Richie Evans Interesting Notes

  I recently did a post on NJ.com, Nascar Hall of Fame Inductee Has NJ Ties, where I discussed some of the links to NJ that Richie Evans had. While I was researching it I came across some pretty interesting facts, I thought I would share with you here.

1) He first drove a Modified in 1965
2) He won his first Nascar National Modified Title in 1973
3) He didn't win his next title until 1978, but followed that with seven more in a row.
4) Won his last title after his death at Martinsville in 1985, he had clinched the previous race.
5) He was 44 years old at time of his death, and had 6 children.
6) Won the Race of Champions 3 times
7) Won more than 400 career feature events
8) He was the track champion at New Egypt Speedway twice, first in 1979, and again in 1982
9) He only won once at Wall Stadium, in 1971
10) He also has a win at Trenton Speedway
11) He was the Most Popular Driver of the Modified Series 9 times
12) His number 61 is the only retired number in Nascar
13) Martin Truex Jr. drove a Richie Evans tribute car in the Busch Series in 2003
14) Steve Park drove a Richie Evans tribute car at Daytona in 2010 for Tommy Baldwin
15) In 1985 every orange car in IROC competition had a number 61 on it's rear fender
16) First driver from outside Nascar's premier series to be selected to the Hall of Fame

  That's 16, which is 61 reversed in case you didn't notice. Also if you want to know more about Richie, check out the book, "Richie! The Richie Evans Story" by Bones Bourcier. The forward is written by NJ native, and former Wall Stadium competitor Ray Evernham.