# Fireball Roberts

Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts Jr. (January 20, 1929 – July 2, 1964) was an American stock car racer.

## Background

Roberts was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, and raised in Apopka, Florida, where he was interested in both auto racing and baseball. He was a pitcher for the Zellwood Mud Hens, an American Legion baseball team, where he earned the nickname, "Fireball" because of his fastball. He enlisted with the United States Army Air Corps in 1945, but was discharged after basic training because of his asthma.

## Racing career

He attended the University of Florida and raced on dirt tracks on weekends. In 1947, at the age of 18, he raced on the Daytona Beach Road Course at Daytona, for the first time. He won a 150-mile race at Daytona Beach the following year. Roberts also competed in local stock and modified races at Florida tracks such as Seminole Speedway.
"Fireball" Roberts continued to amass victories on the circuit, despite the changes in NASCAR, as it moved away from shorter dirt tracks to superspeedways in the 1950s and 1960s. In his 206 career NASCAR Grand National races, he won 33 times and had 32 poles. He finished in the top-five 45 percent of the time, and in the top-ten 59 percent of the time. He won both the Daytona 500 and Firecracker 250 events in 1962, driving a black and gold 1962 Pontiac built by car builder legend, Smokey Yunick. He also designed Augusta International Raceway, where he would last win.
Between 1962 and 1964, Roberts competed in multiple major sports car races, including a class win at the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Ferrari 250 GTO entered by North American Racing Team.

## Labor union

In 1961, Roberts, temporary president of the Federation of Professional Athletes, was in dispute with NASCAR president, Bill France, over the Teamsters' Union affiliate – the FPA – which he and Curtis Turner had helped organize and which France was trying to disband. Unlike the banned Curtis Turner and Tim Flock, Roberts soon returned to the NASCAR fold.

## Death

On May 24, 1964, at the World 600 in Charlotte, Roberts had qualified in 11th position and started in the middle of the pack. On lap seven, Ned Jarrett and Junior Johnson collided and spun out and Roberts crashed trying to avoid them. Roberts' Ford slammed backward into the inside retaining wall, flipped over, and burst into flames. Witnesses at the track claimed they heard Roberts screaming, "Ned, help me", from inside his burning car after the wreck. Jarrett rushed to save Roberts as his car was engulfed by the flames. Roberts suffered second-and third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body and was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition. Although it was thought that Roberts had an allergic reaction to flame-retardant chemicals, he was secretly an asthmatic, and the chemicals affected his breathing.
Roberts was able to survive for several weeks, and it appeared he might pull through, but he took a turn for the worse on June 30. He contracted pneumonia and sepsis and had slipped into a coma by the next day. Roberts died from his burns on July 2.
Roberts' death, as well as the deaths of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald at the Indianapolis 500, six days after Roberts' crash, led to an increase in research on fire-retardant uniforms. It also led to the development of the Firestone RaceSafe fuel cell. Modern race cars use a foam-filled fuel cell to prevent fuel spillage of the magnitude of Roberts car. Also, fully fire-retardant coveralls would be phased in, leading to mandatory Nomex racing suits. Roberts had lost his close friend, Joe Weatherly, in January 1964 at the MotorTrend 500, at Riverside, California.
Many sources reported that Roberts was planning to retire since he had taken a public relations position at the Falstaff Brewing Company and that the race in which he was killed was to be one of the final races of his career.

## Legacy

Despite having his career cut short and having never won a Grand National title, Roberts was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. Other career accolades he won include induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1995. In 2000, the city of Concord, North Carolina, named a street near Charlotte Motor Speedway in his honor.
After Roberts' death, NASCAR mandated that all drivers wear flame retardant coveralls while on track. They also instituted the five-point safety harness, and the special, contoured driver's seat, as requirements for all NASCAR vehicles.
The "Fireball Run", named for Roberts, was started in 2007. This streaming TV "adventurally" series, headquartered at Universal Studios in Florida, covers 40 teams as they compete in an 8-day, 2000 mile race and life-sized trivia game to raise money for missing and exploited children organizations. The Fireball Run is credited with assisting in the recovery of 38 missing children.
In 2013 Roberts was nominated for induction in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he was included in the 2014 induction ceremony.

