On this day in Alabama history: Race car driver Red Farmer was born
Former NASCAR drivers Red Farmer, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Kenny Hendrick and Richard Petty pose with Evander Holyfield, Floyd Ganassi and Eddie Smith prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 13, 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Oct. 15, 1932
Charles “Red” Farmer was born on this day in 1932 in Nashville. Farmer became a renowned race car driver, with his first race taking place in 1946 at the Opa-locka Speedway outside of Miami, Florida. Once Farmer got started in racing, he moved to Hueytown and became a member of the Alabama Gang, a group of NASCAR drivers operating out of Hueytown.
Farmer is estimated to have won between 700 and 900 races, mostly between the late 1950s and early 1960s as part of the Alabama Gang. He raced 36 NASCAR races from 1953 to 1965, with championships at the Birmingham International Raceway and others. Farmer is a member of five halls of fame, including the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in Birmingham.
Read more at Bhamwiki.
Red Farmer prior to the Old Spice Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway on June 4, 2008 in Rossburg, Ohio. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for Eldora Speedway)
For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.
