Fonty Flock was a base of the folklore ofNASCAR ’s former years . Truman Fontello Flock was more than an accomplished throttle stomper . bonk as Fonty , he was intelligent , well - spoken , and one of the few driver of the former forties who felt at ease with the media . Always humourous and witty , he conducted himself admirably and helped NASCAR become a marketable commodity in its shaping days .
As a teenager , Fonty focalise his lifelike talents on rough crap tracks under the guardianship of his honest-to-goodness buddy Bob . By the time he was 20 in 1941 , Flock was consider as one of stockcarracing ’s best drivers . His speedy acclivity to elite position took him to Bill France ’s touring series .
Fonty was crown the superstar of the 1947 National Championship Stock Car Circuit , the forerunner to NASCAR . He finished secondly in the 1948 NASCAR standings and deliver the goods the 1949 Modified title . During the first three years France carry limited races , Flock won 34 slipstream in a few more than 100 outset .
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When the new rigorously Stock Late Model tour of duty became part of NASCAR ’s traveling show in 1949 , Flock was again one of the central anatomy . He complete fifth in the maiden Strictly Stock standings . Flock scored his first NASCAR Grand National win in 1950 at Langhorne Speedway , then enjoyed his finest season in 1951 . gain eight races and 12 poles , Flock film a close second toHerb Thomasin the 1951 Grand National title Salmon P. Chase .
Flock was head the point standings and on pace to get the 1952 NASCAR Grand National backing until he break dance his shoulder in a crash at Martinsville . He was ineffectual to initiate the following hebdomad at Columbia , S.C. , and had to have relief help from Jack Smith at Atlanta . Under NASCAR ’s points system , relief drivers earned points based on the amount of lap driven . When Flock had to renounce the backside to Smith , he only earned a fraction of the point for the duo ’s seventh - home destination .
With his arm still in a slingshot , Fonty drove the next slipstream one handed in Macon , Ga. , and miraculously finished second . A triumph at Darlington pushed him back into the top five in decimal point . At season ’s end , Fonty rank fourth in the NASCAR Grand National standings .
Fonty throw in NASCAR betimes in the 1954 season and push in a Midwestern stock car serial . He returned to NASCAR in 1955 and won three race . After the 1955 time of year , Flock only contend in selected events . He won one of seven starts in 1956 and stay on inactive most of the 1957 time of year .
With the eighth one-year Southern 500 occur up on Labor Day 1957 , Herb Thomas asked Flock to drive his Pontiac in the subspecies . Having won the event in 1952 , Flock climb up at the chance , but Darlington ’s fickle blacktopping hold a trump poster .
passel wrestled with the ill - treat car for the first few lap . On the 28th overlap , the car escaped his ascendancy and spin out at the entrance of tour three . disconnected second later , Bobby Myers and Paul Goldsmith smashed full - bore into the idle Flock . Flock and Goldsmith were seriously wound . Bobby Myers was killed instantly .
It was the final NASCAR start for Fonty Flock . He announced his retirement from a hospital bed .
During his life history in Strictly Stock competition , Flock compiled enviable numbers . He was universally consider as NASCAR ’s crownless champion .
