Everett "Cotton" Owens "the King of the Modifieds" (born May 21, 1924 at Union, South Carolina) was a NASCAR driver. For five straight years (1957-61), Owens captured at least one Grand National (now NEXTEL Cup) series win. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... NASCAR Nextel Cup logo NEXTEL Cup trophy, adopted in 2004 4-time champion Jeff Gordon poses with the Winston Cup trophy (used prior to 2004) The NASCAR Championship is the championship held in NASCARs top stock car racing series. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... The Aarons 499 is a NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama. ... Talladega Superspeedway is now the official name of a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, that was formerly Alabama International Motor Speedway. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 is a NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car race held at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. ... Atlanta Motor Speedway is a superspeedway in Hampton, Georgia, USA, 20 miles (32 km) south of Atlanta. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... There are two oval race tracks near Nashville, Tennessee sometimes referred to as Nashville Speedway Nashville Speedway USA is a small track fomerly visited by NASCAR touring series, currently operated by new management. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... The Mountain Dew Southern 500 was a 500 mile (805 km) NASCAR Nextel Cup race. ... Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Union is a city located in Union County, South Carolina. ... The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... NASCAR Nextel Cup logo The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is NASCARs top racing series. ...

Modified driving career

His career began in the 1950s in what is now known as the Featherlite Modified Series. He earned over 100 feature wins. He was the 1953 and 1954 champion.

Grand National driving career

Cotton's NASCAR (Grand National) career began in 1950 when he ran three races. He finished 13th in the point standings. He'd enter a few races over the next several seasons without a win.

Cotton's first win came on February 17th, 1957 at the serie's premiere event: the Daytona Beach Road Course). Cotton Owens drove a 1957 Pontiac to victory; beating runner-up Johnny Beauchamp by 55 seconds with the first-ever 100 mph (101.541 mph) average race on the sand. The win was also Pontiac's first NASCAR win. Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set. ... This article concerns the automobile; for the Native American leader, see Chief Pontiac. ...

He had his next trip to victory lane in 1958 at Monroe County Fairgrounds at Rochester, New York. A portion of Rochesters skyline, looking north along the Genesee River from the Ford Street Bridge. ...

In 1959, Owens finished second to Lee Petty in the race for the championship. Though Cotton only won one race that season (at Richmond International Raceway), Cotton was making a name for himself as a racer. He attempted 37 races that season, with 22 Top 10s and 13 Top 5s. Lee Petty (left) pictured with (to his right, left to right) his son Richard, grandson Kyle, and great-grandson Adam, in 2000 before his death. ... Richmond International Raceway (RIR) is a A 3/4 mile, D shaped, asphalt race track located outside Richmond, Virginia. ...

In 1961 he had his most productive season with 11 Top 5s and four wins in only 17 starts. He had a win at his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina (Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds). Downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina. ...

Car owner

In 1962 he hired legendary driver and car owner Junior Johnson. He also started his relationship with fellow Spartanburg resident David Pearson. Robert Glen Johnson, Jr. ... David Pearson David Pearson (born December 22, 1934 in Whitney, South Carolina) is a former American racecar driver. ...

He came out of retirement in 1964 to prove that he could beat Pearson. He beat Pearson in his final career win (at Richmond). Two races later he finished second in his final career race (to Ned Jarrett). Ned Jarrett Ned Jarrett, Known as Gentleman Ned Jarrett, had a pleasant disposition and smooth demeanor. ...

In 1965, the Chrysler Hemi engine was not allowed in NASCAR. Owens and Pearson boycotted NASCAR, and ran a Hemi in the back of a Dodge Dart drag racing car. They ran nitro and alcohol in the Experimental class. The Chrysler Corporation is a United States-based automobile manufacturer, since 1998 merged with Daimler_Benz into DaimlerChrysler. ... Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C See also: Chrysler Hemi engine Hemi (from hemisphere) is a design of internal-combustion engines in which the cylinder heads combustion chamber is of hemispherical form. ... 1967 Dodge Dart Custom 2-door hardtop The Dodge Dart was an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960 to 1976. ...

They returned to NASCAR in 1966, and they won the Grand National Championship. They parted ways early in the 1967 season. During their six seasons together Owens and Pearson combined for 27 wins in 170 races.

Cotton was fortunate to have some of the biggest names in the sport drive his cars over the years. Drivers for Cotton Owens included many legends: David Pearson, Buddy Baker, Pete Hamilton, Marty Robbins, Ralph Earnhardt, Bobby Isaac, Junior Johnson, Benny Parsons, Fireball Roberts, Mario Andretti, Charlie Glotzbach, and Al Unser. In all, a total of 25 drivers climbed behind the wheel of Owens' cars in 291 races, earning 32 victories and 29 pole positions. David Pearson David Pearson (born December 22, 1934 in Whitney, South Carolina) is a former American racecar driver. ... For the American composer, see Buddy Baker (composer). ... Pete Hamilton is a former NASCAR racer. ... Marty Robbins, (September 26, 1925 - December 8, 1982), was an American Country & Western Hall of Fame musican and a talented NASCAR race car driver. ... Ralph Earnhardt (died 1973) was a NASCAR racing legend and father of Dale Earnhardt. ... Bobby Isaac (born August 1, 1932 or 1934, the exact year is disputed - 1977) is a former NASCAR Grand National (now Nextel Cup) Series champion. ... Robert Glen Johnson, Jr. ... Benny Parsons (born July 12, 1941 in Detroit) was an American motorsports driver in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now known as the Nextel Cup Series. ... Edward Glenn Fireball Roberts, Jr. ... Mario Andretti portrayed on the cover of Esquire Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an American racing driver, arguably the most successful US citizen in auto racing. ... Charlie Glotzbach (born 1938) was an ARCA and NASCAR driver who competed in many NASCAR Winston Cup (now NEXTEL Cup) events. ... Alfred Unser (born May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is a former U.S. automobile racer. ...

In total, as a car owner and as a driver, Owens' career statistics include 41 wins and 38 poles in 487 races.

Awards

In 1970, Owens was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame at Darlington Speedway. Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. ...

Cotton Owens was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers during NASCAR's 50th Anniversary celebration. NASCARs 50 Greatest Drivers is a list of NASCAR drivers. ...

External links

• Official site
• Driver's statistics at racing-reference.com
• Owner's statistics at racing-reference.com
• Biography