Cale Yarborough(1939-2023)

Actor

Harrison Page and Cale Yarborough in Shérif, fais-moi peur! (1979)

Considered on of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR, Cale Yarborough retired from driving after the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup season. During his career, Cale posted 83 NASCAR Winston Cup victories, currently 5th on the all time list. He won his first Daytona 500 in 1968 with the Wood Brothers, but came into his own when he began driving for legendary car owner Junior Johnson. With Johnson, Cale won three straight Winston Cup championships ('76-'78) and his second Daytona 500 ('77). He left the Johnson team in 1981 and drove a limited schedule for the rest of his career. He managed two straight Daytona 500 wins in '83 and '84 (with Harry Ranier) giving him a total of four Daytona 500's, second only to Richard Petty's seven Daytona 500 victori es. In 1987, Cale moved from Ranier Racing to form his own team, which he still owns today.

IMDbProStarmeter See rank

Known for

Corky

5.5

Cale Yarborough

1972

L'as de coeur

4.9

NASCAR Driver

1983

À plein tube

5.5

Cale Yarborough

1968

Shérif, fais-moi peur!

7.1

TV Series

Self

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

L'as de coeur
4.9
- NASCAR Driver
- 1983
Corky
5.5
- Cale Yarborough
- 1972
À plein tube
5.5
- Cale Yarborough
- 1968

Personal details

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Born
- March 27, 1939
- Sardis, South Carolina, USA
Died
- December 31, 2023
- Florence, Colorado, USA(complications from a rare gentic disorder)
Spouse
- Betty Jo ThigpenApril 8, 1961 - December 31, 2023 (his death, 3 children)
Publicity listings
- 1 Print Biography
- 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

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Trivia
In the 1979 Daytona 500 (the first ever professional stock car race televised in its entirety), he and Donnie Allison were battling for the win in the final laps before colliding on the backstretch on the last lap after Cale attempted to pass. Both wrecked cars ended up on the infield and Cale and Donnie proceeded to climb from their cars and exchange punches, with Bobby Allison joining in. A national TV audience was treated to this, and to this day the broadcast of the 1979 Daytona 500 is credited with creating the first spark of nationwide interest in stock-car racing.