Saturday 12th March 1938

Born on this day, Johnny Rutherford, aka “Lone Star JR”, a U.S. automobile racer known for being one of nine drivers to win the prestigious Indianapolis 500 mile race at least three times. Rutherford won that race in 1974, 1976, and 1980.

Rutherford began racing modified stock cars in 1959 and he also dabbled in stock car racing, making 35 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts from 1963 to 1988. Rutherford won in his first start, at Daytona International Speedway driving for Smokey Yunick. This made him one of the youngest drivers ever to win in NASCAR history, in a full points-paying NASCAR race.