# Dick Brooks

Richard Harold Brooks (April 14, 1942 – February 1, 2006) was an American NASCAR driver. Born in Porterville, California, he was the 1969 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and went on to win the 1973 Talladega 500. Brooks held off veteran Buddy Baker by 7.2 seconds for the Talladega win. After he retired, he served as a NASCAR sportscaster for a brief period of time. His Grand National statistics include the win at Talladega Superspeedway, 57 top fives, 150 top tens, 4 top-ten points finishes (1975 through 1978), and 358 career races. Although Brooks only won one NASCAR race, he was a popular figure in that league of motorsports. Brooks drove for the underfunded Junie Donlavey team throughout his racing career.

## Career

Brooks made his Grand National Series debut at the first Daytona 500 Qualifying Race in 1969, driving a self-owned Plymouth. Brooks had a solid year, and with 12 top-tens he finished 21st in the final standings. This also meant Brooks became the rookie of the year. He continued to drive his Plymouth in 1970 and scored 15 top-five finishes in 34 races, improving to 13th in the final points standings. Brooks came close to winning the 1970 Georgia 500, but eventually finished third to Richard Petty and Bobby Isaac after having led 133 laps. In 1971 Brooks moved to the team of Mario Rossi, driving the No. 22 Dodge. In 15 races with the team Books scored 12 top-ten finishes. His best run of the season came at Darlington where he finished second to Buddy Baker.
For the next two seasons, Brooks did not have a full-time ride and practically picked up whatever ride came up. Brooks started the 1972 season at the Atlanta 500, driving the No. 90 Ford for Junie Donlavey. Brooks made three additional starts for Donlavey with a best finish of eighth, at the Winston 500. Brooks also drove five races for Marvin Welty but failed to finish any of them. Brooks only finished one other race that year, when he drove for Bill Champion at the Texas 500. Brooks started out his 1973 season driving the No. 6 Owens Racing Dodge to a third-place finish at the Daytona 500. He returned to Donlavey and drove eight races for that team in 1973. The highlight of Brooks's career came at the Talladega 500, when he drove the Plymouth of Jimmy Crawford to an unexpected victory. Brooks was not supposed to drive Crawford's Plymouth, but after officials ruled that Crawford did not have enough experience on the big speedway, Brooks took over the ride.
Without a ride for the 1974 season, Brooks started to field a self-owned Dodge. Of the 16 races that Brooks entered that year he finished three times. His best finish of the season was in the Volunteer 500 at Bristol International Speedway.
Brooks returned to Donlavey for the 1975 season, driving the No. 90 Ford once again. In 25 races Brooks scored 15 top-ten finishes of which he finished six in the top five. His best result that season was a second place, in the Delaware 500 at Dover Downs International Speedway. Brooks also finished in the top ten in the final points standings for the first time. He continued to drive for Donlavey Racing in 1976. Brooks scored 18 top-ten finishes that year and he finished 10th in the final points standings for the second year in succession. Brooks continued his good run for Donlavey Racing in 1977. He scored a total of 20 top-ten finishes that season of which he finished seven in the top five. He finished sixth in the final points standings, which would turn out to be a career high. Brooks had another good year in 1978, with 17 top-ten finishes. He finished eight in the final points standings and left the Donlavey team at the end of the season.
Brooks moved to the team of Nelson Malloch in 1979, driving the No. 05 Oldsmobile and Chevy. Brooks had a lot of mechanical issues during the season and only managed to finish 13 of 27 races that year. Brooks scored eight top-ten finishes during the year and finished 22nd in the final points standings. He stayed with Malloch for the 1980 season but left the team after he only finished five of the first 16 races. Brooks entered in three more races that season, which he drove for Banjo Matthews.
Brooks only drove five races each season in 1981 and 1982 before reuniting with Donlavey for 1983. After finishing fifth in the Daytona 500, he had several other solid runs. After four races, Brooks led the point standings for the only time in his NASCAR career. Brooks also led the most laps in the third race of the year, at Rockingham, but retired on lap 384. This was the only time in Brooks's career that he led the most laps during a race. Brooks faded to 14th at season's end. In 1984, the Donlavey team struggled to keep up with the better-financed teams and Brooks finished 15th. After driving three races for the Petty Enterprises team in 1985, Brooks left. His final NASCAR race was behind the wheel of a Rick Hendrick-owned car in the 1985 World 600 where he finished in tenth place.
Midway through the 1994 season, Brooks purchased the No. 40 Pontiac team from SABCO Racing, inheriting driver Bobby Hamilton and sponsor Kendall Oil. Hamilton left for Petty Enterprises in 1995, and Brooks fielded the No. 40 for Greg Sacks, Rich Bickle, Shane Hall, Andy Hillenburg, Randy LaJoie, and Butch Leitzinger, but after a season which saw the car lead only two laps with a best finish of 12th, Brooks sold the team back to SABCO.

