Tim Flock
Encyclopedia
Julius Timothy Flock was one of NASCAR
's early pioneers, and a two time series champion. He was a brother to NASCAR's second female driver Ethel Mobley
and NASCAR pioneers Bob Flock
and Fonty Flock
.
He finished 5th in NASCAR’s inaugural Strictly Stock race at Charlotte, North Carolina
in 1949. NASCAR's first official season ended with Tim in eighth, Tim's brother Fonty Flock
in fifth, and Tim's brother Bob Flock
in third in the overall points standing. Tim sat out the 1950 NASCAR season recovering from a four car pile up at Charlotte.
Returning to racing in 1951, Tim won seven races. 1952 brought eight wins and four poles. At the end of the 1952 NASCAR season, Tim Flock had 106 more points than Herb Thomas
, earning Flock his first Grand National Championship title, despite flipping in the final race at West Palm Beach. Flock later joked, "I was the only driver to ever win a championship upside-down."
1955 was a record setting year for Flock as well as NASCAR. On the way to Flock's second Grand National Championship title, Flock had 19 poles and 18 victories in 45 races. The 18 victories stood as a record until broken by “The King”, Richard Petty
, in 1967. The 19 poles is still the highest number in a NASCAR season.
on his carburetor
screw" which was illegal. This was widely known to be retaliation by NASCAR management for Flock's support of a NASCAR driver's union. Like Curtis Turner
, he faced a life ban from NASCAR.
Flock continued to race under other sanctioning bodies, including the Midwest Association for Race Cars (MARC), competing in the 100-mile event on the dirt at Lakewood Speedway
, Georgia, in October 1961, where he finished second. He also raced at a USAC event in Concord, North Carolina, in 1963.
Flock was also employed by the Ford Motor Company to entertain customers at track events.
Flock was reinstated to NASCAR competition in 1966.
honored him in a special paint scheme
named "Tim Flock Special" after his death as a tribute to Flock.
. He has been inducted in numerous halls of fame, including the: International Motorsports Hall of Fame
(1991), Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
(1999), National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame (1972), State of Georgia Hall of Fame (1972), and Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends (1994). He was inducted in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
in May 2006.
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...
's early pioneers, and a two time series champion. He was a brother to NASCAR's second female driver Ethel Mobley
Ethel Mobley
Ethel Mobley of Fort Payne, Alabama was tied for the second female to drive in NASCAR history. Her brother Tim Flock said she was named after the gasoline her father used in his car.-"Flying Flocks":...
and NASCAR pioneers Bob Flock
Bob Flock
Robert Newman Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama, USA was an early NASCAR driver. He qualified on the pole position for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race.-Flock family:...
and Fonty Flock
Fonty Flock
Truman Fontello "Fonty" Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama was an early NASCAR driver.-Flock family:He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers Tim Flock and Bob Flock, and the second female NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley...
.
NASCAR career
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
in 1949. NASCAR's first official season ended with Tim in eighth, Tim's brother Fonty Flock
Fonty Flock
Truman Fontello "Fonty" Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama was an early NASCAR driver.-Flock family:He was the brother of NASCAR pioneers Tim Flock and Bob Flock, and the second female NASCAR driver Ethel Mobley...
in fifth, and Tim's brother Bob Flock
Bob Flock
Robert Newman Flock of Fort Payne, Alabama, USA was an early NASCAR driver. He qualified on the pole position for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race.-Flock family:...
in third in the overall points standing. Tim sat out the 1950 NASCAR season recovering from a four car pile up at Charlotte.
Returning to racing in 1951, Tim won seven races. 1952 brought eight wins and four poles. At the end of the 1952 NASCAR season, Tim Flock had 106 more points than Herb Thomas
Herb Thomas
Herbert Watson Thomas was a NASCAR pioneer who was one of the series' most successful drivers in the 1950s.-Background:...
, earning Flock his first Grand National Championship title, despite flipping in the final race at West Palm Beach. Flock later joked, "I was the only driver to ever win a championship upside-down."
1955 was a record setting year for Flock as well as NASCAR. On the way to Flock's second Grand National Championship title, Flock had 19 poles and 18 victories in 45 races. The 18 victories stood as a record until broken by “The King”, 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...
, in 1967. The 19 poles is still the highest number in a NASCAR season.
