Carol Beach, Dexter's Corner, Ranney, and Tobin are located within the village.-Geography:...
. His first race ended when his jalopy
Jalopy
A jalopy is a decrepit car, often old and in a barely functional state. A jalopy is not a well kept antique car, but a car which is mostly rundown or beaten up. As a slang term in American English, "Jalopy" was noted in 1924 but is now slightly passé...
got stuck on the straightaway. He continued in the car until the 1940-41 winter indoor series, when he got a ride in a midget car
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
at the Chicago Amphitheater. He ended up driving the midget into the wall in the first corner. Racing in the United States ended for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and he served the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. After the war ended, he returned to successfully race midget cars. He stopped racing midgets in favor of late model
Late model
A "late model car" is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. The term is broadly used in car racing, and often appears in common use, as in "The officer was driving an unmarked, late model sedan."There is no precise...
stock cars
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
so he could race more frequently.
Nelso had been introduced to stock car racing
Stock car racing
Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
in 1948 when Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
promoter Tom Marchese brought stock cars to the region. Nelson said "Once I got into stock car racing, I knew that it was for me. I couldn't get get into just any midget. We always had to make special ones for me." He raced in his first stock car race on the dirt of the Milwaukee Mile in 1948 and finished third in the 100 miles (160.9 km) event.
USAC
In 1950, Nelson was racing the American Automobile AssociationAmerican 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,...
(AAA) Stock Car division in its first season and was leading the national points going into the final race at the Springfield Mile
Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack
Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one mile long clay oval motor racetrack on the grounds of the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, the state capital. Constructed in the late 19th century and reconstructed in 1927, the "Springfield Mile" as it is known has hosted competitive auto racing...
. Second-place driver Jay Frank
Jay Frank
Jay Frank is an American author and music industry executive. His book, Futurehit. DNA was published in 2009. He is currently the Senior Vice President of Music Strategy for Country Music Television, which he joined in 2007...
was the only driver who could catch him in the points and he had to win while Nelson had to not finish the race. "That's exactly what happened", Nelson said. "The engine on my Oldsmobile blew and he won the race." Earlier that season he lost all of his points earned for winning a race at Milwaukee after USAC determined he had used an illegal gear. He was using a special mountain gear in his Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
; he pointed out (to no avail) that the part can be found in a parts catalog. He continued to race in AAA Stock Car races in 1952, 1953, and 1954 - collecting top five finishes at Toledo Raceway Park, Dayton Speedway
Dayton Speedway
The Dayton Speedway is a race track in Dayton, Ohio, United States.It has been called the "Fastest 1/2 mile in the world".The track has held events for NASCAR, AAA, MARC, ARCA, ASA, USAC, etc.-History:...
, Illiana Speedway, and Milwaukee.
Nelson joined up with Carl Kiekhaefer
Carl Kiekhaefer
Elmer Carl Kiekhaefer was the owner of Kiekhaefer Marine , and also a two-time NASCAR championship car owner.-Kiekhaefer Mercury founder:...
's Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
team in 1955. He won a 1955 stock car race at the Milwaukee Mile and blew his right front tire right after winning the race causing the car to skid into the walls. Nelson's crew had done their pit stop in 1 minute and second place finisher Marshall Teague
Marshall Teague
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....
had a 1 minute and 40 seconds stop. He raced at Wilmot Speedway in Racine in 1959 and won the track's modified stock class. He returned to driving on the national tour and finished third in 1958 and 1959. For the first time in his career, Nelson drove in someone else's car when Bill Trainor hired him to race. He won a race at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack
DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack is a one-mile clay oval motor racetrack in Du Quoin, Illinois, about southeast of St Louis, Missouri. It is a stop on the ARCA and USAC Silver Crown tours.-History:...
and had several second-place finishes during his 1960 championship season. He added a win in the Midwest Association for Race Cars (MARC), the forerunner to ARCA
Automobile Racing Club of America
Automobile Racing Club of America is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The current president of ARCA is Ron Drager. The ARCA RE/MAX Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars...
in a race under dual sanction with USAC.
