Matt Hawkins (racing driver)

Matthew Hawkins (born January 12, 1988 – February 14, 2009) was an American professional racing driver. He had competed in the ARCA Re/Max Series for one season in 2008, but scored one win and four top-10 finishes. Prior to this, he had won the Snowflake 100 at Five Flags Speedway in 2006, and the Southern All-Star Super Late Model Series championship in 2005.

Matt Hawkins
Born(1988-01-12)January 12, 1988
Canton, Georgia
DiedFebruary 14, 2009(2009-02-14) (aged 21)
Ball Ground, Georgia
ARCA Menards Series career
5 races run over 1 year
Best finish34th (2008)
First race2008 Prairie Meadows 250 (Iowa)
Last race2008 Toyota 150 (Nashville)
First win2008 Prairie Meadows 250 (Iowa)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 4 0
Statistics current as of November 7, 2022.

Racing career

Hawkins would start racing in go-karts when he was four years old before progressing to late models years later.

In 2004, Hawkins would run in various late model series and events, including the All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. In the following year, he would run the Southern All-Star Super Late Model Series, winning the championship in his only full-time year in the series. He would run the X-1R Pro Cup Series in both the South and National divisions in 2007, finishing ninth and sixth in points respectively.[1]

In 2008, he would make his ARCA Re/Max Series debut at Iowa Speedway in the No. 39 Dodge owned by his father Fred. He would qualify 28th, but would go on to win the race ahead of Justin Allgaier.[2] He would make four more starts, earning three top-10's, including a duo of fourth place finishes at Rockingham Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway, and was originally due to run another partial schedule the following year.

Death

On February 14, 2009, at approximately five in the morning, Hawkins died in his home at Ball Ground, Georgia as a result of a self-inflicted gun shot wound.[3] He had been showing off a 9 mm pistol to his friends before the bullet in the pistol struck Hawkins in the head. He was transported to Northside Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead from his injuries. The shooting was deemed as accidental and not a result of foul play by the Cherokee County Sheriff's office spokesman Sgt. Jay Baker.[4]

Motorsports results

ARCA Re/Max Series

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

ARCA Re/Max 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 ARSC Pts Ref
2008 Matt Hawkins Racing 39 Dodge DAY SLM IOW
1		 KAN CAR
4		 KEN TOL POC MCH
29		 CAY KEN
6		 BLN POC NSH
4		 ISF DSF CHI SLM NJE TAL TOL 34th 940 [5]

References
  1. "Matt Hawkins". Third Turn. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  2. "ARCA: Matt Hawkins wins, Pierre Bourque is 16th". Auto123.com. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  3. "Matt Hawkins Passes Away". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  4. "Matt Hawkins Obituary (2009)". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  5. "Matt Hawkins – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
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