## 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. ** – All 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 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | NGNC | Pts |
| 1950 | Jim Davis | 11 | Hudson | DAB 33 | CLT | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 1848.5 |
| 1950 | | 51 | Ford | | | LAN 15 | MAR | CAN | VER | DSP | MCF | CLT | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 1848.5 |
| 1950 | Sam Rice | 71 | Olds | | | | | | | | | | HBO 1 | DSP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 1848.5 | |
| 1950 | Sam Rice | 11 | Olds | | | | | | | | | | | | HAM 2 | | | | | MAR 6 | WIN | HBO 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 1848.5 |
| 1950 | Sam Rice | 82 | Olds | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 2 | LAN 3 | NWS 16 | VER | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 1848.5 |
| 1951 | | 85 | Plymouth | DAB 45 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12th | 930 |
| 1951 | Sam Rice | 11 | Olds | | CLT 8 | NMO 19 | GAR | HBO 14 | ASF | NWS 38 | MAR 32 | CAN | CLS 24 | CLB | DSP | GAR | GRS | BAI | HEI | AWS | MCF | ALS | MSF | FMS | MOR | ABS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12th | 930 |
| 1951 | Saverance Motors | 11 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 5 | CLB 2 | CCS | LAN | CLT | DSP | WIL | HBO | TPN | PGS | MAR | OAK | NWS | HMS | JSP | ATL | GAR | NMO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12th | 930 | |
| 1952 | Saverance Motors | 11 | Ford | PBS | DAB 52 | JSP 24 | NWS | MAR | CLB 21 | ATL | CCS | LAN | DAR 8 | DSP | CAN | HAY | FMS | HBO | CLT | MSF | NIF | OSW | MON | MOR | PPS | MCF | AWS | DAR 49 | CCS | LAN | DSP | WIL 16 | HBO | MAR | NWS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 59th | - |
| 1952 | Bill Snowden | 16 | Hudson | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ATL 18 | PBS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 59th | - |
| 1953 | Saverance Motors | 11 | Ford | PBS | DAB | HAR | NWS | CLT | RCH | CCS | LAN | CLB | HCY | MAR | PMS | RSP 39 | LOU | FFS | LAN | TCS | WIL | MCF | PIF | MOR | ATL | RVS | LCF | DAV | HBO | AWS | PAS | HCY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 132nd | 84 |
| 1953 | Leland Colvin | 11 | Olds | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 45 | CCS | LAN | BLF | WIL | NWS | MAR | ATL | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 132nd | 84 | |
| 1954 | Leland Colvin | 25 | Olds | PBS | DAB 8 | JSP | ATL 22 | OSP | OAK | NWS | HBO | CCS | LAN | WIL | MAR | SHA | RSP 20 | CLT | GAR | CLB 13 | LND | HCY | MCF | WGS | PIF | AWS | SFS | GRS | MOR | OAK | CLT | SAN | COR | DAR 7 | CCS | CLT | LAN | MAS | MAR | NWS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22nd | 1648 |
| 1955 | Bob Fish | M-1 | Buick | TCS | PBS | JSP | DAB 48 | OSP | CLB | HBO | NWS | MGY | LAN | CLT | HCY | ASF | TUS | MAR | RCH | NCF | FOR | LIN | MCF | FON | AIR | CLT | PIF | CLB | AWS | MOR | ALS | NYF | SAN | CLT | FOR | MAS | RSP | DAR 66 | MGY | LAN | RSP | GPS | MAS | CLB | MAR | LVP | NWS | HBO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 201st | - |
| 1956 | DePaolo Engineering | 22 | Ford | HCY | CLT | WSS | PBS | ASF | DAB 59 | PBS 5 | WIL | ATL | NWS 25 | LAN 31 | RCH 18 | CLB | CON | GPS | HCY | HBO 4 | MAR 16 | LIN | CLT | POR | EUR | NYF | MER | MAS 21 | CLT 4 | MCF | POR | AWS 18 | RSP 1* | PIF 2 | CSF | CHI 1 | CCF 4 | MGY 10 | OKL 3 | ROA 3 | OBS 4 | | NOR 8 | PIF 8 | MYB 1 | POR | DAR 51 | CSH 4 | CLT 19 | LAN 17 | POR | CLB 4 | HBO 1 | NWP 1 | CLT 10 | CCF 12 | MAR 5 | HCY | WIL 4 | | | | | | | 7th | 5794 |