Beginning in 1963, Nelson hired Jerry Kulwicki (Alan Kulwicki
Alan Kulwicki
Alan Dennis Kulwicki , nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series racecar driver. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional stock car touring series...
's father) to build engines for his race cars. Nelson began his 25th season of racing in 1965 by winning the season-opening USAC Stock Car race at Milwaukee over Paul Goldsmith
Paul Goldsmith
Paul Goldsmith is a motorcycle Hall of Famer, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee and former USAC and NASCAR driver.- Motorcycle career :...
. Nelson took the lead away from Parnelli Jones
Parnelli Jones
Rufus Parnell "Parnelli" Jones , is a retired American racing driver and racecar owner. He is most remembered for his 1963 Indianapolis 500 win, and almost winning the 1967 Indy 500 in a turbine car...
when his engine blew up late in the race. Three NASCAR drivers competed in the event - Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
, David Pearson, and Bobby Isaac
Bobby Isaac
Bobby Isaac is a former NASCAR Grand National champion.-Early life:Isaac grew up on a farm near Catawba, North Carolina, the second youngest of nine children...
.
Nelson won the Yankee 300 race at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 1965 which contributed toward him winning his second driver's championship that season. Nelson won the 150-mile event at Langhorne Speedway
Langhorne Speedway
Langhorne Speedway was an automobile racetrack in Middletown Township, Bucks County, near the borough of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia....
in 1966 and he won his third season championship. He also won his second straight Yankee 300 at IRP.
When Nelson retired from driving in 1976 because of detached retina
Retina
The vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
, he was tied with A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...
for second on the all-time USAC victories list with 35 wins.
NASCAR
Nelson made five starts in his Grand National (now Sprint Cup Series) career. He made his first start in 1955 and won his only NASCAR race later that season after starting on the pole positionPole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
at the only NASCAR race held at the 1-mile dirt
Dirt track racing
Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
Las Vegas Park Speedway
Las Vegas Park Speedway
The Las Vegas Park Speedway was a horse and automobile racing facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was built to be a horse racing facility and it held single races in NASCAR Grand National , AAA, and USAC Stock cars before it was demolished. It opened as the Las Vegas Jockey Club.-Construction:Joseph M...
. While driving for Carl Kiekhaefer
Carl Kiekhaefer
Elmer Carl Kiekhaefer was the owner of Kiekhaefer Marine , and also a two-time NASCAR championship car owner.-Kiekhaefer Mercury founder:...
's championship team, he led the final 106 laps of a 111 lap race which was shortened from its original 200 lap distance because of darkness. He competed in three more NASCAR races, once each in 1966, 1967, and 1968.
Owner
Even before Nelson's career began to wind down, he began having other racers drive in his USAC car. He hired Roger McCluskeyRoger McCluskey
Roger McCluskey was an American race car driver. He was from Tucson, Arizona.He won championship titles in three divisions of USAC -Sprints, Stocks, and Champ Cars. He won the USAC Sprint Car title in 1963 and 1966, the USAC Stock car title in 1969 and 1970. The Champ Car title in 1973...
to drive for him in 1968, starting a two-car operation as Nelson began to wind down his career. In 1975, McCluskey had to miss a race because he had a burned foot; Nelson drove the car for him. Other drivers include A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...
.
Nelson's cars started in 13 NASCAR; nine of these races ended in a Top 10 finish. Jim Hurtubise
Jim Hurtubise
In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.-Award:...
drove Nelson's only win as a car owner at Atlanta International Raceway.
Personality
Nelson was known for saving his equipment until the latter stages of a race. Alan KulwickiAlan Kulwicki
Alan Dennis Kulwicki , nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series racecar driver. He started racing at local short tracks in Wisconsin before moving up to regional stock car touring series...
said, "I can remember guys like A. J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones drove against him, and Norm wasn't as much a charger as those guys, but he was always there at the end of a race. Because he owned his own cars, he didn't run them as hard as those other guys did." Kulwicki added, "He was a good, smooth driver and very intelligent."
Personal life
Nelson and his wife Caroline had eight children. During the racing off-season, he owned a snowmobileSnowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
sales and repair shop in Racine. Caroline and several of their children worked at the shop.