FREWSBURG, N.Y. (AP) - Lloyd Moore, who was recognized as
NASCAR's oldest former driver, has died at his home in western New
York. He was 95.
Moore drove from 1949, the first year of what is now the Sprint
Cup Series, until 1955 against Lee Petty, Glenn "Fireball"
Roberts and other contemporaries. He died in his sleep Sunday in
the Chautauqua County town of Frewsburg, in the home where he was
born in 1912, according to NASCAR's Web site.
James Bailey, Moore's son-in-law who will preside at his funeral
as pastor of Wheeler Hill United Methodist Church in Frewsburg,
said Tuesday evening that Moore had been in generally good health
up until the day he died. "He didn't sleep well Saturday night,
fell asleep around 5 a.m., and his wife couldn't wake him up Sunday
afternoon," Bailey said.
"Lloyd was a connection to the origin of NASCAR," driver
Richard Petty said in a statement. "Talking to him was like taking
a trip down memory lane for me, because he raced against my dad. I
still have memories of those races. He would come by the house
after a lot of the races because he and daddy were good friends."
Moore recorded his only NASCAR win in 1950, in Winchester, Ind.,
and finished that season fourth in the standings. In his career, he
posted 13 top-five finishes and 23 top-10s in 49 races.
The son of a farmer, Moore was a school bus driver in the early
1930s and worked as a mechanic in a Studebaker garage. For 17
years, he ran the school bus garage for the Frewsburg Central
School District, about 80 miles south of Buffalo, until retiring in
1974.
In an interview with The Buffalo News last year, he said he
enjoyed watching what NASCAR has become but lightheartedly
complained there was "too much baloney," with the hourlong
pre-race show and sponsorships.
In his day, he said, he'd drive overnight to a race, unload the
trunk, then roll the same car out on the track.
"We just stuck a number on the side, took 'em down and raced
'em," Moore said. "Today they talk about putting in a half-pound
of air. When we raced, we just made sure we had air in the tires.
The suits these guys wear, they're spotted with advertisements."
He made his NASCAR debut on Oct. 2, 1949, at Heidelberg Raceway
in Pittsburgh, Pa., finishing sixth behind Lee Petty. His final
start came on Sept. 5, 1955, at Darlington. He finished 24th in a
69-car field that included winner Herb Thomas, Everett "Cotton"
Owens, Roberts and Petty.
Richard Petty remembered him as "a great driver and a great
person."
"I knew Lloyd from the time I was a young kid and I am proud to
say that we developed a great friendship over the years," he said.
Moore is survived by his wife of 61 years, Virginia, and six
daughters.
A wake was held Tuesday evening at Peterson Funeral Home in
Frewsburg, and funeral services were planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday
at Wheeler Hill United Methodist Church.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
