Hershel McGriff | |||||||
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Born |
Bridal Veil, Oregon, United States |
December 14, 1927 ||||||
Achievements | 1986 NASCAR Winston West Series champion | ||||||
Awards | 2002 inductee 2006 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee |
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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
85 races run over 27 years | |||||||
Best finish | 6th (1954) | ||||||
First race | 1950 Southern 500 (Darlington) | ||||||
Last race | 1993 Save Mart Supermarkets 300K (Sears Point) | ||||||
First win | 1954 San Mateo 250 (Bay Meadows) | ||||||
Last win | 1954 Wilkes 160 (North Wilkesboro) | ||||||
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Statistics current as of August 15, 2012. |
Hershel McGriff (born December 14, 1927) is an American racing driver. A long-time competitor in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, formerly known as the Winston West Series, he won the series' 1986 championship, and is also a four-time winner in Grand National competition.
McGriff first raced on September 16, 1945, right after racing resumed in the United States after World War II. He was the winner of the first Carrera Panamericana in 1950, where he met NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. France convinced McGriff to come south and race in NASCAR races at Daytona Beach, the first Southern 500 race at Darlington Raceway, Detroit, and Raleigh.
France convinced McGriff to race full-time in NASCAR in 1954. He had his four wins that year in the Grand National series, the first coming at Bay Meadows Speedway. He had 17 top-10 finishes in 24 events, and finished sixth in the final points standings. McGriff's average finishing position was higher than points champion Lee Petty.
McGriff had two options to choose from for the 1955 season. He was offered a ride in NASCAR to race for millionaire Carl Kiekhaefer's newly formed team. McGriff decided to return home to the West Coast to be closer to his family, and to tend to his growing timber and mill business. Tim Flock drove Kiekhaefer's Chrysler 300 to 18 victories that season and the season championship.
McGriff returned to racing after not racing for around ten years. He started 41st at Riverside in 1967, and had moved up to second place by the sixth lap. He beat Ron Grable in a photo finish that day.