Wayne Peterson (racing driver)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wayne Peterson
ARCA 0 Wayne Peterson Road America 2013.jpg
Peterson competing in the 2013 ARCA race at Road America
NationalityUnited States American
BornWayne Peterson
(1938-05-24) May 24, 1938 (age 83)
Boaz, Alabama
ARCA Menards Series career
Debut season
Current teamWayne Peterson Racing
Car number06
EngineChevrolet
Starts117
Wins0
Poles0
Best finish18th in 2016
Finished last season32nd (2020)
Military career
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service1954–1981
UnitXVIII Airborne Corps
Third United States Army
Army Special Forces (77th, 10th, 1st, 5th, 7th Special Forces Groups)
Battles/warsVietnam War
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Operation Eagle Claw

Wayne Peterson (born May 24, 1938) is an American professional stock car racing owner/driver and former paratrooper and United States Army Special Forces member. He currently operates Wayne Peterson Racing, a team in the ARCA Menards Series.

Military career[]

Peterson grew up in a poor family in Boaz, Alabama, and when he was 15 years old, his high school was visited by Army National Guard recruiters. Attracted by the benefits of food and clothing, he enlisted and entered active duty at 16, but was sent back to school upon discovering his age. After graduating, he returned to the military and was stationed at Fort Bragg as a paratrooper in the XVIII Airborne Corps. Peterson was a member of the United States Army Parachute Team (Golden Knights), and worked with NASA on performing High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) landings.[1]

He was later assigned to the Third United States Army for 30 days, during which he was placed in the 77th and attended Ranger School in Fort Benning, followed by survival training in Antarctica and language studies in California, the latter in which he learned French and Vietnamese. Peterson served in Germany and Okinawa with the 10th and 1st Special Forces Groups, respectively, before being deployed to Vietnam in 1963 as an advisor and eventually a combat role. He served multiple tours during the Vietnam War until 1972.[1]

In 1961, Peterson trained Cuban refugees and participated in the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. Two years later, he guarded President John F. Kennedy's body in the United States Capitol rotunda after his assassination. He also served as Richard Nixon and South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu's English/Vietnamese translator.[1]

Peterson was scheduled to complete his service in 1980 when the government extended it by 13 months. He was ordered to Diego Garcia, where plans were made for Operation Eagle Claw, an effort to free United States embassy members in the Iran hostage crisis.[1][2] However, the mission failed after two aircraft were destroyed during refueling. Peterson compared the debacle and resulting public backlash to that received by American troops withdrawing from Vietnam: "We had to abort, put our tail between our legs, same way we came out of Nam. We just didn't finish the job. [...] We had way too much TV coverage in Nam. The public don't need to know our missions; it messed with intelligence. Nam was a hard time, soldiers condemned for pulling the trigger. Of course, if you waited one second and thought about it, you were dead. We fought for the country, and our own survival. It wasn't pretty. You were there to save your people."[1]

Racing career[]

As a teenager, Peterson befriended a dirt track racing driver who would let him test his car. While he was stationed at Fort Bragg, he purchased a 1948 Hudson and converted it into a dirt track car.[1] Peterson later joined NASCAR driver Lee Petty's crew as a gasman, followed by a tenure with Junior Johnson on the DiGard Motorsports team. As compensation, Johnson gave him a car, which he fielded for Lennie Pond at Talladega Superspeedway.[1] He also competed in modified stock cars in the 1970s.[3]

During the 1980s, he began competing in the Automobile Racing Club of America.[4] In 1983, he entered the NASCAR Winston Cup Series' , but spun out during qualifying due to tire issues.[5] The following year, he tried to qualify for the Daytona 500, but did not make the race after suffering an engine failure in his Twin 125 qualifier and finishing tenth in the consolation race.[6][7][8]

Wayne Peterson Racing fields various cars in the ARCA Racing Series. Drivers included , a colorectal cancer survivor who raced for the team in the 2000s;[9] , son of ARCA Midget Series racer Larry Gibson and grandson of Indianapolis 500 driver Todd Gibson, in 2009;[10] and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series driver Clay Greenfield in 2004. Greenfield, described by The Leaf-Chronicle as a "talented kid with no name", finished 12th in his series debut at Salem Speedway, marking the team's strongest finish since 1998.[11][12] As of 2020, Tim Richmond, and share the team's best race finish of ninth at Toledo Speedway and Talladega in 2004 as well as Toledo in 2020, respectively.[13]

Personal life[]

Peterson was married to Sarah Peterson and has three sons, Michael, Brian, and Kevin, and five grandchildren. Sarah died in February 2008.[14] Peterson currently resides in Pulaski, TN.

