Jim Stacy | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1930-03-27)March 27, 1930 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | October 12, 2016(2016-10-12) (aged 86) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | NASCAR car owner |
| Known for | Being a NASCAR car owner during the vintage years of NASCAR. Buying or sponsoring as many as 7 teams in any given race. |
James D. Stacy (March 27, 1930 – October 12, 2016),[1] frequently referred to asJim Stacy orJ.D. Stacy,[1] was an American entrepreneur and formerNASCARWinston Cup Series race car owner and sponsor whose career spanned1977 to1983. His first race as an owner was the1977 Firecracker 400 while his final race as an owner was at the1983 Winston Western 500.[1][2] As a team owner, Stacy employed veteran NASCAR drivers such asNeil Bonnett,Ferrel Harris,Sterling Marlin,Joe Ruttman,Tim Richmond, andDale Earnhardt.[1][2] Stacy's vehicles participated in 126 races with four wins, 21 finishes in the top five, and 53 finishes in the top ten.[2] His cars led 1,097 laps out of 30,307 – for a total of 38,263.6 miles (61,579.3 km).[2]
Stacy was a native ofKentucky.[3] He dropped out of school in the eighth grade.[3][4] He founded a construction company in 1951.[5] Stacy made his fortune in thecoal mining industry.[3][6][4] Among Stacy's interests included business in theNetherlands with theRijn-Schelde-Verolme shipbuilding company, manufacturing thin-seam coal mining machines.[3][5][7][8] Stacy also producedStacy-Pakmultivitamins.[9]
In May 1977, Stacy purchased the formerK&K Insurance team fromNord Krauskopf. He was convinced to purchase the team by its crew chiefHarry Hyde, a friend and former Stacy employee. Stacy inherited the team's driverNeil Bonnett, with the team changing numbers from 71 to 5.[2][6][4] Bonnett would score the first two victories of his career that year. The second of those victories, atOntario Motor Speedway, would be the last NASCAR Cup victory for aChrysler vehicle untilDodge reentered the series in 2001.[2][6][4][10] The team expanded to a second team in 1978, but went winless and was dissolved by the beginning of the 1979 season.[2][6][4] Stacy would later be sued by Hyde andFerrel Harris, one of the drivers of the second team car.[10][7]
In July1981, Stacy purchasedRod Osterlund's No. 2 team, which fieldedDale Earnhardt.[7][11] Stacy proceeded to hireJoe Ruttman as a second driver, and planned to expand the team to five entries by 1982, calling the operation "The 5 Racers".[7] Earnhardt would have a falling out with Jim Stacy after four races, and would leave forRichard Childress Racing.[11] Stacy made headlines in early 1982, when he sponsored a total of seven entries in the1982 Daytona 500, including his two team cars driven byJoe Ruttman andJim Sauter.[3][12] After five races, Ruttman was replaced in the No. 2 byTim Richmond.[2][12] Richmond scored two wins for the team, but left at the end of the season.[2][12] For 1983, the team scaled back to one team, hiringMark Martin to drive the No. 2 car.[12] Martin was replaced byMorgan Shepherd after seven races.[2] The team ended operations at the end of the season.[2][1]
With an average start of 14th place and an average finish of 17th place, Stacy's cars finished near the middle of the pack.[2] His career winnings as a NASCAR owner were $927,815 ($2,929,142.64 when adjusted for inflation);[2] putting him below themillionaire status of most NASCAR drivers and owners.
Following the end of his NASCAR career, Stacy purchased severaldirt tracks in theSoutheastern United States.[1]