Labor Union
In his final race before "retiring" Tim Flock was disqualified and banned from NASCAR as a result of "having too much solderSolder
Solder is a fusible metal alloy used to join together metal workpieces and having a melting point below that of the workpiece.Soft solder is what is most often thought of when solder or soldering are mentioned and it typically has a melting range of . It is commonly used in electronics and...
on his carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
screw" which was illegal. This was widely known to be retaliation by NASCAR management for Flock's support of a NASCAR driver's union. Like Curtis Turner
Curtis Turner
Curtis Turner was an early NASCAR driver. In addition to his success in racing, he made a fortune, lost it, and remade it buying and selling timberlands. Throughout his life he developed a reputation for drinking and partying...
, he faced a life ban from NASCAR.
Flock continued to race under other sanctioning bodies, including the Midwest Association for Race Cars (MARC), competing in the 100-mile event on the dirt at Lakewood Speedway
Lakewood Speedway
Lakewood Speedway was a race track located south of Atlanta, Georgia, in Lakewood, Georgia, just north of the eastern arm of Langford Parkway . The track held many kinds of races between 1919 and 1979, including events sanctioned by AAA/USAC, IMCA, and NASCAR. It was a one-mile dirt track which...
, Georgia, in October 1961, where he finished second. He also raced at a USAC event in Concord, North Carolina, in 1963.
Flock was also employed by the Ford Motor Company to entertain customers at track events.
Flock was reinstated to NASCAR competition in 1966.
Death
He died of lung and liver cancer on March 31, 1998 at the age of 73 which was during NASCAR's 50th Anniversary. Darrell WaltripDarrell Waltrip
Darrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
honored him in a special paint scheme
Special paint scheme
Special paint schemes are one-time or limited time variations on a race car's typical appearance. Their use has historically been largely confined to NASCAR stock car racing, partially due to the much larger surface area of a stock car, and longer season, but have entered the IndyCar in a limited...
named "Tim Flock Special" after his death as a tribute to Flock.
Awards
A month before his death, Flock was honored as one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest DriversNASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers
NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers is a list of NASCAR drivers.In 1998, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration, NASCAR gathered a panel to select "The 50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of All Time." It was inspired in part by the NBA's decision to select the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History on its 50th...
. He has been inducted in numerous halls of fame, including the: International Motorsports Hall of Fame
International Motorsports Hall of Fame
The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...
(1991), Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
(1999), National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame (1972), State of Georgia Hall of Fame (1972), and Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends (1994). He was inducted in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a state museum located in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to communicating the state’s athletic history...
in May 2006.
Trivia
- Flock won the only NASCAR event ever held at Road AmericaRoad AmericaRoad America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , American Le Mans , SCCA Speed World Challenge Series, ASRA, and AMA Superbike series.- Current track and...
in 1956. No other stock car events of any type were held at the track until the 1990s.
- Tim had a Rhesus monkey co-driver named "Jocko Flocko" with him in his May 16, 1953 Grand National win at Hickory Motor SpeedwayHickory Motor SpeedwayHickory Motor Speedway is a short track located in Hickory, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most storied venues, and is often referred to as "The World's Most Famous Short Track" and the "Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars"....
. Jocko Flocko became the only winning monkey ever. The monkey was retired two weeks later at Raleigh, where the monkey became scared after looking into the wheel wells. Tim had to do a pit stop to remove the monkey, and he finished third instead of second.
- Tim's very last race was the Battle of the NASCAR Legends race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1991. The race featured such drivers as Cale YarboroughCale YarboroughWilliam Caleb "Cale" Yarborough , is a farmer, businessman and former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner. He is one of only two drivers in NASCAR history to win three consecutive championships...
, Junior JohnsonJunior JohnsonRobert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...
, Pete HamiltonPete HamiltonPete Hamilton is a retired American NASCAR racer. He won four times in his career , three times driving for Petty Enterprises. His father was a Ph.D. from Harvard University....
, and Donnie AllisonDonnie AllisonDunkiny "Donnie" Allison is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was part of the "Alabama Gang," and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison...
. The winner was Elmo LangleyElmo LangleyElmo Langley was a NASCAR driver and owner. Langley primarily used the number "64" on his race cars during his NASCAR career.-Racing career:...
, beating Yarborough to the line by about 3 feet on the last lap. Tim finished 10th out of 22 drivers.
- Tim's 40 wins out of 187 races gives him the highest winning percentage in NASCAR history, at 21%.