The Daytona Beach News-Journal: SPEED Magazine
Special From the
Daytona Beach News-Journal
July 3, 2004
THE PREFERRED NEWSPAPER OF DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY  
spacer
 
  News-Journal


Featuring the Writing of:

Godwin Kelly
Ken Willis
D. C. Williams

 spacer


                       Click On Blue Title To See Story

'Fireball' Roberts was Daytona Beach's racing hero
What appears to have made a household name of Edward Glenn Roberts was a combination of things adding up to one big colorful package.

Mentors, friends helped launch career
Edward Glenn Roberts did not grow up in a racing family.

Crash just start of
Roberts' final struggle
When Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts crashed on May 24, 1964, it wasn't a routine racing accident but a horrifying nightmare which lasted more than a month.

Fireball had big plans
The tragedy surrounding Fireball Roberts' 1964 death is made worse when considering he was just two races away from retirement.

Inner circle was small, loyal
Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts had a celebrity standing and was known throughout the country as one of NASCAR's top racers.

Today's drivers know about Fireball
"Fightin' in the mud, the blood and the beer."

Fireball's racing smarts
pushes him to top
Given the differences in equipment, tracks and competition from one era to the next, it's impossible for any racing expert to compile a definitive list of the top all-time drivers.

Mr. Roberts' neighborhood
Fireball Roberts had a deep connection to the Daytona Beach area - beyond racing.


N-J file

Fireball Roberts, left, would pass Junior Johnson to win the 1963 Firecracker 400. It was his second straight victory at Daytona National Speedway. Roberts died two days before the 1964 Forecracker 400. 


Judy Judge

Fireball kept his private life private, but by his side late in his career was fiancé Judy Judge. Roberts and Judge were to be married in June 1964 until tragedy struck in May.

"Fireball" Roberts Career Statistics | Year by Year, Track by Track

Year Age Races Wn T5 T10 Pole Laps Led Earnings Rank
1950 21 9 of 19 14 51 1138606,955 2
1951 22 9 of 41 0 2 3 0 825 0 2,110 12
1952 23 7 of 34 001 044315200 59
1953 24 2 of 37 0 0 0 0 352 41 365 132
1954 25 5 of 37 002 081101,080 22
1955 26 2 of 45 0 0 0 1 69 4 140 201
1956 27 33 of 56 517 2235695470 14,7417
1957 28 42 of 53 8 21 27 4 6891 1107 19,828 6
1958 29 10 of 51 68 902491877 32,21811
1959 30 8 of 44 1 1 4 3 1445 147 10,865 16
1960 31 9 of 44 22 361338578 19,89529
1961 32 22 of 52 2 13 14 5 5075 1002 50,266 5
1962 33 19 of 53 39 1284312960 66,1518
1963 34 20 of 55 4 11 14 1 4643 692 73,059 5
1964 35 9 of 62 15 60170217 28,34527
spacer
spacer

Do You Know
Fireball?

1. Who was the fellow racer that pulled Roberts from his burning car in the 1964 World 600?
A. Fred Lorenzen; B. David Pearson; C. Richard Petty; D. Ned Jarrett

2. Roberts swept a record four races at Daytona International Speedway in 1962 -- including the Daytona 500 and the Firecracker 250 -- driving the No. 22 Pontiac. Name the legendary car builder and crew chief of that car?

3. What area high school did Roberts' attend?
A. Mainland
B. Seabreeze
C. Father Lopez
D. New Smyrna Beach

4. Where was Roberts born?

5. At what university did Roberts study mechanical engineering before quitting to pursue to a career in racing?
A. The University of Florida
B. University of Central Florida
C. Jacksonville
D. Florida State

6. What year was Roberts inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala.?
A. 1985; B. 1990; C. 1992; D. 1995

7. How many NASCAR victories did Roberts earn in his career?
A. 25; B. 28;
C. 30; D. 33

8. Glenn was actually Roberts' middle name. What was Roberts' first name?

9. Which below is something Roberts' never won?
A. Winston Cup championship
B. Daytona 500
C. Southern 500
D. Firecracker 250/400

10. How many victories did Roberts earn at Daytona International Speedway?
A. 5; B. 6;
C. 8; D. 10

11. What type of car did Roberts drive when he competed in the 1962 24 Hours of LeMans?

12. What's the name of the local cemetery where Roberts is buried?

Click here for the answers!

spacer
 
Copyright © 1999 FireballRoberts.com by Roland Via. All rights reserved.  Revised: 05/07/12 20:55:48 -0400. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works. FAIR USE NOTICE: This web page may contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This page is operated under the assumption that this use on the Web constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. Any text or images that you feel need to be removed please contact me. FireballRoberts.com is not associated or affiliated with any racing club or organizations including that of NASCAR. Opinions and other content are not necessarily those of editors, sponsors.