Billy Wade (racing driver)

Billy Drew Wade (February 28, 1930 – January 5, 1965) was an American stock car racing driver.

Billy Wade
BornBilly Drew Wade
(1930-02-28)February 28, 1930
Houston, Texas, United States
DiedJanuary 5, 1965(1965-01-05) (aged 34)
Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
Cause of deathInjuries from racing accident
Awards1963 NASCAR Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
70 races run over 3 years
Best finish4th (1964)
First race1962 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
Last race1964 Jaycee 300 (Augusta Speedway)
First win1964 Fireball Roberts 200 (Old Bridge Stadium)
Last win1964 The Glen 151.8 (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles
4 41 5

Career

Billy was the 1963 NASCAR Rookie of the Year for car owner Cotton Owens. He finished the season with 14 Top 10 finishes in 31 races. He won four consecutive races the following year for Bud Moore Engineering between July 10 and July 19, 1964. The four wins give Wade the sole distinction of being the only driver to accomplish this feat with victories at Old Bridge Stadium on July 10, the road course at Bridgehampton, N.Y on the 12th, a July 15 win at Islip Speedway in New York, and his fourth (and final) win at Watkins Glen. Dick Linder also followed his first victory at Dayton with a win at Hamburg; but Wade is the only driver to string four victories in a row once he got his first.[1] He also accumulated five poles and 25 Top 10 finishes in his 35 starts. As of 2017, he is the most recent driver in NASCAR to get his first pole and win in the same weekend.

On January 5, 1965, Wade was performing a tire test at Daytona International Speedway, when a tire blowout caused his car to crash in the west turn, killing the 34-year-old Texan.[2]

References
  1. Jayski. "All Time NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Winners". ESPN. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  2. Kahn, Bernard (January 6, 1965). "Wade killed in test run". Daytona Beach Morning Journal.


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