The local short track late model racing legend and NASCAR driver from Dorr started his career at the Speedrome (closed in 1966) in Comstock Park in 1963, raced in the Daytona 500 in 1968 and over four decades won over 500 feature races from Michigan to New York and Missouri yet mostly in the Midwest.
The Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame – he was inducted in 1988 – cited a natural ability and smooth driving style as his trademark and called him one of the state’s most prolific winners.
He did most of his racing on the local circuit or in American Speed Association events, but also won in U.S. Stock Car and ARTGO and in 1968 with a home-built 1966 Chevelle made his Spring Cup Series debut in the Daytona 500. Starting 34th in the field of 50, he raced to a 13th place finish. He competed in eight Spring Cup series events in his career and was 44th in points in 1983, his final year in Sprint Cup.
In the 1960s he won track championships at the Speedrome, Berlin Raceway, Kalamazoo Motor Speedway and Tri-City Motor Speedway. In 1966, ’67 and ’68 he was the late model champion at the newly paved Berlin Raceway in his 1957 Chevy.
He won 21 feature races in 1976 including a third consecutive Winchester 400 (Indiana), won 28 in 1977 including a fourth straight Winchester, and 24 in 1978, including six ASA races like the first Milwaukee 150. In 1980 he was second in ASA points with five wins out of his 15 for the year.
Bob won the All-Pro sanctioned Birmingham 200 in Alabama in 1981. He won 10 other features that year including five ASA events including another Milwaukee 150, and the first ever ASA race at Michigan Int'l Speedway. He continued to race through the years and continued winning in his celebrated “Bluebird” cars.
His extended family is also involved in the racing industry. Bob was inducted into the Berlin Raceway Hall of Fame in 2015. He won 92 races at that track in his career.