Buddy Arrington

Buddy Rogers Arrington[1] (July 26, 1938 – August 2, 2022) was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and owner.

Buddy Arrington
Born(1938-07-26)July 26, 1938
Martinsville, Virginia, U.S.
DiedAugust 2, 2022(2022-08-02) (aged 84)
Martinsville, Virginia, U.S.
NASCAR Cup Series career
560 races run over 25 years
Best finish7th (1982)
First race1963 Jacksonville 200 (Jacksonville)
Last race1988 Firecracker 400 (Daytona)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 103 0

Racing career

Arrington's 1981 Dodge Mirada
Arrington's 1983 Chrysler Imperial

Arrington has the second-most starts without a win, and finished in the top 10 of NASCAR points twice; in 1978 (ninth) and 1982 (seventh). Arrington was loyal to his Mopar cars and engines, as he ran Chryslers and Dodges until 1985 (Chrysler stopped production of raceable body styles in 1983 and they became ineligible two years later) when the company stopped supporting them. His best career race and finish was at Talladega in 1979, where he had a powerful enough car to lead a few laps towards the end, and finished third. Arrington finished one lap ahead of Richard Petty, driving one of Petty's cast-off Dodge Magnums that were left when Petty abandoned Mopar and began driving General Motors vehicles a year earlier, and several other top NASCAR drivers. Arrington almost always ran his own car, and his operation was a very money-conscious effort. His pit crew were almost always unpaid volunteers, and he relied heavily (and almost exclusively) on used equipment with Petty's old Magnums being his primary cars. Since Arrington could not afford new cars, his team would have to reconfigure the Petty cars and re-skin them into Dodge Miradas or Chrysler Imperials for a 1981 rule change.

Arrington's two Chrysler Imperials were the last Chrysler products to run in the NASCAR Winston Cup series.[2] He ran the car at first in two races in the 1981 season, and in more races (alternating with Dodge Miradas) until April 1985, when at that point the parts supply, even used, for Chrysler products (Chrysler factory support ended in late 1978) dried up. He sold one of the Imperials (purchased from Cecil Gordon in 1984) to Phil Goode in April 1985 (Goode raced it till the end of the 1985 season), and his other Imperial was given to the NASCAR Hall of Fame at Talladega, Alabama. Arrington was always a much-liked man on the NASCAR circuit, and other teams and a small, but loyal fan club pitched in to help keep him racing. In 1985 the generosity of rising NASCAR star driver Bill Elliott (who sold Buddy his slightly used Ford Thunderbird race cars and parts on the cheap) kept Arrington driving until 1988. Buddy's son Joey Arrington (who at the age of 17 served on Buddy's pit crew, and built up his engines), now runs Arrington Manufacturing in Martinsville, Virginia. The company builds racing engines (mostly Dodges) for the Craftsman Truck Series, and test engines for Nextel Cup Nationwide series cars. Buddy Arrington was a regular visitor to his son's company, and often offered advice to young (mostly Dodge) drivers trying to make it in NASCAR racing.

Arrington is a noted figure in NASCAR and Mopar history. He began professional NASCAR racing in December 1963 behind the wheel of his Dodge hardtop, and for the next twenty-five years, he never missed a season; finally retiring from the sport in 1988. What made Arrington unique in the history of the sport was his absolute dedication and loyalty to Chrysler, and his positive attitude in spite of what often seemed like insurmountable odds. Being the team owner and driver, Arrington drove Dodges from 1964 all the way through mid-season 1985. In 1984 and 1985, his Chrysler Imperial became the last Chrysler product in NASCAR until Dodge reentered the sport in 2001. As prolific a racer as Buddy Arrington was, and as popular as he still remains among fans, he never won a single NASCAR race. In his 560 career starts, he mustered fifteen top-five finishes, and his highest points finish was seventh, achieved in 1982. Still, Buddy Arrington never abandoned the Mopar banner until Mopar completely abandoned him and pulled all parts sponsorships in 1985.[3]

Arrington died on August 2, 2022, at the age of 84.[4]

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.)

