In 1955, Ford decided to get serious about NASCAR, and set up a team under Pete DePaolo of Indy and Miller fame. The drivers were Joe Weatherly and Curtis Turner - a BAD pair to have under the same roof... The cars were painted purple, and were known as the "Purple Hogs", even sporting a mascot on the fenders. The team continued into 1956, even though official Ford backing evaporated, as they saw the AMA clampdown on promoting cars through racing on the horizon. In 1956, Turner spent most of his time running a '56 Ford in the Convertible Division, entering only 13 of the 56 NASCAR Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) events, finishing 20th in points, and scoring one win at the Southern 500.

Ford Fairlane

Nascar 1956

Joe Weatherley

Quartzo
1006

In 1956 Joe Weatherley moved up to the NASCAR Grand National (later NEXTEL Cup) series. He drove a Ford Fairlane  for Pete DePaolo Engineering.

He died on January 19, 1964 from head injuries sustained in a racing accident at the fifth race of the 1964 season at Riverside International Raceway his head went outside the car and struck a retaining wall.

Weatherly's death would light the fire under NASCAR to mandate the window net, which was mandated in 1971. Window nets are used in most stockcar racing series to this day.

He is buried in Norfolk, and has (as a final joke) Riverside Raceway on his headstone.

Nascar 1956

Mel Larson

Quartzo

Mel Larson comes from Phoenix Arizona and competed in 47 Cup events in his career, racing part time from 1955 to 1978.  Despite not being able to place well in the points standings due to a limited schedule, he still gained two pole positions and was placed in the top ten fourteen times, with a best finish of 2nd at Pheonix in 1960.

Glen Wood

Quartzo
1008

Brothers Glen and Leonard Wood entered into NASCAR’s new convertible division in 1956 - one of the first teams to join. The Wood Brothers team competed against the likes of Joe Weatherly, Fireball Roberts and Curtis Turner. In that first season, Glen posted 15 top-five finishes and ended up 10th in the final point standings.

 Ford Taurus

Charlotte Speedway
Nascar 1998

Dale Jarrett

Revell
Rc439801041-1

1 of 4008

 A rare item in the UK, this was produced to publicise the new Batman film. It featured a one off Batman livery that was driven by Dale Jarrett at the Charlotte Speedway 1998.

Ford Thunderbird

Nascar

Rusty Wallace

Miller

Quartzo
2025

Ford Thunderbird

Nascar

Sterling Martin

Maxwell House

Quartzo 
2008



Marlin signed to drive the #22 Maxwell House Ford Thunderbird for Junior Johnson & Associates in 1991. He had a second-place finish at Daytona to start the season and won two poles at Talladega Superspeedway and the Firecracker 400, finishing seventh in the standings. The next season, he won an additional five poles and had six top-five finishes.

Nascar

Morgan Shepherd

Motorcraft

Quartzo
2021




In 1990,Morgan Shepherd scored a career high season-end ranking of fifth for Bud Moore Engineering in the #15 Motorcraft Ford Thunderbird. In addition, he picked up his third career win at the season-closing Atlanta Journal 500.

 Ford Thunderbird

Nascar

Brett Bodine

Quaker State

Quartzo
2023

 Driving for champion drag racer Kenny Bernstein, Bodine won his first race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, which came under some controversy. During a long 17-lap caution flag, scoring was mixed up, and some felt that Darrell Waltrip was robbed of the win because of the error. The win stood however, and before the season was over, Bodine had won his first pole position at the fall event at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was 12th in the championship standings. Bodine wasn't able to equal his 1990 effort, and parted ways with Bernstein after the 1994 season. In his 5 seasons driving the #26 Quaker State car Brett posted 5 poles, 1 win, 13 top fives, and 43 top tens while finishing no worse than 20th in the final standings.

Ford Thunderbird

Nascar

Brett Bodine

Lowes's

Quartzo
2064

For 1995 Brett Bodine signed with Junior Johnson piloting the Lowe's Ford Thunderbird. He posted two top ten finishes and finished twentieth in points.

 
Ford Thunderbird

Nascar

Greg Sacks

U.S. Air

Quartzo
2032





 1994 marked just the second time in Greg Sacks Cup career that he completed the full schedule, piloting the #77 USAir Ford owned by D.K. Ulrich.

Ford Thunderbird

Nascar

Rick Mast

Skoal

Quartzo
2017B

In1994 Precision Products Racing PPR switched to Ford and Rick  Mast had a career best year, with ten top-ten finishes, finishing a career-best second at Rockingham Speedway (barely losing to and running almost side-by-side with Dale Earnhardt at the end), as well as winning the pole at the inaugural Brickyard 400.

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