(FOX NEWS) – Rex White, who was NASCAR’s oldest living
champion and a 2015 inductee into the Hall of Fame, has
died. He was 95.
NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame confirmed White’s
death on Friday. No additional details were provided.
NASCAR chairman Jim France said, ‘Rex epitomized the
formative days of NASCAR – a true pioneer whose
contributions helped shape the foundation of our sport.’
On May 29, 2005, 23-year-old Danica Patrick became the first
female driver to take the lead in the storied Indianapolis 500.
Having previously distinguished herself in the Toyota Atlantic
series, Patrick had qualified fourth—another best for a woman,
for the 89th Indianapolis 500, only her fifth Indy Racing League
event.
Danica Sue Patrick (43) is the most successful woman in
the history of American open-wheel car racing. She retired
after the 2018 season.
On April 20, 2008, 26-year-old Danica Patrick wins the Indy
Japan 300 at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan, making
her the first female winner in IndyCar racing history.
Danica Patrick was born on March 25, 1982, in Beloit,
Wisconsin. She became involved in racing as a young
girl and as a teenager moved to England in pursuit of
better training opportunities.
In 2002, after returning to the United States, she began
driving for the Rahal Letterman Racing team, owned by
1986 Indianapolis 500 champ Bobby Rahal and late-night
talk-show host David Letterman.
In 2005, Patrick started competing in IndyCar events, which
include the famed Indianapolis 500 race at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway in Indiana.
Mike Chase (April 17, 1952 – April 18, 2025)
Chase was a professional stock car racing driver. Winner of
the 1994 series championship in the NASCAR Winston West
Series, he also competed in the Winston Cup Series, Busch
Series, and Craftsman Truck Series and worked for Penske
Racing as a crewman. He was 73.
After retiring from competition, Mike Chase worked for several
race teams, including Wood Brothers Racing; he worked for
Penske Racing as a fabricator. Chase was also a crew chief
in the Nationwide Series.
Chase was inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of
Fame in 2010.
(From Wikipedia)
On February 22, 1959, Lee Petty defeated Johnny Beauchamp
in a photo finish at the just-opened Daytona International
Speedway in Florida to win the first-ever Daytona 500.
The race was so close that Beauchamp was initially named the
winner by William France, the owner of the track and head of
the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing.
However, Petty, who was driving a hardtop Oldsmobile 88,
challenged the results and three days later, with the assistance
of news photographs, he was officially named the champ.
Petty’s son, Richard (1937- ) became one of the greatest drivers
in NASCAR history, winning the Daytona 500 a record seven
times between 1964 and 1981.
The Petty Museum.
