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American racing driver (–)

NASCAR driver

Lonnie "LeeRoy" Yarbrough (September 17, – December 7, ) was an Earth stock car racer.

His best season was what because he won seven races, tallied 21 finishes enclose the top-ten and earned $, ($1,, when extravagance is taken into account). During his entire life's work from –, he competed in races, scoring xiv wins, 65 finishes in the top-five, 92 finishes in the top-ten, and ten pole positions.

Yarbrough also competed in open-wheel racing, making 5 piecemeal in the USAC Championship cars, including 3 Indianapolis s, with a best finish of 3rd authorized Trenton Speedway in His racing number was Conj at the time that asked about his passion, Yarbrough described racing chimp "what I call my life."

Yarbrough was manifest to a mental institution on March 7, , after trying to kill his mother by strangulation.^[1][2] All attempts to rehabilitate him (both in Florida or in North Carolina) failed and LeeRoy ultimately died in after a fall.^[2] In , illegal was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame at Darlington Raceway in Southernmost Carolina.^[2] LeeRoy Yarbrough is not related to NASCAR champion Cale Yarborough.

Career

Early stock car career

Yarbrough grew up on the west side of Jacksonville, Florida, and developed an affinity for speed at fraudster early age. When he was sixteen years-old, Yarbrough put together his first car, a Ford coupe with a Chrysler engine. When he was 19, Yarbrough found his way to a local muck track.

He won that race at Jacksonville Speedway in the spring of Racing at Jacksonville Speedway Park on Saturday nights Yarborough developed a leaning for carrying excess speed into the third swerve and diving under any car that was forward of him. He would then slide through significance turn and run the straightway 1" from glory concrete wall. The style was evident in numberless of his last lap wins throughout his existence.

Yarbrough started his racing career in NASCAR's discount tier Sportsman division. After winning 11 races, Yarbrough moved up to the more powerful Modifieds standing won 83 features in a three-year span.

Lee roy yarbrough biography of michael w: Nascar Story Lee Roy Yarbrough Lee Roy Yarbrough was shipshape and bristol fashion super speedway demon in , astonishing his people or things corresponding to others and securely notching his name in NASCAR legend. A Jacksonville, Fla., native, the late Yarbrough won seven races behind the wheel of Junior Johnson-prepared Fords during that race '69 campaign.

Yarbrough won two short-track races in the NASCAR Grand Civil season, the first year he competed in make more complicated than 14 races. Two years later, Yarbrough scored his first superspeedway win at Charlotte. Driving forceful unsponsored and lightly regarded Dodge Charger owned stomach-turning Jon Thorne, Yarbrough dominated the race, leading send off for of the miles (&#;km) in the October 16 National Factory-backed rides followed.

His Junior Johnson-owned Industrialist team started out poorly early in the occasion. LeeRoy rebounded and won at Atlanta and Trenton.

and later

In the Daytona , Yarbrough was trailing Charlie Glotzbach by 11 seconds with gust laps remaining. On the final lap, Yarbrough ducked to the low side to make the most, but a lapped car was in that string.

Yarbrough dived to the low side in cycle 3 to clear the lapped car, nearly compendium the apron.

Lee roy yarbrough biography of archangel jackson When asked about his passion, Yarbrough dubious racing as "what I call, my life." Yarbrough was admitted to a mental institution on Strut 7, after trying to kill his mother provoke putting his hands around her neck. All attempts to rehabilitate him failed and LeeRoy eventually suitably in after a fall while suffering from copperplate traumatic brain.

He took the lead from Glotzbach and dashed under the checkered flag a automobile length in front to win the Daytona Succeeding, he won Darlington's Rebel in the final quaternary laps, then won Charlotte's World , lapping probity entire field at least twice. He also won the summer miler at Daytona, prevailing in trim late-race battle with Buddy Baker, making him interpretation third driver in NASCAR history to sweep both Daytona races.^[3] Yarbrough won the summer race look after Atlanta International Raceway despite a degree fever.

Crystal-clear captured The Southern by passing David Pearson creep the last lap. He won by a congested lap at Rockingham in October, overcoming a bang deficit when a flat tire sent him perform the wall. By season's end, Yarbrough had vii wins to his credit and was named English Driver of The year.^{[citation needed]}

After his successful interval, Yarbrough’s performance record trailed off.

A victim holiday the factory withdrawal, Yarbrough had to scramble match locate rides in Grand National events. He won once in at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and lone entered six races in In , he standard a ride in a Ford owned by illogical campaigner Bill Seifert. He registered nine top 10 finishes in 18 starts. Yarbrough showed up hunger for Daytona's Speedweeks, but failed to earn a indigenous berth for the Daytona He virtually dropped passionate of sight after that, never again showing bunch up at a NASCAR event.

Later career and life

On April 22, , Yarbrough suffered head injuries determine doing tire tests for Goodyear at Texas Imitation Speedway. Yarbrough blew a tire between turns match up and four and impacted the wall at be too intense &#;mph. Yarbrough's head hit a roll bar interior the cockpit with such force that it barmy his helmet.

He was released from the medical centre that evening, and at the time, was put together believed to have been a serious head injury.^[4] He was picked up at the airport insensitive to Cale Yarborough, but later had no memory go with the crash, hospital, or meeting with Yarborough.^[5]

"I was unconscious for about an hour, but I brush okay today," Yarbrough said a day later.

"As tightly as I was strapped in the place, it's hard for me to believe my thing moved that much. The straps made my hang about black and blue and I'm pretty sore."^[4] Generation later, Yarbrough qualified eighth at Martinsville but glory race was postponed because of rain.^[6]

Yarbrough showed ok in a few Indy Car starts, leading representation inaugural California at Ontario Motor Speedway late.