| 1956 | DePaolo Engineering | 12 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SAN 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7th | 5794 | |
| 1957 | DePaolo Engineering | 22 | Ford | WSS 2 | CON | TIC 1* | DAB 37 | CON 4 | WIL 9 | HBO 17 | AWS 13 | NWS 1** | LAN 1* | CLT 1 | PIF 2 | GBF 5 | POR | CCF 1 | RCH 2* | MAR 9 | POR | EUR | LIN 2 | LCS 14 | ASP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 8268 |
| 1957 | Roberts Racing | 22 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NWP 1 | CLB 16 | CPS | PIF 9 | JAC 12 | | | | | HCY 5 | NOR 21 | LCS 7 | GLN 2 | KPC | LIN 31 | OBS 6 | MYB 3* | DAR 33 | NYF 5 | AWS 10 | CSF | SCF | LAN 17* | CLB 15 | CCF 14 | CLT 2 | | NBR 1* | CON 1* | NWS 21* | GBF | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 8268 | |
| 1957 | Roberts Racing | 11 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | RSP 13 | | MAS 3 | POR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 8268 |
| 1957 | Dick Beaty | 34 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 8268 |
| 1957 | Buck Baker Racing | 7 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 8268 | |
| 1958 | Bob Fish | M-1 | Buick | FAY | DAB 9 | CON | FAY | WIL | HBO | FAY | CLB | PIF | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11th | 4420 |
| 1958 | Beau Morgan | 494 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | ATL 3 | CLT | MAR | ODS | OBS | GPS | GBF | STR | NWS | BGS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11th | 4420 |
| 1958 | Frank Strickland | 22 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | TRN 1* | RSD | CLB | NBS | REF | LIN | HCY | AWS | RSP 1* | MCC | SLS | TOR | BUF | MCF | BEL | BRR | CLB | NSV 30 | AWS 1 | BGS | MBS | DAR 1* | CLT | BIR 1 | CSF | GAF | RCH | HBO | SAS | MAR 1* | NWS | ATL 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11th | 4420 | |
| 1959 | Jim Stephens | 3 | Pontiac | FAY | DAY 33 | DAY 34 | HBO | CON | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAY 1* | HEI | CLT | MBS | CLT | NSV | AWS | BGS | GPS | CLB | DAR 7 | HCY | RCH | CSF | HBO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 3676 |
| 1959 | Jim Stephens | 22 | Chevy | | | | | | ATL 8 | WIL | BGS | CLB | NWS | REF | HCY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 3676 | |
| 1959 | E. C. Wilson | 48 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR 25 | TRN | CLT | NSV | ASP | PIF | GPS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 3676 |
| 1959 | Buck Baker Racing | 88 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ATL 6 | CLB | WIL | RCH | BGS | AWS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 3676 | |
| 1959 | Lynton Tyson | 88 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR 30 | AWS | NWS | CON | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 3676 |
| 1960 | John Hines | 22 | Pontiac | CLT | CLB | DAY 1** | DAY | DAY 57 | CLT | NWS | PHO | CLB | MAR | HCY | WIL | BGS | GPS | AWS | DAR 20 | PIF | HBO | RCH | HMS | CLT 35 | BGS | DAY 31 | HEI | MAB | MBS | ATL 1 | BIR | NSV | AWS | PIF | CLB | SBO | BGS | DAR 9 | HCY | CSF | GSP | HBO | MAR | NWS | CLT 23* | RCH | ATL 34 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 29th | 4700 |