Grand National Series

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
1964 Arrington Racing 78 Dodge CON AUG JSP
8
SVH RSD DAY DAY DAY BRI
25
GPS
14
BGS ATL AWS HBO
13
PIF CLB NWS
18
MAR
27
SVH DAR
31
LGY HCY SBO
12
CLT GPS
7
ASH
10
ATL CON
15
NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF
14
DAY ODS
5
OBS BRR ISP GLN LIN BRI
9
NSV
23
MBS AWS
19
DTS ONA
10
CLB
12
BGS
23
STR DAR HCY
11
RCH
12
ODS HBO
5
MAR
42
SVH NWS
31
CLT HAR
9
AUG
14
JAC
8
34th 6364 [5]
Plymouth RCH
11
1965 67 Dodge RSD DAY DAY DAY PIF ASW RCH HBO
5
ATL
38
GPS NWS
33
MAR
5
CLB BRI
Wth
DAR CLT
25
CCF NSV
15
BIR
8
OBS
DNQ
ISP GLN BRI
12
NSV
3
CCF AWS
21
AUG
11
CLB DTS BLV BGS DAR
5
MAR
12
NWS
35
CAR
41
22nd 11744 [6]
6 LGY
4
BGS
16
HCY
19
62 ASH
19
HAR
12
GPS
5
MBS VAL DAY ODS SMR
24
PIF
7
HCY
25
LIN
8
ODS
13
RCH
22
HBO
18
DTS
24
Lester Hunter 35 Dodge ATL
10
Langley Racing 84 Ford CLT
15
1966 Arrington Racing 67 Dodge AUG RSD DAY DAY DAY CAR
25
BRI
27
MAR
36
DAR
27
LGY MGR MON RCH CLT
19
DTS ASH PIF SMR AWS BLV GPS DAY
36
ODS
24
BRR OXF FON ISP BRI ATL
6
DAR
39
HCY RCH
23
HBO
9
MAR
32
NWS
15
CLT
44
32nd 7636 [7]
Joan Petre 73 Ford ATL
28
HCY CLB GPS
23
BGS
22
NWS
22
Fox Racing 3 Dodge SMR
24
NSV
15
Arrington Racing 65 Dodge CLB
24
AWS
11
BLV
8
BGS
22
Paul Lewis 1 Plymouth CAR
14
1967 Arrington Racing 67 Dodge AUG RSD DAY DAY DAY AWS BRI GPS BGS ATL
14
CLB HCY
9
NWS
27
MAR
9
SVH RCH
16
DAR
28
BLV
9
LGY
12
CLT
17
ASH
5
MGR
24
SMR BIR CAR
39
GPS MGY DAY TRN OXF FDA ISP BRI
22
SMR NSV ATL BGS CLB SVH DAR
15
HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS
DNQ
26th 9768 [8]
69 CLT
9
CAR AWS
1968 67 MGR MGY RSD DAY
11
BRI RCH ATL HCY GPS CLB NWS MAR AUG AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS DAY ISP OXF FDA TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB BGS AWS SBO LGY DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS AUG CLT CAR JFC NA 0 [9]
1969 MGR MGY RSD DAY
6
DAY DAY
28
CAR
19
AUG BRI
26
ATL
10
CLB HCY GPS RCH
23
NWS
8
MAR
5
AWS DAR BLV
15
LGY
9
CLT
22
MGR SMR MCH KPT GPS NCF DAY
23
DOV TPN TRN BLV BRI NSV SMR ATL MCH SBO BGS AWS DAR HCY RCH TAL CLB MAR
5
NWS
27
CLT
36
SVH AUG CAR
35
JFC MGR TWS 33rd 1099 [10]
1970 5 RSD DAY DAY
25
DAY
29
RCH CAR SVH ATL BRI TAL NWS CLB DAR
6
BLV LGY CLT
13
SMR MAR
19
MCH
39
RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY
14
AST TPN TRN BRI
29
SMR
27
NSV
32
ATL
18
CLB ONA MCH
32
TAL
42
BGS SBO DAR
14
HCY RCH
26
DOV NCF NWS
28
CLT
8
MAR
12
MGR CAR
40
LGY 33rd 1087 [11]
1971 RSD DAY DAY DAY ONT RCH CAR HCY BRI ATL CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR DAR SBO TAL ASH KPT CLT DOV MCH RSD HOU GPS DAY BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL BGS ONA MCH TAL CLB HCY DAR MAR
14
CLT DOV CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS NA 0 [12]

