Waddell Wilson | |
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 Wilson in 1985 | |
| Born | (1936-12-29)December 29, 1936 (age 88) Bakersville,North Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation | NASCAR engine builder/crew chief |
Waddell Wilson (born December 29, 1936) is an American formerNASCARWinston Cup Series crew chief and engine builder. He was the winning crew chief for theDaytona 500 in1980,1983, and1984.[1] He was crew chief or engine builder forHolman-Moody,Harry Ranier, andHendrick Motorsports.[2] Drivers includedBobby Allison,Mario Andretti,Buddy Baker,Geoff Bodine,A. J. Foyt,Junior Johnson,Fred Lorenzen,Cale Yarborough andRicky Rudd.[2]
Wilson grew up inBakersville, North Carolina.[2] After graduating from the Nashville Auto and Diesel College in Tennessee, he worked forCummins Diesel inMiami.[2]
He started drivingjalopies, street stocks, andmodifieds at theHialeah, Palmetto and Hollywood short tracks in Florida.[2] "I won a few," Waddell said, "but before long I figured building engines really was my niche."[2]
Wilson began as an engine builder forHolman-Moody in the early 1960s and he worked for them into the 1970s.[3] He became recognized after building the engine thatFireball Roberts used to win the 1963Southern 500.[2] Engines built by Wilson had 109 wins, earned 123pole positions, and won three championships (David Pearson in 1968–69,Benny Parsons in 1973).[3] Parsons set the record for the first 200-mile-per-hour (320 km/h) qualifying lap atTalladega using an engine built by Wilson.[3]
Wilson later took over as a crew chief. His driverBuddy Baker won the 1980 Daytona 500.Cale Yarborough drove a Wilson-prepared car to victory in the 1983 Daytona 500, and the combination repeated their win in the 1984 Daytona 500.[3] Yarborough and Wilson worked together forHarry Ranier in the early to mid-1980s.[4] Between 1983 and 1986, Yarborough/Wilson won nine races in only 60 starts, including four of sixteen in 1983.[4]
Wilson prepared an engine forHendrick Motorsports thatDarrell Waltrip used in a practice session to set an unofficial track record at Daytona that exceededBill Elliott's 1985 mark.[5]Rick Hendrick named Wilson to be the crew chief for his new third Hendrick Motorsports team in 1987. Wilson worked with driverDarrell Waltrip.[6] The friends didn't mesh well together as teammates, earning only one win, and Wilson was named the team manager after one season.[6] He was replaced byJeff Hammond.[6] Wilson becameRicky Rudd's crew chief in 1990 after Hendrick reduced to a two car team.[6] Hendrick had Wilson be the crew chief forIndyCar driverAl Unser Jr.'s only NASCAR start at the1993 Daytona 500.[7] Unser finished 36th after crashing out.[8] Between 1979 and 1993, Wilson was the crew chief for 22 NASCAR Winston Cup race wins.[4]
Yarborough later became a car owner. After working for Jim Mattei atMattei Motorsports in 1998, Wayne Burdette who was purchasing Yarborough Motorsports hired Wilson to be his team's general manager for the 1999 season with driverRick Mast.[4] Wilson retired from racing in 2000 and he became a consultant for Jerico Performance Products.[2][9]
Wilson received the Golden Wrench Award from the North Carolina Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame in 2006, the same year that Waltrip was inducted.[10] Wilson was selected to be one of three retired crew chiefs to vote for the inaugural class for theNASCAR Hall of Fame.[11] He was featured on the April 9, 2003, episode of theSpeed television channel's showMen Behind the Wrenches.[12]
Wilson is married to Barbara Wilson. They have two sons and one daughter, and they all work in motorsports.[2]
In 1990, Wilson released a book on preparing race motors calledRace Engine Preparation.[13]
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