Tim Richmond-Flickr
Tim Richmond was born to drive a racecar. Whether it was at the Indy 500 where he won “Rookie of the Race” in 1980, or Winston Cup where he finished 12th in his debut, Tim was always off to a quick start. It was in the NASCAR Cup Series, Richmond shined brightest. His flashy persona was light years ahead of the sport, and unwelcome at times. He showed up at the track with long hair riding a Harley Davidson.
Not exactly a “good ole boy”
Tim lived on a boat in Miami, wore Armani suits, and even did some acting in Hollywood. He was a stark contrast to a sport dominated by good ole boys with deep southern roots. Nothing against the good ole boys from the South. In those days, the stands were packed every Sunday, and they were the cornerstone of it all. While Richmond alienated some of the more no-nonsense personalities in the pits, the power brokers on the circuit took notice of what he could do with a racecar.
Hendrick sees gold…
The racing gods smiled on Richmond, when one of the most powerful team owners signed him to drive in 1986. The two men proved to be a dynamic duo. Rick Hendrick, of Hendrick Motorsports, and Richmond’s exploits became legendary. As a matter of fact the movie, Days of Thunder starring Tom Cruise and Robert Duvall, was based loosely on the experiences of Tim in the Cup series.
Hendrick offered Richmond the best equipment in the business, and Tim Richmond drove with reckless abandon. When the team finally began to hit on all cylinders, Richmond won seven races, finishing third in points. with 8 poles and 13 top fives to his name. In Richmond’s first season with Hendrick, he went to Victory Lane more then any other driver, including the series champion, Dale Earnhardt.
The flame that burns twice as bright…-Lao Tzu
Tim lived his life the same way that he drove. When in doubt, he hit the gas pedal. Richmond lived fast and drove faster. Richmond seemed larger then life in the eyes of many. Driver Mark Martin, who totaled 40-Cup wins, said of Richmond:
“When I first started racing, I thought, man, Tim Richmond is the coolest. I want to be like Tim Richmond. He was what being famous was all about. He had the women, the looks, the clothes and that kind of wild, crazy attitude that only super famous people have. And he could drive, too. He truly was one of the greatest that ever was.” Orlando Sentinel – Juliet Macor
At the peak of his career, Richmond missed the first part of the 1987 season to deal “double pneumonia”, later revealed to be the HIV virus. In a season that Tim was a favorite to win the championship, he was only able to drive in 8-races.
Tim’s final victory was at Riverside on June 21, 1987. The win is forever etched into my memory. The Budweiser 400 fell on fathers day and Tim dedicated the win to his father while shedding tears. I remember rushing to pick up a racing magazine that summer to a feature story of “Tim Richmond Storms Back!” I was thrilled. His comeback was inspirational.
Tim Richmond stormed back into the Winston Cup Series in the spring of 1987 and quickly won Pocono and Riverside. However, his season ended unexpectedly, when the rest of the drivers lobbied to stop him from competing because Tim looked sick and was rumored to be on drugs. As a result, NASCAR deemed Richmond “physically unfit to drive” ending Tim’s career.
Legacy in question?
In 1988 NASCAR created a drug testing policy for all drivers. Richmond’s urine sample failed due to high levels of over-the-counter drugs. The test was later retracted after a lawsuit was filed on Tim’s behalf. News outlets reported that NASCAR and then National Football League drug adviser Dr. Forest Tennant conspired to falsify Richmond’s test. NASCAR was right to be concerned, but the manner in which the racing community treated Tim cannot be justified. Tim’s legacy in NASCAR will remain controversial. Kyle Petty said of Richmond:
“He is almost like a comet that blew through here and everybody said Ooh! Then its gone, and you really wonder if you saw it in the first place. Tim Richmond was one of the greatest drivers this sport has ever seen, but he was in the wrong era for us, for this sport. He was ten or fifteen years ahead of his time.” -Orlando Sentinel
Tim had demons. He lived fast and died young at just 34. Despite his short career, he is recognized by many as one of the greatest in NASCAR history.
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Christopher DuVall is a writer for the Couch Rider Report. Follow him on Facebook.
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