Motorsports career results[]

NASCAR[]

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

Winston Cup Series[]

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 NWCC Pts Ref
1983 Peterson Motorsports 83 Buick DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV BRI CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR
DNQ 		ATL
DNQ 		RSD NA - [15]
1984 06 DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD NA - [16]
Daytona 500[]
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1984 Peterson Motorsports Buick DNQ

ARCA Menards Series[]

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

ARCA Menards 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 AMSC Pts Ref
8 Buick DAY NSV IRP FRS
26 		FRS MIL DSF SND NA - [17]
Peterson Motorsports 06 Buick DAY
22 		ISF DSF NA - [18]
Wayne Peterson Racing 06 Pontiac DAY
32 		TOL KIL ISF DSF 133rd - [19]
Wayne Peterson Racing 6 Chevy SLM GTY KEN KAN MCH
28 		KEN POC NSH 133rd 165 [20]
7
36 		TOL TAL
06
DNQ 		SLM KAN POC MCH TOL KEN POC NSH ISF CHI TAL NA - [21]
27 DAY SLM TOL KAN
36 		MCH LER 131st 165 [22]
06
37 		POC NSH ISF
0 DSF
37
6 CHI
QL†
0 TAL
DNQ
06 DAY SLM
36 		TOL KAN
21
24 		BLN KEN DSF
23 		CHI TAL 52nd 580 [23]
16 POC
38 		MCH
DNQ
DNQ 		LER NSH ISF TOL
56 Chevy
33
2005 Wayne Peterson Racing 06 Chevy DAY SLM TOL
DNQ 		MIL POC
40 		78th 385 [24]
09 MCH
DNQ 		DSF
DNQ 		CHI
DNQ 		TAL
90 Ford KAN
37 		KEN BLN
Wayne Peterson Racing 0 Chevy POC
40
Norm Benning Racing 8 Chevy
40 		LER MCH
Wayne Peterson Racing 16 Chevy ISF
35 		TOL
2006 0 Ford DAY
DNQ 		SLM
DNQ 		WIN
DNQ 		TOL POC MCH BLN
DNQ 		POC TOL
DNQ 		DSF
35 		CHI
DNQ 		SLM TAL IOW 107th 205 [25]
Chevy KAN
DNQ 		KEN MCH
DNQ 		ISF MIL
2007 DAY USA NSH
DNQ 		SLM
DNQ 		KAN WIN
DNQ 		TOL IOW
35 		POC
DNQ 		MCH
DNQ 		KEN
DNQ 		POC
DNQ 		NSH ISF
37 		MIL
39 		GTW DSF
DNQ 		SLM TOL 68th 385 [26]
2008 DAY SLM
DNQ 		IOW
DNQ 		KAN
DNQ
50
40 		POC
38 		MCH
DNQ
33 		BLN
30 		POC
DNQ 		NSH
41 		ISF
DNQ 		DSF
36 		CHI
DNQ 		SLM
DNQ 		TAL TOL 33rd 1050 [27]
Ford TOL
DNQ 		KEN
DNQ
2009 10 Chevy DAY SLM CAR TAL
41 		KEN TOL POC 40th 725 [28]
0 MCH
DNQ 		IOW
37 		KEN
37 		BLN
34 		DSF
36 		NJE KAN
40
Ford
32 		TOL
31
08 POC
DNQ 		ISF CHI
06 CAR
DNQ
2010 DAY
28 		TAL
41 		ISF
35 		DSF
34 		31st 900 [29]
Chevy SLM
27
0 Chevy TOL
32 		POC
DNQ 		MCH
DNQ 		IOW
39
DNQ 		BLN
33
35 		CHI
39 		KAN
DNQ 		CAR
Brad Smith Motorsports 2 Ford
31 		SLM
32
2011 Wayne Peterson Racing 06 Chevy DAY TAL
29
32 		POC 41st 585 [30]
Ford SLM
21 		TOL IOW
36
0 Chevy
39 		WIN
29 		BLN
32 		KAN
38
Ford
DNQ 		ISF DSF SLM
2012 06 DAY MOB
DNQ 		SLM
26 		TAL TOL ELK POC MCH ISF
29 		SLM DSF
C 		70th 305 [31]
0
26 		IOW CHI IRP BLN KAN
39
2013 Chevy DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL ELK
22 		POC MCH
27
25 		WIN
22 		CHI
26
31 		BLN
24 		ISF
32 		KEN
31 		KAN
31 		21st 1320 [32]
06 Ford
26 		DSF IOW
Chevy SLM
26
2014 0 Ford DAY MOB SLM
28 		TAL TOL 26th 1080 [33]
97 Dodge NJE
26
Wayne Peterson Racing 06 Chevy MCH
26 		ELK
23
19 		CHI
Ford
28
Hylton Motorsports 49 Ford
31
Wayne Peterson Racing 00 Chevy BLN
24 		ISF
30 		MAD
28 		DSF
30 		KEN
33 		KAN
2015 80 Ford DAY MOB
25 		21st 1505 [34]
Wayne Peterson Racing 00 Ford
29 		SLM
26 		TAL TOL NJE POC KAN
27
Chevy
27 		DSF
29
0 Ford CHI
27 		WIN
21 		BLN
24 		ISF
29
28
Chevy IOW
29 		IRP KEN
26
2016 Ford DAY NSH SLM
25 		TAL 18th 1430 [35]
00 Chevy TOL
27 		NJE
27 		POC
32 		MAD
23 		WIN
22 		IOW
28 		IRP
31 		BLN
25 		ISF KAN
34
0 DSF
21 		SLM CHI KEN
31
2017 88 DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL ELK POC
29 		MAD IOW IRP WIN ISF DSF SLM CHI KEN KAN 117th 85 [36]
2018 1 Ford DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL CLT POC MCH
26 		MAD 43rd 465 [37]
Chevy
25
23 CHI
27 		IOW
23 		ELK ISF
0 Dodge BLN
19 		DSF
Chevy SLM
24 		IRP KAN
2019 Toyota DAY FIF SLM TAL NSH TOL CLT POC MCH
22 		CHI ELK IOW 34th 495 [38]
Ford ISF
21 		DSF
20 		SLM IRP
Chevy KAN
22
2020 DAY PHO TAL POC IRP KEN IOW KAN TOL TOL MCH DAY GTW L44 TOL BRI
26 		WIN
14 		MEM
17 		ISF
17 		KAN
17 		32nd 102 [39]
2021 06 Ford DAY PHO TAL KAN TOL CLT MOH POC ELK
17 		BLN IOW WIN GLN MCH ISF MLW 62nd 59 [40]
Chevy DSF
15 		BRI SLM
Brad Smith Motorsports 48 Chevy KAN
24
† – Qualified for