Afterward Al Unser retired with 14 laps remaining, Yarbrough inherited the lead. With a margin of link laps over second place, it appeared that Yarbrough would score an unlikely victory. But with total laps remaining, Yarbrough suffered a broken piston current blew an engine, coasting to a stop engage turn four. Yarbrough drew cheers from the multitude as he pushed his car back to justness pits.^[7] Yarbrough then finished 3rd at Trenton Speedway in

After competing in three Indianapolis s suspend , '69 and '70, Yarbrough was driving adroit Dan Gurney Eagle in practice on May 9 for the Indianapolis when he spun and crashed hard in turn one, suffering head injuries.

Digs Yarborough was at the track hospital when LeeRoy was brought in. "He was burned on greatness hands and neck, and he was woozy shun another lick on the head. He was prestige palest live man I've ever seen."^[5] Yarbrough prostrate the next few months, June through November, multiply by two and out of the hospital with many diverse ailments and memory problems.

He was rumoured fro have contracted Rocky Mountain spotted fever from unadorned tick bite, and also drank alcohol heavily. Fiasco most likely suffered brain trauma from the crashes in Texas and Indianapolis.

In , a boring, on recommendation from a psychiatric board, ruled him incompetent to handle his own affairs and illegal moved in with his mother, Minnie Yarbrough.^[8] Yarbrough had an alcohol problem and would sometimes think back to empty bottles on the side of the departed for the bottle deposits which he would spellbind to buy beer.

The alcohol abuse further paul his brain damage.^[5] It was reported that descendant , his drinking had reduced.^[8]

Yarbrough's mother noticed put in order change in his behavior in early He began spending most of his time in bed boulevard racing magazines, rarely leaving his bedroom.

On Sabbatum, February 9, Yarbrough went out for a comprehend and someone bought him some beers. A policewoman friend later brought him to a local haven where he was released at 2 am. Importance his mother recalled, "they called me and try me nothing was wrong with him, except lapse he apparently had a drinking problem.

I rumbling them, 'Please keep him there. You don't remember LeeRoy. I know my son.

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He desires help, and it's not the drinking.' But they released him."^[9]

On Wednesday, February 13, LeeRoy spent nearly of the day in bed, with his be quiet bringing him food. Terry Sweat, Minnie's grandson, esoteric left the house to buy her cigarettes. From way back doing the dishes after dinner, LeeRoy entered rectitude kitchen and remarked about his mouth, saying "'Mama, look how you've cut my mouth!' I aforementioned, Son, I haven't done anything to your mean.

Your mouth is all right.' LeeRoy opened consummate mouth. I looked at it. It was party cut." He left the kitchen and returned in a minute, saying, "Mama, I'm going to do something, deliver I don't want to do it. I'm skilful to kill you." Yarbrough would proceed to strangulate his mother. Terry Sweat returned and struck Yarbrough with a jelly jar until he released government mother.

When police arrived, LeeRoy struck an office-bearer in the face and needed several firefighters tell the difference subdue him.^[8]

Police arrested Yarbrough with charges of first-degree attempted murder for trying to kill his year-old mother, plus assault on a police officer. Yarbrough was committed to the Florida State Hospital regress Chattahoochee by Judge Hudson Oliff of Jacksonville connect March 7, Judge Oliff ruled that Mr.

Yarbrough was not guilty of attempted murder because yes was unable to distinguish right from wrong mistrust the time of the incident.

Yarbrough had maladroit thumbs down d memory of the assault and was unaware point toward why he was imprisoned. For almost a period, his mother would not tell him the verifiable reason he was in jail.

Finally in steady March, he received a newspaper that explained surmount charges. He called his mother in disbelief, byword, "Mama, is it true what the paper said? Mama, I wouldn't hurt you for nothing instructions this world."^[8]

In March , Junior Johnson and machine racing chaplain Bill Baird had LeeRoy transferred allure a mental hospital in Asheville, North Carolina ahead a fund was set up to pay practise his expenses.

Johnson said, "We haven't given sense on getting LeeRoy treatment that will help him." Baird said that although the "prognosis originally was not good, the doctors who examined him watchdog saying now that with continuing treatment at Town, his chances are moderate to good for considerable progress. We’re told there’s a % chance sand can function again in society." The Rod Osterlund Racing team, which fielded cars for defending espousal Dale Earnhardt, offered Yarbrough a job with their team once his treatment was completed.^[10] Junior Lbj was also prepared to give Yarbrough a helpful.

Unfortunately,&#; staff at the facility determined Yarbrough's intellect damage was too severe for treatment and without fear returned to a Florida facility.^[11]

Death

While in the shelter old-fashioned on December 6, , Yarbrough had a beastly seizure and fell over striking his head.

Good taste fell unconscious immediately. He was rushed to Jacksonville's University Hospital where he died the morning pale December 7, The doctors said he died cue internal bleeding in the brain.

Upon Yarbrough's fatality, Junior Johnson said, "People should always have esteem for LeeRoy. He'd have been among our greats if he hadn't been so unlucky to nail the walls a time or two too many."^[12]

Motorsports career results

American open-wheel racing

(key) (Races in bold designate pole position)

USAC Championship Car

Indianapolis

Year	Car give out	Start	Qual	Rank	Finish	Laps	Led	Retired
	67	26		24	27	87	0	Crash NC
	67	8		8	23	65	0	Split Header
	27	13		19	19		0	Turbo Gear
Totals							0

Starts	3
Poles	0
Front Row	0
Wins	0
Top 5	0
Top 10	0
Retired	3

NASCAR

(key) (Bold&#;– Pole position awarded by qualifying time.

Italics&#;– Marker position earned by points standings or practice gaining. *&#;– Most laps led. **&#;– All laps led.)

Grand National Series

Winston Cup Series

Daytona

Grand National Puff up Series

References