Neil
Bonnett excelled in everything he did. In addition to being a NASCAR
Winston Cup Star, he was an accomplished television broadcaster, as
well as a top notch hunter and fisherman. Winner of 18 Winston Cup
races during his career. Bonnett started racing on the short tracks
near his hometown of Hueytown, Alabama. He won everything in sight,
including 80% of his starts in 1972.
Bonnett broke into Winston Cup racing
in 1974, with his first win coming three years later During his
career, he won several high-profile races, including the 1980
Talladega 500 and the Southern 500 in 1981. He also won at Charlotte
and Daytona, and drove for such legendary car owners as the Wood
Brothers, Junior Johnson, and Richard Childress.
An accident at Darlington in 1990
postponed Bonnett’s racing career, and forced him into a lengthy
period of rehabilitation. During this time, he became one of the
best color commentators in sports, and hosted a weekly TV show
called ‘Winners’ on TNN.
Bonnett received clearance from the
doctors to begin testing race cars. and on July 25, 1993, Bonnett
resumed his Winston Cup career at his "home" track of Talladega. On
February 11, 1994, Bonnett was killed in a single car crash during a
practice session at Daytona International Speedway.