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 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 Arrington Racing 67 Plymouth RSD DAY
32
RCH ONT 22nd 4555.89 [13]
Dodge CAR
8
ATL
11
BRI
DNQ
DAR
6
NWS MAR
27
TAL
31
CLT
7
DOV MCH
9
RSD TWS DAY
17
BRI TRN ATL
13
TAL
5
MCH
33
NSV DAR
6
RCH
10
DOV
27
MAR
7
NWS
11
CLT
8
CAR
10
TWS
34
1973 RSD DAY
9
RCH
17
NWS
25
DAR
13
MAR
18
NSV
14
DOV
21
MCH
16
BRI
30
ATL
11
NSV
12
DAR
14
RCH
5
DOV
40
NWS
25
MAR
9
12th 5483.9 [14]
Plymouth CAR
12
BRI
14
ATL
15
TAL
49
CLT
32
TWS
17
RSD DAY
18
TAL
27
CLT
7
CAR
24
1974 RSD DAY
DNQ
RCH
10
CAR
16
BRI
21
ATL DAR
16
NWS
27
MAR
17
TAL
46
NSV
10
DOV
12
CLT
19
RSD MCH
12
DAY
21
BRI
8
NSV
9
ATL
15
POC
16
TAL MCH DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ONT 30th 221.2 [15]
1975 Dodge RSD DAY RCH
6
CAR
9
19th 2654 [16]
Plymouth BRI
15
ATL NWS
20
DAR
10
MAR
14
TAL
38
NSV
28
DOV
13
CLT
26
RSD MCH
15
DAY
21
NSV
25
POC
12
TAL
24
MCH
22
DAR
17
DOV
18
NWS
18
MAR
11
RCH
12
CAR
13
BRI
15
ATL
20
ONT
Chevy CLT
17
1976 Dodge RSD DAY
11
CAR
31
ATL
30
DAR
24
MAR
28
TAL
22
NSV
26
DOV
31
CLT
14
RSD MCH
11
DAY
40
NSV
26
TAL
33
MCH DAR
35
RCH
18
DOV
10
MAR
11
CLT
12
CAR
16
ATL ONT
DNQ
20th 2573 [17]
Plymouth RCH
11
BRI
9
NWS
18
POC
7
BRI
17
NWS
12
1977 Dodge RSD DAY
38
RCH
24
CAR
14
ATL
11
NWS
10
DAR
14
BRI
14
MAR TAL
19
NSV
15
DOV
11
CLT
18
RSD
19
MCH
19
DAY
22
NSV
9
POC
15
TAL
12
MCH
14
BRI
10
DAR
14
RCH
25
DOV
13
MAR
7
NWS
10
CLT
17
CAR
12
ATL
17
11th 3247 [18]
Ford ONT
19
1978 RSD
11
RSD
18
ONT
35
9th 3626 [19]
Dodge DAY
16
RCH
15
CAR
9
ATL
14
BRI
8
DAR
18
NWS
11
MAR
5
TAL
12
DOV
13
CLT
15
NSV
9
MCH
12
DAY
34
NSV
12
POC
14
TAL
15
MCH
12
BRI
12
DAR
8
RCH
16
DOV
22
MAR
10
NWS
13
CLT
14
CAR
9
ATL
16
1979 Ford RSD
18
RSD
9
11th 3589 [20]
Dodge DAY
12
CAR
19
RCH
15
ATL
29
NWS
25
BRI
13
DAR
25
MAR
22
TAL
3
NSV
26
DOV
10
CLT
12
TWS
9
MCH
15
DAY
15
NSV
17
POC
22
TAL
8
MCH
20
BRI
14
DAR
14
RCH
13
DOV
32
MAR
7
CLT
12
NWS
9
CAR
17
ATL
17
ONT
19
1980 RSD
14
DAY
41
RCH
6
CAR
25
ATL
19
BRI
21
DAR
14
NWS
13
MAR
10
TAL
18
NSV
27
DOV
26
CLT
10
TWS
28
RSD
14
MCH
23
DAY
10
NSV
10
POC
13
TAL
38
MCH
13
BRI
20
DAR
17
RCH
12
DOV
13
NWS
26
MAR
8
CLT
13
CAR
12
ATL
11
ONT
10
12th 3461 [21]
1981 RSD
9
DAY
26
RCH
16
CAR
37
ATL
14
BRI
13
NWS
29
DAR
13
MAR
8
TAL
17
DOV
7
CLT
15
TWS
13
RSD
26
MCH
12
DAY
17
NSV
28
POC
16
MCH
35
BRI
10
DAR
37
RCH
13
DOV
14
MAR
11
NWS
10
CLT
10
CAR
14
ATL
17
RSD
24
11th 3381 [22]
Negre Racing NSV
9
Arrington Racing Chrysler TAL
41
1982 Dodge DAY
15
RCH
14
BRI
15
ATL
14
CAR
9
DAR
8
NWS
16
MAR
8
TAL
11
NSV
14
DOV
11
CLT
11
POC
12
RSD
15
MCH
15
DAY
12
NSV
22
POC
9
TAL
20
BRI
16
DAR
9
RCH
16
DOV
7
NWS
21
MAR
10
CAR
23
7th 3642 [23]
Chrysler MCH
6
CLT
22
ATL
14
RSD
35
1983 DAY
16
CAR
22
NWS
15
TAL
23
NSV
16
DOV
19
BRI
16
CLT
12
RSD
17
MCH
29
DAY
34
NSV
24
BRI
13
NWS
18
CLT
34
ATL
14
15th 3158 [24]
Dodge RCH
20
ATL
16
DAR
23
MAR
9
POC
17
POC
32
TAL
18
MCH
23
DAR
18
RCH
14
DOV
23
MAR
10
CAR
12
RSD
23
1984 Chrysler DAY
25
RCH CAR
15
NWS
20
MAR
25
TAL
24
DOV
32
RSD
21
POC
23
MCH
18
DAY
36
NSV
17
POC
16
TAL
21
MCH
31
BRI
13
DAR
28
RCH
23
DOV
17
20th 2504 [25]
Dodge ATL
20
BRI
22
DAR
11
NSV
21
CLT
32
MAR
18
CLT
DNQ
CAR
20
ATL
DNQ
RSD
DNQ
Thomas Racing 41 Chevy NWS
29
1985 Arrington Racing 67 Dodge DAY RCH CAR
16
20th 2780 [26]
Chrysler ATL
18
BRI
25
RSD
31
Ford DAR
17
NWS
20
MAR
15
TAL
14
DOV
23
CLT
22
POC
19
MCH
23
DAY
16
POC
18
TAL
16
MCH
10
BRI
15
DAR
18
RCH
22
DOV
11
MAR
21
NWS
23
CLT
17
CAR
16
ATL
20
RSD
22
1986 65 DAY
DNQ
20th 2776 [27]
67 DAY
23
RCH
14
CAR
17
ATL
20
BRI
17
DAR
DNQ
NWS
21
MAR
15
TAL
22
DOV
15
CLT
DNQ
RSD
19
POC
21
MCH DAY
25
POC
17
TAL
21
GLN
24
MCH
19
BRI
16
DAR
20
RCH
12
DOV
15
MAR
19
NWS
19
CLT
22
CAR
17
ATL
21
RSD
18
1987 Fillip Racing 81 Ford DAY CAR RCH
17
ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR
11
TAL 25th 1885 [28]
Arrington Racing 67 Ford CLT
12
DOV
18
POC
25
RSD MCH
37
DAY
28
POC
17
TAL GLN
20
MCH
23
BRI
17
DAR
24
RCH
14
DOV
19
MAR
29
NWS
27
CLT
14
CAR
24
RSD
21
ATL
22
1988 DAY
DNQ
RCH
QL
CAR ATL
DNQ
DAR
28
BRI NWS MAR TAL POC
21
MCH
23
46th 352 [29]
Chevy CLT
DNQ
DOV RSD DAY
28
POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL
– Qualified but replaced by Ken Schrader
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1968 Arrington Racing Dodge 22 11
1969 13 28
1970 32 29
1972 Arrington Racing Plymouth 22 32
1973 Dodge 36 9
1974 Plymouth DNQ
1976 Arrington Racing Dodge 37 11
1977 38 38
1978 17 16
1979 15 12
1980 31 41
1981 20 26
1982 39 15
1983 Chrysler 34 16
1984 28 25
1986 Arrington Racing Ford 35 23
1988 Arrington Racing Ford DNQ