ARCA Menards Series East[]

ARCA Menards Series East results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 AMSEC Pts Ref
2020 Wayne Peterson Racing 0 Chevy NSM TOL DOV TOL BRI
26 		FIF 52nd 18 [41]
2021 06 NSM FIF
13 		NSV
13 		DOV 22nd 90 [42]
Ford SMP
16 		IOW MLW BRI

* Season still in progress

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Radebaugh, Don (April 6, 2015). "A military salute...this one for American hero Wayne Peterson". ARCA Racing Series. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  2. ^ "Marine speaks on leading 1980 Iranian rescue mission". Pensacola News Journal. June 30, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2018. To prevent anyone of knowing about the plan, the helicopters had to be painted inconspicuously below deck with the hangar doors closed because the Russians were using submarines and cruisers to follow them. But the paint was left on Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean used as a base of operations of sorts.
  3. ^ Associated Press (February 17, 1979). "NASCAR 200 leaders". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved December 30, 2018. Free to read
  4. ^ Harris, Mike (May 6, 1984). "Davey Allison drives to victory". The News Journal. Retrieved December 30, 2018. Free to read
  5. ^ Helms, Tracy (November 6, 1983). "Mike Waltrip wins stop-and-go 150". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved December 30, 2018. Free to read
  6. ^ "1984 Daytona 500". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  7. ^ "1984 First UNO Twin 125 Qualifier". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  8. ^ "1984 Daytona 500 Consolation Race". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  9. ^ Brudenell, Mike (February 9, 2008). "ARCA driver glad to be racing, glad to be alive". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved December 30, 2018. Free to read
  10. ^ McCurdy, Rob (June 18, 2009). "Young racer has big dreams". Telegraph-Forum. Retrieved December 30, 2018. Free to read
  11. ^ Trodglen, Jimmy (September 30, 2004). "Greenfield likes first taste of ARCA racing". The Leaf-Chronicle. Retrieved December 30, 2018. Free to read
  12. ^ Trodglen, Jimmy (February 19, 2004). "Clarksville driver hunting for ARCA ride". The Leaf-Chronicle. Retrieved December 30, 2018. Free to read
  13. ^ "Wayne Peterson (owner) – ARCA Racing Series Results (races)". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  14. ^ "February 2008". The Pit Lane. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  15. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  16. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  17. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 1983 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  18. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 1984 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  19. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 1994 ARCA Hooters SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  20. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2001 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  21. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2002 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  22. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2003 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  23. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2004 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  24. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  25. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2006 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  26. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  27. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  28. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2009 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  29. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2010 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  30. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2011 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  31. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2012 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  32. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2013 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  33. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2014 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  34. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2015 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  35. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2016 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  36. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2017 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  37. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  38. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2019 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  39. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2020 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  40. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  41. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2020 ARCA Racing Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  42. ^ "Wayne Peterson – 2021 ARCA Menards Series East results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 27, 2021.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""