Every 10-30 years a young driver comes along who shakes up the Nascar world. Tim Richmond was no different. Living the life of a Hollywood playboy. His lifestyle mirrored that of someone you would have thought was born and raised in California. But instead was born in Ashland, Ohio June 7th 1955. Tim was a very flamboyant person both on and off the track. Most of it coming from his fast paced lifestyle that he was brought up in.
Tim did not grow up with racing in his blood. Nor did he come from the hard working lower class lifestyle that most of Nascar’s big names came from. Instead he was born into wealth. Which would later turn out to be one of his biggest drawbacks, coming into a sport that was born on the back country roads of moonshiners.
Tim would also find out later in his short career. That Nascar would frown on his, “lets party all night” attitude. Even though he was a hit with the fans. As well as the ladies. Nascar was not ready for this type of driver to enter into their hallowed preimier racing series. He even at times would pull down his racing suit to sign autographs which really got the women excited. But at the same time got the heads of Nascar angry.
In his 8 years as a cup driver which didnt start until the age of 21. He visited victory lane an astounding 13 times. With his very first cup win coming on a road course in Riverside, California. He also added 78 top 10’s and 14 poles to his 185 race starts. Which included 7 wins in 1986 driving for Rick Hendrick in the #25 Folger’s Monte Carlo. This was also his best year driving in the Winston Cup series fininshing 3rd in points behind eventual cup winner Dale Earnhardt Sr. Alot of his fellow racers also said. That he was the only driver who had guts enough to challenge Dale and drive side by side with him.
Tim’s driving style matched the lifestyle that he was living. He lived a very fast paced life and his driving showed it. Tim would even finish 9th in the 1980 Indianapolis 500. Tim had a take no prisoners type of driving style. Which showed in the way he handled the road courses. Riverside being one of the biggest and fastest road courses out there. And during his time. he had mastered that track as well as the others that he raced on.
His life was even loosely portrayed in the movie, “Days of Thunder” by the driver Cole Trickle. Tim had a very promising career ahead of him until it was cut short in 1986 as he was diagnosed with A.I.D.S. 1987 would bring even more challenges in his life. It wasn’t until the middle of the season that he return and pick up back to back wins at Pococno and Riverside. The win at Riverside would ultimately be his last.
By the following year. Nascar would step in and deal Tim a very sour hand. Nascar would begin to treat Tim like some kind of drug addict. They defamed his integrity by making him take a drug test because of his deteriorating health. Then going out and suspending him indefinetly because Nascar said that he had tested positive for a controlled substance. Richmond demanded another test. And when those results came back. They were negative. Nascar would also later admit that the first test was also negative. The only thing that showed up was Sudafed and Advil.
Little by little Nascar was trying to not only defame Richmond. But they also wanted him out of the Cup series. Acting like some western day l y n c h mob. They even went as far as to not let him race until he came up with all of his medical records. Richmond filed a defamation of character lawsuit. But then would later withdraw it and leave the sport. Richmond would move back to Florida where he eventually died in 1989.
Nascar to this day has not apologized for the brash and disrespectable way that Tim was treated. But in typical France fashion. They have just chosen to not mention it. How many times have we seen them hide under their, “We dont see anything syndrome” Or the ever so popular, “What did we do wrong attitude?”
Tim was one of their race car drivers. Maybe he didn’t fit the mold that the France family wants all of their drivers to follow. But he was still a human being. Breathing the same air as them. Bringing money into their racing empire. Tim was inducted into the International Motorsorts Hall of Fame in 2002. An award that not even the dictatorship that the France family is. Can ever take from him.
For those of us who chose to not only support you and follow his career. He will be dearly missed. Maybe not by Nascar. As it is shown by them only writng one line about him. And not even including a single picture. But by the fans and drivers who stood next to him through thick and thin. Im Out.
3fan....it is a shame the way NASCAR treated Tim. The thing is, it was almost like he would rather people think he was doing drugs instead of that he had AIDS.
