| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1953-06-04)June 4, 1953[1] Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | December 20, 2017(2017-12-20) (aged 64) Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.[2] |
| Occupation(s) | Crew Chief,Mechanic |
| Years active | 1979 to 2007 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | motor racing |
| League | NASCAR |
| Team | Blue Max Racing |
| Retired | 2007 |
| Achievements and titles | |
| National finals | 1989NASCAR Cup Series champion |
Barry Dodson (June 4, 1953 – December 20, 2017) was an American stock car crew chief. He was the crew chief forRusty Wallace's1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship forBlue Max Racing. He pitted for several drivers who won a combined 19 Cup races.[3]
Dodson began racing in $99 claim races atBowman Gray Stadium.[4] He then worked six years forPetty Enterprises in the Grand National Series (nowNASCAR Xfinity Series).[4] Dodson was hired by W. C. Anderson in 1979 to work onBenny Parsons' team before switching to Anderson's other driverCale Yarborough.[4] He left with Yarborough in 1983 and they joinedHarry Ranier's team.[4]
Dodson was a NASCAR crew chief for the first time in 1985.[1] DriverTim Richmond finished eleventh in points with 13 top ten and 3 top five finishes in 28 races.[1]
Dodson moved toBlue Max Racing in 1986; Rusty Wallace won two races that season and finished sixth in points.[1] In 1987, Wallace won twice and finished fifth in points.[1] In 1988, Wallace won six times and finished second in points.[1] Wallace won the 1989 championship after winning six races and four pole positions.[1][5] Dodson ran Wallace's pits for the final time in 1990.[1] The team had two wins and finished sixth in points before disbanding.[1]
Dodson was hired by Sam McMahon onTeam III Racing in 1991; the team has a variety of drivers.[1] Dodson was then hired by Bob Whitcomb in 1992 with driverDerrike Cope.[1]
Owner/DriverDarrell Waltrip hired Dodson in 1993 as his crew chief forhis team.[1] Dodson was the crew chief until after the fifteenth race of the 1994 season.[1]Felix Sabates hired Dodson for the 1995 season and driverKyle Petty recorded Dodson's final win as a Cup crew chief;[1] the union lasted for the first 25 races.[1]
Dodson was the crew chief in theNASCAR SuperTruck Series from 1995 until 1998 forUltra Motorsports with ownerJim Smith.[2] Ultra's driverMike Bliss won six races in the period.[2] Bliss finished in the top 10 season points for all four seasons.[1]
Wallace later hired Dodson as the general manager for his Xfinity Seriesteam.[2] Dodson's final truck crew chief race happened in 2007.[2]
Dodson grew up inWinston-Salem, North Carolina withChocolate Myers and the two sat together at the grandstands ofBowman Gray Stadium in their youth.[4]
Dodson's 17-year-old son David Trey Dodson and 16-year-old daughter Tia Jan Dodson were killed in an automobile accident in 1994.[4] Their mother, Jan Kirkman Dodson, had been Barry Dodson's estranged wife.[6] Dodson's step-sonTrent Owens has also been a NASCAR crew chief.[7]
Dodson died inWinston-Salem, North Carolina at age 64 after a brief illness on December 20, 2017.[2]