Elmo Langley

Elmo Harrell Langley
Born (1928-08-21)August 21, 1928
Landover, Maryland
Died November 21, 1996(1996-11-21) (aged 68)
Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Cause of death Heart attack
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
535 races run over 27 years
Best finish 5th (1969, 1971)
First race 1954 Southern 500 (Darlington)
Last race 1981 Mason-Dixon 500 (Dover)
First win 1966 race #23 (Spartanburg)
Last win 1966 race #29 (Manassas)
Wins Top tens Poles
2 193 1
NASCAR Grand National East Series career
23 races run over 2 years
Best finish 2nd (1972)
First race 1972 Hickory 276 (Hickory)
Last race 1973 Buddy Shuman 100 (Hickory)
First win 1972 Fun Sun 200 (Myrtle Beach)
Last win 1972 Fun Sun 200 (Myrtle Beach)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 19 2
Statistics current as of October 27, 2013.

Elmo Langley (August 21, 1928 – November 21, 1996) was a NASCAR driver and owner. Langley primarily used the number 64 on his race cars during his NASCAR career.

Racing career

Langley began his racing career racing modified cars in Virginia and Maryland in 1952. Langley came in to NASCAR as a Driver/Owner in 1954. In 1966 he partnered with Henry Woodfield and created Langley-Woodfield Racing. That same year Langley won the only two races of his long career. After the second race of the 1969 season, Langley and Woodfield split and Langley continued to run team on his own returning to the driver/owner role.

Langley finished 5th in season points in 1969 and 1971, 6th in 1968 and 1970, 7th in 1972, 8th in 1975, and 9th in 1967 and 1973. His final full season was as a driver for Langley Racing in 1975.

He continued to drive in a few select races until 1981 when he hung up the helmet for good. Langley began to field his familiar #64 for other drivers to develop their career including Tommy Gale, Joe Millikan, Jimmy Hensley and Ken Schrader. Langley shut down his team after the 1987 season.

On April 15, 1988, Langley was named as the crew chief for Cale Yarborough and Dale Jarrett with his duties in effect after that year's First Union 400 where he attended as an observer.[1]

Elmo's very last race was the Battle of the NASCAR Legends race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1991. The race featured such drivers as Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson, Pete Hamilton, and Donnie Allison. The winner was Langley, beating Yarborough to the line by about 3 feet on the last lap.

From April 1989, through November 1996, Langley served as the official pace car driver for all Winston Cup events (and during the caution laps, been known to be playing with Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace).

Personal life

Langley was married to Nancy and had four sons; Elmo Jr., Raymond, William and Steven. He lived in Harrisburg, North Carolina.[2]

Death

On November 21, 1996, Langley was in Suzuka, Japan to drive the pace car in the NASCAR Thunder Special Suzuka exhibition race which was held on November 24.[3] when during a test drive, he began to experience chest pains. He was subsequently taken to the Suzuka General Hospital where he was pronounced dead when his heart stopped beating before arrival.[4] NASCAR legend Buddy Baker was in the pace car at the time Langley suffered his heart attack, and was one of the last people to see Langley still alive.

References

  1. ↑ "Langley new Yarborough crew chief". The Item. April 15, 1988. p. 5B.
  2. ↑ "Elmo Langley, 68, Nascar Pace-Car Driver". The New York Times. 1996-11-22. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
  3. ↑ "Elmo Langley dead at 68". motorsport.com. 1996-11-21. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
  4. ↑ "Elmo Langley, NASCAR official". Beaver County Times. November 22, 1996. p. A4.

External links

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