American racing driver
NASCAR driver
Ray Elder Ray Elder
Born Raymond Marvin Elder(1942-08-19 ) August 19, 1942Caruthers, California , U.S. Died November 24, 2011 (2011-11-25 ) (aged 69) Caruthers, California, U.S. Awards West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame (2002 - Inaugural Class)NASCAR Winston West Series champion (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975)NASCAR Cup Series career31 races run over 12 years Best finish 48th (1969 ) First race 1967 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside )Last race 1978 Los Angeles Times 500 (Ontario )First win 1971 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside )Last win 1972 Golden State 400 (Riverside )ARCA Menards Series West career240 races run over 14 years Best finish 1st (1969 ,1970 ,1971 ,1972 ,1974 ,1975 ) First race 1966 Race 2 (Stockton )Last race 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 200 (Riverside )First win 1966 Ascot Park 200 Lappers (Ascot Park )Last win 1978 Winston Petaluma 100 (Petaluma )Statistics current as of March 5, 2025.
Raymond Marvin Elder (August 19, 1942 – November 24, 2011)[ 1] was an American professionalstock car racing driver. He competed in theNASCAR Cup Series andNASCAR Winston West Series .
Elder participated primarily in west coast races atRiverside International Raceway andOntario Motor Speedway from 1967 to 1978. He won races at Riverside in1971 and 1972 driving forFred Elder .[ 2] Elder won 47 races in theNASCAR Winston West Series , which is the second most all time. He won six NASCAR Western series championships:1969 ,1970 ,1971 ,1972 ,1974 , and1975 .[ 3]
Winning the1971 Motor Trend 500 race would essentially make him the first winner in NASCAR's "modern" history.
Elder graduated fromCaruthers High School, earning Central California All-Star honors in football.[ 4] His family owned a 240-acre farm about 15 miles southwest ofFresno , and he was joined on his pit crew by his brother and father.[ 4]
Motorsports career results [ edit ] (key ) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. )
Grand National Series [ edit ] Winston West Series [ edit ] ^ http://www.mopardealer.com/petty.htm , specificallyhttp://www.mopardealer.com/_borders/Ray_Elder_Daytona_1973.jpg Archived 2016-03-03 at theWayback Machine ^ "Race Winner Goes Back To His Tractor" .Tri City Herald . January 11, 1971. Archived fromthe original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved16 November 2012 .^a b 2002 inductees ;West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame , Retrieved November 6, 2007^a b Glattke, Art (January 11, 1971)."Ray Elder Captures Riverside 500 Miler" .The Fresno Bee . p. 17. RetrievedDecember 1, 2024 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ "Ray Elder – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedMay 12, 2016 .^ "Ray Elder – 1966 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1967 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1968 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1969 Pacific Coast Late Model Division Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1970 NASCAR Grand National West Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1971 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1972 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1973 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1974 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1975 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1976 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1977 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1978 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Ray Elder – 1983 NASCAR Winston West Series Results" .Racing-Reference . RetrievedApril 19, 2019 .^ "Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home" .Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home . Archived fromthe original on 2017-07-31. Retrieved2017-02-03 .Ray Elder driver statistics at Racing-Reference