| 1961 | Smokey Yunick | 22 | Pontiac | CLT | JSP | DAY 1* | DAY | DAY 20* | PIF | AWS | | ATL 42 | GPS | HBO | BGS | MAR | NWS 4 | CLB | HCY | RCH | | DAR 5* | | | | | CLT 2 | PIF | BIR | GPS | BGS | NOR | HAS | STR | DAY 5* | ATL 12 | CLB | | BRI 2 | NSV | BGS | | | | DAR 2* | HCY | RCH | CSF | ATL 3 | | | CLT 29* | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 17600 |
| 1961 | Smokey Yunick | 75 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | HMS 1** | | | | | | | | | | MAR 3 | | CLT 6 | CLT | RSD | ASP | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 17600 |
| 1961 | Rex Lovette | 127 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MBS 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 17600 | |
| 1961 | B. G. Holloway | 59 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | AWS 31 | RCH | SBO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 17600 | |
| 1961 | Cotton Owens | 6 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 17600 |
| 1961 | Bud Moore Engineering | 18 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NWS 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 17600 | |
| 1961 | Rex Lovette | 22 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | BRI 26 | GPS 16 | HBO 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 17600 | |
| 1962 | Jim Stephens | 22 | Pontiac | CON | AWS | DAY 1* | DAY | DAY 1* | CON | AWS | SVH | HBO | RCH 5 | CLB | NWS 4 | GPS | MBS | MAR 18* | BGS | BRI 2 | RCH | HCY | CON | DAR 32 | PIF | CLT 9 | ATL 4 | BGS | AUG | RCH | SBO | DAY 1 | CLB | ASH | GPS | AUG | SVH | MBS | BRI 36 | CHT 2 | NSV 19 | HUN | AWS | STR | BGS | PIF | VAL | DAR 36 | HCY | RCH 17 | DTS | AUG | MAR 7 | NWS 29 | CLT 2 | ATL 10* | | | | | | | | | | 8th | 16380 |
| 1963 | Banjo Matthews | 22 | Pontiac | BIR | GGS 20 | THS | RSD 4 | DAY 6 | DAY | DAY 21 | PIF | AWS | HBO | ATL 2 | HCY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 22642 |
| 1963 | Holman-Moody | 22 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | BRI 1* | AUG | RCH 23 | GPS | SBO | BGS | MAR 28 | NWS | CLB | THS | DAR 2 | ODS | RCH | CLT 10 | BIR | ATL 31 | DAY 1* | MBS | SVH | DTS | BGS | ASH | OBS 1 | BRR 5 | BRI 29 | GPS | NSV | CLB | AWS | PIF | BGS | ONA | DAR 1 | HCY | RCH | MAR 7 | DTS | NWS 4* | THS | CLT 4 | SBO | HBO | RSD 4 | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 22642 | |
| 1964 | Holman-Moody | 22 | Ford | CON | AUG 1 | JSP | SVH | RSD 3 | DAY 7 | DAY | DAY 37 | RCH | BRI 2 | GPS | BGS | ATL 20 | AWS | HBO | PIF | CLB | NWS 31 | MAR 5 | SVH | DAR 2 | LGY | HCY | SBO | CLT 35 | GPS | ASH | ATL | CON | NSV | CHT | BIR | VAL | PIF | DAY | ODS | OBS | BRR | ISP | GLN | LIN | BRI | NSV | MBS | AWS | DTS | ONA | CLB | BGS | STR | DAR | HCY | RCH | ODS | HBO | MAR | SVH | NWS | CLT | HAR | AUG | JAC | 27th | 9900 |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 1959 | Jim Stephens | Pontiac | 46 | 45 |
| 1960 | John Hines | Pontiac | 3 | 57 |
| 1961 | Smokey Yunick | Pontiac | 1 | 20* |
| 1962 | Jim Stephens | Pontiac | 1 | 1* |
| 1963 | Banjo Matthews | Pontiac | 1 | 21 |
| 1964 | Holman-Moody | Ford | 15 | 37 |

### 24 Hours of Le Mans results

| Year | Team | Co-Driver | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1962 | North American Racing Team | Bob Grossman | Ferrari 250 GTO | E 3.0 | 297 | 6th | 1st |