G. C. Spencer

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G. C. Spencer
BornGrover Clifton Spencer
(1925-07-09)July 9, 1925
Owensboro, Kentucky
DiedSeptember 20, 2007(2007-09-20) (aged 82)
Johnson City, Tennessee
NASCAR Cup Series career
415 races run over 20 years
Best finish4th (1965)
First race1958 Southern 500 (Darlington)
Last race1977 Dixie 500 (Atlanta)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 138 1

Grover Clifton "G. C." Spencer[1] (July 9, 1925[2] – September 20, 2007) was a NASCAR driver who competed in 415 Grand National/Winston Cup Series races from 1958 to 1977. Despite never winning a race, he had 55 top-5 finishes and 138 top tens, including 7 second-place finishes.

Born in Owensboro, Kentucky,[3] he was a dominant short-track racer in the 1940s and 1950s. He served in World War II with the U.S. Navy.[3]

Spencer drove for his own independent team for most of his career, and was one of the most successful independents of the day. His best season came in 1965, when he finished fourth in points with 14 top-5 finishes and 25 top-10s and his only career pole. Although he drove GM and Chrysler cars for most of his career, he drove Fords in 1965, where he found most of his success.

He sold his team and equipment in 1983,[4] and his No. 49 became the No. 4 of Morgan-McClure Motorsports.[3] Spencer acted as the team manager to the team for its first three years.[3]

He died in 2007 at the age of 82.[3]

Motorsports career results[edit]

NASCAR[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series[edit]