## Later life and death

Brooks lent his name to a series of car dealerships in North and South Carolina.
After complications from a plane crash in late 2004, Brooks died of pneumonia on February 1, 2006.

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time * – Most laps led)

#### Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | NGNC | Pts |
| 1969 | Brooks Racing | 32 | Plymouth | MGR | MGY | RSD | DAY 16 | DAY | DAY 32 | CAR 12 | AUG | BRI | ATL 40 | CLB | HCY | GPS | RCH | NWS 18 | MAR 16 | AWS 7 | DAR 30 | BLV | LGY | CLT 33 | MGR 9 | SMR | MCH 24 | KPT | GPS | NCF | DAY 28 | DOV | TPN | TRN 8 | BLV | BRI 25 | NSV | SMR | ATL 10 | MCH 31 | SBO | BGS | AWS 3 | DAR 7 | HCY 6 | RCH 24 | TAL 5 | CLB | MAR 35 | NWS 8 | CLT 6 | SVH 25 | AUG | CAR 6 | JFC | MGR 24 | TWS 5 | 21st | 1780 |
| 1970 | Brooks Racing | 32 | Plymouth | RSD 33 | DAY 7 | DAY | DAY 19 | RCH | CAR 3 | SVH | ATL 26 | BRI 5 | TAL 13 | NWS 5 | CLB | DAR 2 | BLV | LGY | CLT 31 | SMR 4 | MAR 5 | | | HCY 2 | KPT | GPS 3 | DAY 5 | AST | TPN 4 | TRN 4 | BRI 26 | SMR 3 | NSV 35 | ATL 26 | CLB 17 | ONA | MCH 3 | TAL 40 | BGS | SBO | DAR 8 | HCY 4 | RCH 9 | DOV | NCF | NWS 26 | CLT 30 | MAR 16 | MGR 3 | CAR 39 | LGY | | | | | | | 13th | 2460 |
| 1970 | Dennis Gallion | 86 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MCH 37 | RSD 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13th | 2460 |
| 1971 | Mario Rossi | 22 | Dodge | RSD | DAY | DAY 3 | DAY 7 | ONT 5 | RCH | CAR 5 | HCY 14 | BRI 3 | ATL 14 | CLB 3 | GPS 3 | SMR 5 | NWS 3 | MAR 23 | DAR 2 | SBO | TAL | ASH | KPT | CLT 10 | DOV | MCH 8 | RSD | HOU | GPS | DAY | BRI | AST | ISP | TRN | NSV | ATL | BGS | ONA | MCH | TAL | CLB | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36th | 939 |
| 1971 | | 95 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HCY 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36th | 939 |
| 1971 | Ferguson-Stephens | 66 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 39 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36th | 939 | |
| 1971 | Ferguson-Stephens | 66 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR 26 | CLT 39 | DOV | CAR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36th | 939 |
| 1971 | Brooks Racing | 32 | Plymouth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MGR 20 | RCH | NWS | TWS | | | | | | | | | 36th | 939 |

#### Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | NWCC | Pts | Ref |
| 1972 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | RSD | DAY | RCH | ONT | CAR | ATL 40 | BRI | | | | | | | MCH 27 | | | | | | | | MCH 40 | NSV | | | | | | | | | 49th | 1023.5 | |
| 1972 | Blank & Kalashian | 66 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | DAR 35 | NWS | MAR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 49th | 1023.5 | |
| 1972 | Donlavey Racing | 98 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | TAL 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 49th | 1023.5 | |
| 1972 | Marvin Welty | 73 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 36 | DOV | | RSD 33 | TWS 35 | DAY | BRI | TRN | ATL 38 | TAL 40 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 49th | 1023.5 | |
| 1972 | Seifert Racing | 45 | Mercury | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 32 | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT 40 | | | | 49th | 1023.5 | |
| 1972 | Bud Moore Engineering | 15 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 34 | | 49th | 1023.5 | |
| 1972 | Champion Racing | 1 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | TWS 17 | 49th | 1023.5 | |
| 1973 | Owens Racing | 6 | Dodge | RSD | DAY 3 | RCH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27th | 3200.7 | |
| 1973 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | | | | CAR 5 | BRI | | | | | | | CLT 9 | DOV | TWS | RSD | MCH | DAY 9 | BRI | ATL | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27th | 3200.7 | |
| 1973 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Mercury | | | | | | ATL 7 | NWS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NSV 32 | | RCH 27 | DOV | NWS 8 | MAR | | | | | | | | | | 27th | 3200.7 |
| 1973 | Donlavey Racing | 98 | Ford | | | | | | | | DAR 11 | MAR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27th | 3200.7 |
| 1973 | Crawford Racing | 22 | Plymouth | | | | | | | | | | TAL 23 | NSV | | | | | | | | | TAL 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27th | 3200.7 | |
| 1973 | B & B Racing | 61 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27th | 3200.7 | |
| 1973 | Brooks Racing | 32 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 34 | CAR 7 | | | | | | 27th | 3200.7 | |
| 1974 | Brooks Racing | 32 | Dodge | RSD | DAY 9 | RCH | CAR 12 | BRI | ATL 24 | DAR 29 | NWS 24 | MAR | TAL 29 | NSV | DOV | CLT 27 | RSD | MCH 19 | DAY 15 | BRI 7 | NSV | ATL | POC | TAL 29 | MCH 8 | DAR 34 | RCH 16 | DOV | NWS | MAR | CLT 36 | | | | 27th | 267.52 | |
| 1974 | Brooks Racing | 28 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 31 | ONT | | 27th | 267.52 | |
| 1975 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | RSD | DAY 22 | RCH 4 | CAR 4 | BRI 19 | ATL 4 | NWS 8 | DAR 25 | MAR 8 | TAL 3 | NSV | DOV 29 | CLT 7 | RSD | MCH 7 | DAY 6 | NSV | POC | TAL 38 | MCH 20 | DAR 26 | DOV 2 | NWS 11 | MAR 6 | CLT 35 | RCH 3 | CAR 29 | BRI 6 | ATL 7 | ONT 8 | | 10th | 3182 | |
| 1976 | Miller Racing | 95 | Chevy | RSD 33 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10th | 3447 | |
| 1976 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | | DAY 41 | CAR 24 | RCH 26 | BRI 6 | ATL 7 | NWS 7 | DAR 35 | MAR 5 | TAL 12 | NSV | DOV 7 | CLT 7 | RSD | MCH 6 | DAY 8 | | POC 31 | TAL 3 | MCH 29 | BRI 7 | DAR 6 | RCH 8 | DOV 6 | MAR 6 | NWS 6 | CLT 9 | CAR 8 | ATL 29 | ONT 4 | | 10th | 3447 | |
| 1976 | Langley Racing | 64 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NSV 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10th | 3447 |
| 1977 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | RSD | DAY 5 | RCH 27 | CAR 22 | ATL 23 | NWS 6 | DAR 9 | BRI 2 | MAR 6 | TAL 7 | | DOV 5 | CLT 8 | | MCH 7 | DAY 9 | NSV 5 | POC 5 | TAL 39 | MCH 6 | BRI 4 | DAR 34 | RCH 8 | DOV 8 | MAR 26 | NWS 8 | CLT 6 | CAR 5 | ATL 37 | ONT 6 | | 6th | 3742 | |
| 1977 | Langley Racing | 64 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | NSV 22 | | | RSD 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 3742 |
| 1978 | Langley Racing | 64 | Ford | RSD 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | NSV 14 | RSD 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8th | 3769 | |
| 1978 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Mercury | | DAY 5 | | | | | | | | TAL 15 | | | | | | DAY 36 | | POC 7 | TAL 9 | MCH 6 | | DAR 25 | | | | | CLT 10 | | ATL 12 | ONT 9 | | 8th | 3769 | |