References

  1. "Buddy Rogers Arrington Obituary (1938 - 2022) Martinsville Bulletin". Legacy.com.
  2. "Buddy Arrington's Winston Cup NASCAR 1981 Chrysler Imperial". Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  3. "Inductees :: 2015". Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  4. Srigley, Joseph (August 3, 2022). "Buddy Arrington, Former NASCAR Cup Series Driver, Passes Away at Age 84". tobychristie.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  5. "Buddy Arrington – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  6. "Buddy Arrington – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  7. "Buddy Arrington – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  8. "Buddy Arrington – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  9. "Buddy Arrington – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  10. "Buddy Arrington – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  11. "Buddy Arrington – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  12. "Buddy Arrington – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  13. "Buddy Arrington – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  14. "Buddy Arrington – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  15. "Buddy Arrington – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  16. "Buddy Arrington – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  17. "Buddy Arrington – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  18. "Buddy Arrington – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  19. "Buddy Arrington – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  20. "Buddy Arrington – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  21. "Buddy Arrington – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  22. "Buddy Arrington – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  23. "Buddy Arrington – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  24. "Buddy Arrington – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  25. "Buddy Arrington – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  26. "Buddy Arrington – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  27. "Buddy Arrington – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  28. "Buddy Arrington – 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  29. "Buddy Arrington – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
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