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 NGNC Pts Ref
1958 Buck Baker Racing 86 Chevy FAY DAB CON FAY WIL HBO FAY CLB PIF ATL CLT MAR ODS OBS GPS GBF STR NWS BGS TRN RSD CLB NBS REF LIN HCY AWS RSP MCC SLS TOR BUF MCF BEL BRR CLB NSV AWS BGS MBS DAR
16
CLT BIR CSF GAF RCH HBO SAS MAR NWS ATL 36th 1040 [5]
1959 GC Spencer Racing 44 Chevy FAY DAY DAY HBO CON ATL WIL BGS CLB NWS
15
REF 13th 4260 [6]
34 HCY
14
MAR
17
TRN CLT
12
NSV
11
ASP PIF
4
GPS
7
ATL
22
CLB
17
WIL
14
RCH BGS
8
AWS
19
DAY
34
HEI CLT
27
MBS
12
CLT
28
NSV
12
AWS
12
BGS
11
GPS
15
CLB
7
DAR
23
HCY
14
RCH
14
CSF HBO
8
MAR
34
AWS NWS
16
CON
30
1960 CLT
11
CLB
15
DAY
14
DAY DAY
31
CLT NWS PHO 33rd 3986 [7]
Weldon Wagner 48 Chevy CLB
9
MAR
13
HCY
20
WIL BGS GPS
21
AWS
5
DAR
15
PIF
6
HBO
18
RCH HMS CLT
21
BGS DAY HEI MAB MBS ATL BIR
6
NSV
10
AWS
17
PIF
19
CLB
26
SBO
15
BGS
17
HCY
11
CSF GSP
4
HBO MAR
16
NWS
17
CLT
16
RCH ATL
Spook Crawford 20 Ford DAR
22
1961 GC Spencer Racing 48 Chevy CLT JSP DAY DAY DAY PIF AWS HMS ATL GPS
4
HBO
9
BGS
10
MAR
15
NWS
18
CLB
4
HCY
4
RCH
6
MAR
13
DAR
17
CLT
10
CLT RSD ASP CLT
31
PIF
8
BIR
9
GPS
9
BGS
8
NOR HAS STR
7
DAY ATL
9
CLB
8
MBS
16
BRI
34
NSV
8
BGS
6
AWS
27
RCH SBO
19
DAR HCY
6
RCH
10
CSF ATL
31
MAR
11
NWS
23
CLT BRI
12
GPS HBO 20th 9128 [8]
1962 CON
12
AWS
22
CON
7
AWS
20
SVH
12
HBO
19
RCH
8
CLB
5
NWS
11
GPS
10
MBS
17
MAR
12
BGS
9
BRI
25
RCH HCY
15
CON
15
PIF
4
BGS
14
AUG
5
RCH
11
SBO
19
DAY CLB ASH GPS AUG SVH MBS BRI
32
CHT
6
NSV
11
HUN
16
AWS
22
STR
10
BGS
5
PIF
5
VAL
4
DAR
28
HCY
7
RCH
14
DTS AUG MAR
30
NWS
19
CLT
26
ATL
16
24th 9788 [9]
Matt DeMatthews 38 Ford DAY
21
DAY DAY
45
DAR
28
Ralph Smith 79 Chevy CLT
21
ATL
26
1963 GC Spencer Racing 48 Chevy BIR GGS
21
THS
18
RSD 18th 13744 [10]
Fox Racing 03 Chevy DAY
11
DAY DAY
32
PIF AWS HBO ATL
DNQ
HCY BRI AUG
8
RCH
17
GPS
3
SBO
GC Spencer Racing BGS
16
MAR CLB
22
BGS
18
ASH
18
OBS BRR BRI
35
GPS NSV
21
CLB
5
BGS
6
ONA
6
HCY
2
RCH
4
58 NWS
24
THS
7
Owens Racing 16 Dodge DAR
13
ODS RCH
Stroppe Motorsports 25 Mercury CLT
9
BIR ATL
13
DAY
9
MBS SVH DTS
Jack Smith 48 Plymouth AWS
21
MAR
23
DTS NWS THS CLT
7
SBO
16
HBO
17
RSD
Robert Smith 75 Pontiac PIF
7
Jack Smith 47 Plymouth DAR
24
1964 Paul Clayton 75 Pontiac CON
20
GPS
5
ASH
8
26th 10012 [11]
70 AUG
24
GC Spencer Racing 03 Chevy JSP
17
SVH RSD DAY
Cliff Stewart 2 Pontiac DAY
16
DAY
33
RCH
GC Spencer Racing 49 Chevy BRI
30
GPS BGS ATL
25
AWS HBO PIF CLB NWS
12
MAR
13
SVH DAR
16
LGY HCY SBO CLT
6
ATL
35
CON NSV
5
CHT
5
BIR VAL PIF DAY ODS OBS BRR ISP GLN LIN BRI NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA CLB BGS STR
Ford DAR
18
HCY RCH ODS HBO MAR
12
SVH NWS CLT
29
HAR AUG JAC
3
1965 RSD DAY
20
DAY DAY
10
PIF
2
AWS
4
RCH
10
HBO
17
ATL
12
GPS
16
NWS
8
MAR
12
CLB
17
BRI
22
DAR
9
LGY
21
BGS
4
HCY
3
CLT
29
CCF
7
ASH
18
HAR
2
NSV
8
BIR
3
ATL
6
GPS
18
MBS
5
VAL
3
DAY
3
ODS
7
OBS
16
ISP
13
GLN
Wth
BRI
19
NSV
5
AWS
14
SMR
14
PIF
5
AUG
5
CLB DTS BLV BGS DAR
20
HCY
6
LIN
2
ODS
23
RCH
23
MAR
37
NWS
9
CLT
22
CAR
4
DTS 4th 24314 [12]
75 CCF
10
Cliff Stewart 2 Pontiac HBO
17
1966 GC Spencer Racing 49 Plymouth AUG RSD DAY DAY
9
DAY
24
CAR
44
BRI
10
ATL
32
HCY CLB GPS BGS NWS
2
MAR
5
DAR
5
LGY MGR MON RCH CLT
2
DTS ASH PIF SMR AWS DAY
35
ODS BRR OXF FON ISP BRI
22
SMR NSV
13
ATL
27
CLB AWS
2
BLV BGS DAR
10
HCY RCH HBO MAR
40
NWS
34
CLT
34
CAR
12
19th 15028 [13]
Gray Racing 97 Ford BLV
5
GPS
1967 GC Spencer Racing 49 Plymouth AUG RSD DAY
21
DAY DAY
44
AWS BRI
25
GPS BGS ATL
10
CLB HCY NWS
33
MAR
24
SVH RCH DAR
29
BLV LGY CLT
35
ASH MGR
12
SMR
9
BIR CAR
31
GPS
10
MGY DAY TRN
23
OXF
28
FDA
3
ISP
3
BRI
19
SMR
25
NSV
26
HCY
25
RCH BLV
20
HBO
5
MAR
7
NWS
19
AWS
13
21st 15240 [14]
A.C. Rakestraw 0 Dodge ATL
8
BGS CLB SVH
Petty Enterprises 42 Plymouth DAR
3
CLT
5
CAR
37
1968 GC Spencer Racing 49 Plymouth MGR
24
MGY RSD DAY BRI
32
RCH HCY
13
GPS CLB NWS
22
MAR
21
AUG AWS
27
DAR BLV LGY CLT
43
ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR
33
GPS DAY ISP
20
OXF
18
FDA
22
TRN
8
BRI
31
SMR
7
NSV
17
ATL
10
CLB BGS AWS
29
SBO LGY DAR
38
HCY RCH BLV
4
HBO
10
MAR
30
NWS
11
AUG CLT
35
23rd 1401 [15]
Bobby Allison 2 Dodge ATL
28
Roy Trantham 84 Ford CAR
8
JFC
28
1969 GC Spencer Racing 49 Plymouth MGR
21
MGY RSD DAY DAY DAY CAR
28
AUG BRI
28
ATL
35
CLB HCY
5
GPS RCH NWS
28
MAR
40
AWS DAR
7
BLV
6
LGY
14
CLT
4
MGR SMR
13
MCH KPT
5
GPS NCF DAY DOV
16
TPN
4
TRN
33
BLV
6
BRI
18
NSV SMR ATL
34
MCH SBO BGS AWS
20
DAR
11
HCY
18
RCH TAL CLB MAR
37
NWS
9
CLT
30
SVH AUG CAR
24
JFC MGR TWS 26th 1562 [16]
1970 RSD DAY DAY DAY RCH CAR
27
SVH ATL
25
BRI
14
TAL NWS
30
CLB DAR
25
BLV LGY CLT
9
SMR MAR
6
MCH RSD HCY
4
KPT GPS DAY AST
5
TPN
21
TRN
9
BRI
4
SMR
24
NSV
36
ATL
27
CLB ONA MCH TAL BGS SBO DAR
9
HCY
7
RCH
7
DOV NCF NWS
30
CLT
11
MAR MGR CAR LGY 16th 2079 [17]
1971 RSD DAY DAY DAY ONT RCH CAR
26
HCY
7
BRI
27
ATL CLB GPS SMR
8
NWS
9
MAR DAR
6
SBO TAL ASH KPT CLT
36
DOV
5
MCH RSD HOU GPS DAY BRI
24
AST
24
ISP
5
TRN
31
NSV ATL
27
BGS ONA MCH TAL CLB HCY DAR
21
MAR CLT DOV
34
CAR
31
34th 1008 [18]
Don Tarr 37 Dodge MGR
23
RCH NWS TWS