| 1978 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | | | RCH 5 | CAR 28 | ATL 6 | BRI 19 | DAR 35 | NWS 8 | MAR 27 | | DOV 9 | CLT 19 | | | MCH 7 | | NSV 8 | | | | BRI 4 | | RCH 5 | DOV 6 | MAR 13 | NWS 9 | | CAR 5 | | | | | | 8th | 3769 | |
| 1979 | Nelson Malloch Racing | 05 | Olds | RSD 33 | DAY 27 | CAR 3 | RCH 28 | ATL 10 | NWS 13 | BRI 22 | DAR 9 | MAR 21 | TAL 37 | | | CLT 39 | TWS | RSD | | DAY 9 | | | TAL 11 | | BRI 20 | | | | | | NWS 25 | | | | 22nd | 2622 | |
| 1979 | Nelson Malloch Racing | 05 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | NSV 27 | DOV | | | | MCH 10 | | NSV 19 | POC 20 | | MCH 29 | | DAR 7 | RCH | DOV 26 | MAR 15 | CLT 8 | | CAR 15 | ATL 40 | ONT 7 | 22nd | 2622 | |
| 1980 | Nelson Malloch Racing | 7 | Chevy | RSD 22 | | RCH 29 | CAR 16 | ATL 5 | BRI 27 | DAR 5 | NWS 27 | MAR 26 | | NSV 30 | DOV 17 | CLT 15 | TWS 27 | RSD 31 | MCH 33 | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL | MCH | BRI | | | | | | | | | | 27th | 1698 | |
| 1980 | Nelson Malloch Racing | 7 | Olds | | DAY 36 | | | | | | | | TAL 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27th | 1698 | |
| 1980 | Billy Matthews Racing | 41 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 10 | RCH | DOV | NWS | MAR | CLT 10 | CAR 31 | ATL | ONT | 27th | 1698 | |
| 1981 | Billy Matthews Racing | 41 | Buick | RSD | DAY 16 | RCH | CAR | ATL | BRI | NWS | DAR 15 | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | CLT 36 | TWS | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | | | | 61st | - | |
| 1981 | Bobby Hawkins Racing | 13 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 21 | ATL 13 | RSD | 61st | - | |
| 1982 | Bobby Hawkins Racing | 13 | Ford | DAY 38 | RCH | BRI 28 | ATL 34 | CAR | DAR 32 | NWS | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | CLT | POC | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | NWS | | | | | | | 48th | 347 | |
| 1982 | Steve Harrison | 8 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 24 | MAR | CAR | ATL | RSD | | 48th | 347 | |
| 1983 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | DAY 5 | RCH 13 | CAR 8 | ATL 6 | DAR 19 | NWS 20 | MAR 8 | TAL 14 | NSV 25 | DOV 15 | BRI 21 | CLT 37 | RSD 5 | POC 28 | MCH 12 | DAY 32 | NSV 14 | POC 15 | TAL 7 | MCH 21 | BRI 21 | DAR 31 | RCH 13 | DOV 32 | MAR 16 | NWS 15 | CLT 37 | CAR 18 | ATL 31 | RSD 34 | | 14th | 3230 | |
| 1984 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | DAY 26 | RCH 19 | CAR 23* | ATL 14 | BRI 30 | NWS 11 | DAR 31 | MAR 11 | TAL 30 | NSV 9 | DOV 35 | CLT 13 | RSD 12 | POC 20 | MCH 11 | DAY 38 | NSV 27 | POC 11 | TAL 35 | MCH 18 | BRI 3 | DAR 6 | RCH 10 | DOV 7 | MAR 11 | CLT 13 | NWS 11 | CAR 30 | ATL 17 | RSD 24 | | 15th | 3265 | |
| 1985 | Petty Enterprises | 1 | Ford | DAY 22 | RCH | CAR 20 | ATL 38 | BRI | DAR | NWS | MAR | TAL | DOV | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 53rd | 249 | |
| 1985 | Hendrick Motorsports | 1 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 10 | RSD | POC | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | ATL | RSD | | | | | | 53rd | 249 | |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 1969 | Brooks Racing | Plymouth | 33 | 32 |
| 1970 | Brooks Racing | Plymouth | 13 | 19 |
| 1971 | Mario Rossi | Dodge | 8 | 7 |
| 1973 | Owens Racing | Dodge | 9 | 3 |
| 1974 | Brooks Racing | Dodge | 23 | 9 |
| 1975 | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 5 | 22 |
| 1976 | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 9 | 41 |
| 1977 | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 15 | 5 |
| 1978 | Donlavey Racing | Mercury | 32 | 5 |
| 1979 | Nelson Malloch Racing | Oldsmobile | 8 | 27 |
| 1980 | Nelson Malloch Racing | Oldsmobile | 41 | 36 |
| 1981 | Billy Matthews Racing | Buick | 38 | 16 |
| 1982 | Bobby Hawkins Racing | Ford | 15 | 38 |
| 1983 | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 10 | 5 |
| 1984 | Donlavey Racing | Ford | 12 | 26 |
| 1985 | Petty Enterprises | Ford | 11 | 22 |

### 24 Hours of Le Mans results

24 Hours of Le Mans results :
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1976 | Donlavey Racing | Dick Hutcherson Marcel Mignot | Ford Torino | NASCAR | 104 | DNF | DNF |
| 1982 | Stratagraph Inc. | Hershel McGriff Tom Williams | Chevrolet Camaro | IMSA GTO | 141 | NC | NC |