Wikipedia

Sam Ard

Samuel Julian Ard(February 14, 1939 – April 2, 2017) was an American professionalstock car racingdriver. He won twoNASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Serieschampionships, in 1983 and 1984. Ard also made oneNASCAR Winston Cupstart. He retired from driving after being injured in late 1984 and became a car owner. He hadParkinson's diseaselater in life and died in April 2017 at age 78.[1]

Sam Ard
Born(1939-02-14)February 14, 1939
Pamplico, South Carolina
DiedApril 2, 2017(2017-04-02)(aged 78)
Florence, South Carolina
Achievements1983, 1984Busch Serieschampion
Awards1983, 1984 Busch SeriesMost Popular Driver
Named one ofNASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers(2023)
NASCARCup Seriescareer
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish104th (1984)
First race1984Goody's 500(Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCARXfinity Seriescareer
92 races run over 3 years
Best finish1st (1983,1984)
First race1982Goody's 300(Daytona)
Last race1984Komfort Koach 200(Rockingham)
First win1982Dogwood 500(Martinsville)
Last win1984Coca-Cola 300(North Wilkesboro)
Wins Top tens Poles
22 79 24

Racing career

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Late Model Sportsman Division 1975-1981

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Ard was a regular competitor, earning at least nine wins and scoring multiple top-five finishes.[2] In 1981, Ard finished fifth in the season-long NASCAR National Championship point standings.[3]

Late Model Sportsman / Busch Grand National Series

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Ard was the runner-up in 1982 of NASCAR's Late Model Sportsman Series, winning four races and finishing out of the top ten only six times.[4]

On the heels of that season, Ard won ten races and had twenty-three top-five finishes, and won the 1983 Busch Grand National (now NascarXfinity Series) points championship.[5]

He continued his dominant streak in 1984, with eight wins and twenty-four top-fives in 28 starts.[6]Ard was seriously injured in a crash at theRockingham Speedwayon October 20, 1984. Despite missing the season's final race at Martinsville, Ard captured the Busch Grand National championship for the second year in a row, but was never able to race again.[7]

Winston Cup Series

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Ard made his first and onlyWinston Cup Seriesstart on September 23, 1984, atMartinsville.He started 27th in the 31-car field but lasted just one lap before a steering failure ended his day.[8]

Post-racing career

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After retiring as a driver, Ard became an owner, fielding cars for several drivers, most notablyJimmy HensleyandJeff Burton,who claimed his first Grand National win driving Ard's car.[7]

Later life and death

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Ard battledAlzheimer's diseaseandParkinson's disease.[9]His family often received donations and aid from the racing community to help him. In 2006, driversKevin HarvickandDale Earnhardt Jr.led a charge to donate a substantial amount of funds for the care of Ard and his family. After tying Ard's Nationwide Series single-season victory record in 2008,Kyle Buschannounced that he would give $100,000 to aid Ard's family with his care and mounting medical expenses in his honor.[10]

Ard died on April 2, 2017, at the age of 78.[11]

Personal life

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Ard served in theVietnam Waras a member of theU. S. Air Force.He married his wife Jo in 1961, and they had four children.[12]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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(key) (Bold– Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics– Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

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NASCARWinston Cup Seriesresults
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 NWCC Pts Ref
1984 Zervakis Enterprises 02 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR
31 		CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD 104th 01 [8]

1Ard's team was a post-entry for the race and thus did not receive points.[13]

Busch Series

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NASCARBusch Seriesresults
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NBSC Pts Ref
1982 Thomas Brothers Racing 00 Olds DAY
3 		RCH
21 		MAR
1 		DAR
6 		HCY
2 		SBO
1 		CRW
3 		RCH
2 		LGY
2 		DOV
17 		HCY
2 		CLT
12 		ASH
3 		HCY
3 		SBO
2 		CAR
5 		CRW
2 		SBO
1 		HCY
5 		LGY
3 		IRP
28 		BRI
9 		HCY
2 		RCH
3 		MAR
1 		CLT
2 		HCY
18 		MAR
6 		2nd 4448 [4]
Chevy BRI
20
1983 Olds DAY
6 		RCH
1 		CAR
12 		HCY
3 		MAR
1* 		NWS
1* 		SBO
25 		GPS
9 		LGY
7 		DOV
3 		BRI
9 		CLT
32 		SBO
11 		HCY
3 		ROU
4 		SBO
15 		ROU
4 		CRW
7* 		ROU
3 		SBO
4 		HCY
1* 		LGY
7 		IRP
3 		GPS
6 		BRI
1* 		HCY
5 		DAR
2 		RCH
5 		NWS
5 		SBO
1* 		MAR
1* 		ROU
1 		CLT
1 		HCY
2 		MAR
1* 		1st 5454 [5]
1984 DAY
4* 		RCH
1* 		CAR
1* 		HCY
3 		MAR
9 		DAR
4* 		ROU
3 		NSV
2* 		LGY
1* 		MLW
1* 		DOV
1* 		CLT
6 		SBO
1* 		HCY
4 		ROU
3 		SBO
1* 		ROU
3 		HCY
3 		IRP
2 		LGY
2 		SBO
5 		BRI
2 		DAR
2 		RCH
11 		NWS
1* 		CLT
3* 		HCY
5 		CAR
33 		MAR 1st 4552 [6]

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series

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(key) (Bold– Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics– Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Seriesresults
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 APSC Pts Ref
1983 Thomas Brothers Racing 10 Olds DAY
36 		NSV TAL LPR LPR ISF IRP SSP FRS BFS WIN LPR POC TAL MCS FRS MIL DSF ZAN SND NA - [14]

References

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  1. ^"Jayski: Sad News - Sam Ard; obituary".ESPN.2017-04-02.Retrieved2024-05-22.
  2. ^"Sam Ard".The Third Turn.Retrieved15 March2019.
  3. ^1982 Nascar Yearbook & Press Guide
  4. ^ab"Sam Ard – 1982 NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series Results".Racing-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 12,2017.
  5. ^ab"Sam Ard – 1983 NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series Results".Racing-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 12,2017.
  6. ^ab"Sam Ard – 1984 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results".Racing-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 12,2017.
  7. ^ab"Jayski: Sad News - Sam Ard; obituary".ESPN.Retrieved2017-04-03.
  8. ^ab"Sam Ard – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results".Racing-Reference.USA Today Sports Media Group.RetrievedDecember 6,2014.
  9. ^"NASCAR short-track star Sam Ard dies at 78".Fox News.2017-04-03.Retrieved2017-04-03.
  10. ^"Ards can't put price on Busch $100,000 donation".NASCAR.NASCAR Media Group. Associated Press. November 3, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon December 11, 2008.
  11. ^"SAM ARD, TWO-TIME XFINITY SERIES CHAMPION, DIES AT 78".NASCAR.April 2, 2017.RetrievedApril 2,2017.
  12. ^"Samuel Julian" Sam "Ard".SCNow.Retrieved2017-04-03.
  13. ^"1984 Official Race Results: Goody's 500".NASCAR.NASCAR Media Group. Archived fromthe originalon August 21, 2010.
  14. ^"Sam Ard – 1983 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results".Racing-Reference.RetrievedJune 28,2020.
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Preceded by NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Champion
1983–1984 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sam_Ard&oldid=1256482941"