It would be great if NASCAR would have some sort of recognition for the 20th anniversary of Tim's death next year. Maybe tie in some kind of AIDS awareness message about how far we have come since Tim passed away.
I'll always remember Tim as not only a hell of a wheel man, but also as the happy-go-lucky guy with a million dollar smile, and a girl on each arm. He loved the fans, and the fans loved him. Thanks for remembering him, 3fan.
Nice blog on Richmond. I do remember how popular he was in his short career in NASCAR. Although at the time his illness was rather hush-hush. Our society has come a long way in the last 20 years, and today I doubt there would be the stigmatism on his lifestyle there was back then.
it was almost like he would rather people think he was doing drugs instead of that he had AIDS.
That's the way it was in the early '80s, before AIDS awareness really became prevalent. One thing about NASCAR - they are stuck in their ways until they decide to change themselves. Just look at their insistence that their drug policy is sufficient.
Frevr3fan, great post on Tim Richmond. Had I followed NASCAR back then (I loosely followed it, not having a favorite driver at the time) like I do now, Richmond would have been my favorite. He had GUTS and a swagger that few drivers in history ever had. He wasn't into corporate speak like so many of today's drivers. To put it bluntly, he had HUGE brass balls. That probably drove the old man France CRAZY.
In the 80's, very little was known about AIDS. Richmond was going into uncharted territory when he contracted the disease. It was a painful and very sad way for him to die. The young drivers should be made to look at his highlights and be educated on the kind of driver he was.
Guys wanted to be him and women wanted to get with him (and he had more than his fair share of women!!).
3fan - great blog on Richmond. I agree with Hanahan about tying in the 20th anniversary with some sort of AIDS awareness but I bet'cha NASCAR isnt there yet.
Hanahan-Thanks. All I did was ad on to your post. It would be cool if Nascar was to do something for him. But we all the knows the way that Nascar rolls. They would rather continue to forget about it then bring back a dead horse. Im sure that alot of fans would want Nascar to tell there version of the story. Which would be kind of hard since Bill Sr is dead. Also would Nascar be willing to apologize after all these years?
Gerrel- Thanks. Our society has come along way. At least now its not one of those closet diseases.
Jay Jay- You are so right. Look at how they are also handling the newer car. They still dont answer questions when they are brought up about how they are gonna try to fix some of the problems. Instead they talk about other things like.
ion- You are so right. I remember watching him race over here in Cali. He was probably the only driver who wasnt afraid of Dale Sr. He would race him hard.
Noahspop- I didnt think that I was ever gonna get a chance to answer some of these. Work has been crazy of late.
Kristen- Thanks. Hmmm Im thinking with your writing skills. Why wait for Nascar to do a story. When after all we have you. Do I hear a story brewing? :)
I was thinking about Tim and was so glad to find your sight...we met when he was a rookie at Indy and kept in touch even when he went to Nascar. Always the gentleman but I still, like many others who thought they were close to him, felt so shut out when he got sick. He was so afraid and lonely it still hurts me to this day that he didn't think he could confide in anyone. His last days didn't have to be so hard. Thank goodness for his mother. He always said she was his number one girl. I still love to look through our pictures every once in a while and look at that handsome face and devilish smile. I would love to see Nascar come out of the backwoods and do right by him...any ideas on how we can twist their arms? Please count me in. Thanks again for a great place to remember him! I guarantee the most beautiful angels are hanging with him in heaven!
I am a hard core Nascar fan from Cali . I also love football, baseball, golf and basketball. I try to attend as many races a year as I can. Ive been to Kansas,Infine on,Phoenix,Ve gas,Californi a just to name a few. Ive been a fan going on about 20+ years. There is nothing like short track racing at Irwindale on saturday nights. Also love to watch and attend drag races. Of course John Force is my favorite driver. Im also a fan of Tony Schumacher. Maybe someday to be able to write about Nascar.
