| Neil Bonnett | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bonnett in 1985 | |||||||
| Born | July 30, 1946 Hueytown, Alabama, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | February 11, 1994 (aged 47) Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S. | ||||||
| Cause of death | Autoracing accident during practice for the 1994 Daytona 500 | ||||||
| Achievements | 1981 Southern 500 Winner 1982, 1983 World 600 Winner 1979 Firecracker 400 Winner 1983,1984 Busch Clash Winner Winner of the first ever NASCAR race run outside of North America, the Goodyear NASCAR 500 held in Australia (1988) | ||||||
| Awards | National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame (1997) Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2001) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2012)[1] Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) | ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 362 races run over 18 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 4th (1985) | ||||||
| First race | 1974 Winston 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
| Last race | 1993 Hooters 500 (Atlanta) | ||||||
| First win | 1977 Capital City 400 (Richmond) | ||||||
| Last win | 1988 Goodwrench 500 (Rockingham) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 13 races run over 6 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 29th (1983) | ||||||
| First race | 1983 Goody's 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 1993 Slick 50 300 (Atlanta) | ||||||
| First win | 1983 Darlington 250 (Darlington) | ||||||
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| Statistics current as of June 14, 2015. | |||||||
Lawrence Neil Bonnett (July 30, 1946 – February 11, 1994) was an American NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career. Bonnett was a member of the Alabama Gang, and started his career with the help of Bobby and Donnie Allison. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s with his performances in cars owned by Jim Stacy and Wood Brothers Racing, becoming one of the top competitors in the 1980s. The Alabama native currently ranks 47th in all-time NASCAR Cup victories.[2] He appeared in the 1983 film Stroker Ace and the 1990 film Days of Thunder. Bonnett hosted the TV show Winners for TNN from 1991 to 1994. He was a color commentator for CBS, TBS, and TNN in the years until his death. Bonnett's driving career was interrupted by a severe brain injury from a crash in 1990. He was killed while practicing for the 1994 Daytona 500 for a much-anticipated comeback.