The Fairgrounds Speedway Racing Hall of Fame began in 2001 by former promoter Dennis Grau, who inducted previous track champions Darrell Waltrip, Flookie Buford, Bob Reuther, the late Coo Coo Marlin and Andy Kirby, and long-time promoter Bill Donoho. But, due to the track changing hands numerous times, the program was overlooked and finally dropped until now. Danny Denson, current track promoter, is reinstating the program by inducting Sterling Marlin, Chad Chaffin, Joe Buford, the late Marty Robbins, and one surprise inductee this weekend, Saturday, July 11th.
In the near future, the Fairgrounds Speedway plans to have a designated area at the track with memorabilia, video, and historical photos for the fans to enjoy for many years to come.
Denson said, “We feel that the elite number of drivers who have come through this historic place is worth reinstating the Hall of Fame and to nurture it into something the drivers and fans can be proud of. As we prepare to designate an area at the track for the fans, we feel fortunate to have historians like Russ Thompson, Glen Harness, and many others who can assist us with priceless documents and photographs to thrill fans for generations to come.”
The following drivers were selected for this weekend’s induction due to their unique contributions to the history of this track & the city of Nashville:
Sterling Marlin
- Born June 30, 1957 in Columbia TN
- Back to back Daytona 500 winner, (1 of only 3) in 1994-95
- One of the most successful racers to come out of Nashville
- 3-time Fairgrounds Speedway Late Model track champ in 1980-81-82
- 1983 NASCAR Cup Rookie of the Year
- 1995-96 Tennessee Athlete of the Year
- 10 NASCAR Cup wins
- 2 NASCAR Nationwide wins
- 2008 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
Chad Chaffin
- Born July 20, 1968 in Smyrna TN
- 2-time Fairgrounds Speedway champion in the Late Model Series and the dominant driver here for those years
- Won 2 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races
- Raced in Cup and Nationwide Series
Joe Buford
- Born in Franklin TN on June 19, 1967
- Winningest driver ever in the history of the Fairgrounds Speedway with 66 wins, surpassing Darrell Waltrip’s 55 wins
- 4-time track champion at Nashville in 1998-99, 2000 & 2002, tying Coo Coo Marlin’s record
- Started racing at Duck River in Dirt cars, then moved over to the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway ¼ mile for a few years, then to the 5/8 mile where he dominated through the late 90s and early 2000s
Marty Robbins
- Born Martin David Robinson in Glendale AZ. Born Sept 26, 1925-Dec 8, 1982
- Marty was a music and racing icon. He was the first person to mix and mingle together country music and racing. He raced NASCAR level races and easily moved from one genre to the next. His popularity in both music and racing was off the charts. A true legend in both. Robbins was one of the most popular and successful American country and western singers of his era, Robbins' songs were often eclectic, touching notably on an array of world music.
For most of his nearly four decade career, Robbins was rarely far from the country music charts, and several of his songs also became pop hits. In addition to his recordings and performances, Robbins was an avid race car driver, competing in NASCAR races, including the 1973 Daytona 500. In 1967, Robbins played himself in the car racing film Hell on Wheels. Marty was partial to Dodges and owned and raced a couple of Chargers and then a 1978 Dodge Magnum. His last race was in a Junior Johnson built 1982 Buick Regal in the Atlanta Journal 500 on November 7th, 1982, the month before he died. In 1983, NASCAR honored Robbins by naming the annual race at Nashville’s Fairgrounds Speedway the Marty Robbins 420. He was also driver of The 60th Indianapolis 500 Buick Century pace car in 1976. - Marty Robbins was arguably the best non-professional driver on the NASCAR circuit. He averaged about three or four races a year and always seemed to take a car and finish higher than he started. He competed in 35 Winston Cup events, with a fifth-place finish in Motorstate 400 at Michigan in 1974 being his top effort. He had six top-10 finishes overall. To the general public, Marty Robbins will always be thought of as a singer. Yet those who saw him drive know that if he could not sing, he had another career waiting -- a career as a NASCAR driver.
One surprise inductee to be announced on Saturday, June 11 at the Fairgrounds Speedway. (7/8/2009)(Fairgrounds Speedway PR)
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