Bill Davis obit

Sad News – Bill Davis

 

He was not on the list.

Bill Davis, a longtime team owner who won in all three NASCAR national series including triumphs in the Daytona 500 and Southern 500, has died. He was 74.

Bill Davis Racing fielded cars for multiple NASCAR Hall of Famers, including Mark Martin, Bobby Labonte and Jeff Gordon. All five of his Cup Series victories came with Ward Burton driving the team’s flagship No. 22 entry, including the Southern 500 at Darlington in 2001 and the “Great American Race” the next season.

Davis’ teams also won 11 races in what’s now called the Xfinity Series and 24 times in the Craftsman Truck Series, a tenure that included the 2008 championship with driver Johnny Benson Jr.

NASCAR Statement on the Passing of Bill Davis:

A championship-winning leader and owner, Bill Davis made a lasting mark on our sport through his passion and unwavering belief in the people around him. His teams celebrated some of NASCAR’s most prestigious victories, including the Daytona 500 and the Southern 500.

Bill was more than a competitor — he was a friend to all in the garage, respected for his kindness, generosity, and genuine love for racing.

NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to his wife and business partner Gail, the Davis family, and Bill's many friends during this difficult time.

NASCAR car owner that won the Daytona 500 with Ward Burton in 2002, and the 2001 Southern 500, also with Burton. His team, Bill Davis Racing, fielded the #22 Caterpillar Inc. Toyota Camry and the #23 & #27 Camrys in the Sprint Cup series, as well as Toyotas in the Camping World Truck Series for Mike Skinner, Tyler Walker, Johnny Benson Jr., Bill Lester, and others. Davis was listed as owner of the #77 Penske Dodge in the Sprint Cup series, driven by Sam Hornish Jr. in 2008.

Davis built his personal fortune through his ownership of Bill Davis Trucking, which he shut down in 2007 after filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Davis sold his engines and team to Triad Racing Technologies in late 2008. Davis was a resident of Arkansas, having been born in Fayetteville and resided in Batesville for much of his life. In 2016, Davis was inducted in to the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.