photo - ISC Archives via Getty ImagesProfile: NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2016 – Curtis Turner January 22, 2016 NASCAR The 2016 NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony is this Friday (January 22) at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina. Five new members will be enshrined: Jerry Cook, Bobby Isaac, Terry Labonte, Bruton Smith, and Curtis Turner. This is the first of five 2016 NASCAR Hall of Fame profiles. Curtis Turner Born: April 12, 1924 Died: Oct. 4, 1970 Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia Premier Series Stats Competed: 1949-68 Starts: 184 Wins: 17 Poles: 16 Called by some the “Babe Ruth of stock car racing,” Curtis Turner was among the fastest and most colorful competitors in the early years of NASCAR premier series racing. Turner competed in NASCAR’s first “Strictly Stock” race in 1949 in Charlotte and was the only driver to win a NASCAR premier series race in a Nash. He posted his first of 17 career victories in only his fourth start on Sept. 11, 1949, at Langhorne (Pennsylvania) Speedway. Although many of Turner’s victories came on short tracks and dirt ovals – much of his career pre-dated NASCAR’s superspeedway era – he won the 1956 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and the first American 500 at Rockingham Speedway in 1965. He remains the only series driver to win two consecutive races from the pole leading every lap. Turner drove for many legendary NASCAR owners including the Wood Brothers, Junior Johnson, Smokey Yunick and Holman-Moody. He also won 38 of 79 races in which he competed in the NASCAR Convertible Division. He was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. Photo Gallery (photos – ISC Archives via Getty Images) Curtis Turner wins the first Permatex 300 at Daytona Beach, Florida on February 26,1966 With the car he drove to a second-place finish in the NASCAR Modified-Sportsman race on the Daytona Beach-Road Course With fellow racing legend Joe Weatherly 1967, before the Daytona 500 Movei star looks and partying antics brought him tons of notoriety
