Ronald Hutcherson
Born(1943-04-24)April 24, 1943
Keokuk, Iowa, U.S.[1]
DiedAugust 25, 2022(2022-08-25) (aged 79)
Florida, U.S.
NASCAR Cup Series career
10 races run over 4 years
Best finish66th – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season
First race1972 American 500 (North Carolina Motor Speedway)
Last race1979 World 600 (Charlotte Motor Speedway)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 0

Ronald Hutcherson (April 4, 1943 – August 25, 2022) was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series and ARCA driver whose career spanned from 1972 to 1979.[2] He was the brother of NASCAR race winner and IMCA champion Dick Hutcherson. Engine builder Parker Nall built most of the engines that Hutcherson would use to win his races.[3]

Career

NASCAR

Hutcherson completed 1,521 laps (2974.7 miles) in his NASCAR career. He averaged a 16th place starting position and an estimated average finish of 25th. His NASCAR career earnings totaled $52,645.[4]

Hutcherson's best Winston Cup results came on restrictor plate tracks, where his career average was 21st-place, and his worst results came at certain intermediate tracks where he averaged 40th place. According to his results, his best track was Talladega Superspeedway, while Rockingham Speedway was his worst.[5] Driving the #57 Ford McClure Motors vehicle for Alfred McClure was his primary ride during his career.[6] Other teams that Hutcherson competed for include Donlavey Racing and A. J. Foyt Enterprises.

ARCA

Hutcherson would also find success in the ARCA racing series based in the Midwestern United States.

One of his most triumphant years would be 1977 where he would defeat Jim Sauter by half a car length in a 200-mile race after his Winston Cup Series car was declared ineligible to compete in a nearby NASCAR race that day. During this era, his ARCA vehicle was perfectly legal for NASCAR but his NASCAR vehicle did not fill the valid template. Many of the top-level NASCAR teams, like those employing Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough at the time, were fined $250 for having fuel tanks that did not meet the specifications for NASCAR during that time.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Former ARCA Champs and Iowans Stott and Hutcherson To Appear At Fans With Benefits 150". Speedway Digest. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  2. ↑ Three-time ARCA Menards Series champion Ron Hutcherson passes away at 79
  3. ↑ Ron Hutcherson's Engine Builder at Stock Car Reunion
  4. ↑ Ron Hutcherson's Career Statistics at Racing Reference
  5. ↑ NASCAR Statistics on Ron Hutcherson at Driver Averages
  6. ↑ #57 Ron Hutcherson complete NASCAR career statistics at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  7. ↑ 1977 - Ron Hutcherson Triumphs In ARCA at Midwest Racing Archives
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