He wasnât born and raised in the South like several of his NASCAR Hall of Fame predecessors. The majority of his racing took place in the Northeast and he wasnât a household name like many NASCAR legends, but New Yorkâs Richie Evans will be immortalized alongside those stock car heroes in the 2012 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Evans, recognized as the âking of Modified racing,â captured nine NASCAR Modified championships in 13 years, including a streak of eight consecutive beginning in 1978. He won an estimated 475 feature races, earning him multiple track championships throughout the Northeast. Evansâ life and career was cut short, however, when he was fatally injured in 1985 during a practice session at Martinsville Speedway. Afterward, the 44-year-oldâs #61 became the first and only car number retired in any NASCAR division.
SPEED and NASCAR Media Group celebrate the life and accomplishments of âThe Rapid Romanâ in a one-hour biography special premiering Friday, Dec. 16 at 8 pm/et. Evans will be inducted into the third class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Jan. 20 alongside Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Inman and Glen Wood.(much more at SPEED)(12-15-2011)