Winston Cup Series[edit]

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 GC Spencer Racing 49 Plymouth RSD DAY
DNQ
RCH ONT CAR
30
ATL
14
BRI
9
DAR
36
NWS
DNQ
MAR TAL CLT
39
DOV MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI
28
TRN ATL
40
TAL MCH
38
NSV DAR
19
RCH DOV MAR NWS 43rd 1238.25 [19]
Altheide Racing 0 Dodge CLT
36
CAR TWS
1973 GC Spencer Racing 49 Dodge RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR
15
MAR TAL NSV CLT
29
DOV
26
TWS RSD MCH DAY
14
BRI
29
ATL
8
TAL NSV DAR
39
RCH DOV
30
NWS MAR CLT
39
CAR
41
37th 1503.15 [20]
1974 RSD DAY
DNQ
RCH CAR
39
BRI ATL
30
DAR
36
NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV
31
CLT
25
RSD MCH DAY
30
BRI NSV ATL
21
POC TAL MCH DAR
6
RCH DOV
37
NWS MAR CLT CAR
35
ONT 38th 96.8 [21]
1975 RSD DAY
9
RCH CAR BRI ATL
36
NWS DAR
24
MAR TAL
22
NSV DOV CLT
38
RSD MCH DAY
39
NSV POC TAL
49
MCH DAR
31
DOV NWS MAR CLT
32
RCH CAR BRI ATL ONT 40th 634 [22]
1976 RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL
25
MCH
34
BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
17
CAR ATL
35
ONT 59th 319 [23]
1977 RSD DAY
DNQ
RCH CAR ATL
21
NWS DAR
8
BRI MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT
20
RSD MCH DAY
14
NSV POC TAL
31
MCH BRI DAR
37
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
18
CAR ATL
25
ONT 39th 785 [24]
Daytona 500[edit]
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1960 GC Spencer Racing Chevrolet 27 31
1962 Matt DeMatthews Ford 48 45
1963 Fox Racing Chevrolet 21 32
1964 Cliff Stewart Pontiac 32 33
1965 GC Spencer Racing Ford 36 10
1966 Plymouth 18 24
1967 45 44
1972 GC Spencer Racing Plymouth DNQ
1974 GC Spencer Racing Dodge DNQ
1975 37 9
1977 GC Spencer Racing Dodge DNQ

References[edit]

  1. ^ G.C. Spencer, 20-year NASCAR veteran, dies at 82 - USATODAY.com
  2. ^ GC Spencer obituary. http://www.heartfeltconnections.net/memberEulogy.cfm?memberid=14734&sqry_rownum=1&CFTOKEN=39227896 Archived 2019-03-28 at the Wayback Machine .
  3. ^ a b c d e Bobo, Jeff. Kingsport Times News. "NASCAR pioneer G.C. Spencer dead at 82". 20 September 2007. http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9003095 Archived 2019-01-29 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Birchfield, Jeff. Johnson City Press. "Early NASCAR racer, who started 415 Cup events, Spencer dies". http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Detail.php?Cat=SPORTS&ID=60267 Archived 2015-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1958 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  6. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1959 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  7. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  8. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  9. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  10. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  11. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  12. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  13. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  14. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  15. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  16. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  17. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  18. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  19. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  20. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  21. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  22. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  23. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  24. ^ "G.C. Spencer – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2018.

External links[edit]