Bob Flock

16/4/1918 - 16/5/1964

Record updated 16-Apr-07

Bob Flock worked in the family moonshine business and developed a natural talent for building and driving vehicles that could outrun anything the police had on the road. During his 36 race NASCAR career Bob had 4 wins, 11 top fives and 18 top tens.

There were nine children in the Flock family of Ft. Payne, Alabama. When Carl Lee Flock passed away, his youngest child Tim was only one year old. His widow, Maudie worked in a hosiery mill to support her family. To supplement their mother's meager income the older boys relocated to Atlanta to work in the family moonshine business. On the back roads between Atlanta and Dawsonville, GA the Flock brothers proved to have natural talent for building and driving vehicles that could outrun anything the police had on the road.

He was a well established driver before NASCAR was formed. He took over NASCAR founder Bill France's ride in 1946. He won both events at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1947.

He sat on the pole for NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race at Charlotte Speedway on June 19, 1949. He was on pole and led the race early on but the engine in his Hudson failed and he retired. He had two wins that season, and finished third in the points behind Lee Petty and champion Red Byron.

He won two 100 lap ARCA races at Lakewood Speedway in 1954. During his 36 race NASCAR career Bob had 4 wins, 11 top fives and 18 top tens. He also had over 200 modified wins in his career.

Bob Flock had a reputation in the hills and mountains of North Georgia. That ol' boy could drive the wheels off a car. The federal agents that chased him, often to no avail, grudgingly respected his driving skills. Once, the revenuers discovered Bob would be running a race in Atlanta, they waited for him at the track hoping to make a public arrest. As the race began Bob still had not appeared. When the field was set, a gate opened and Bob Flock drove onto the track to take the green flag. Shortly thereafter, dozens of police vehicles where also on the track, sirens screaming and lights flashing. They chased Flock for a lap or two, when he got the chance he drove through the fence, hit the street and was gone. The police followed the fugitive until he finally ran out of gas near downtown Atlanta.

Reminiscing years later, Bob said, "I would have won that race if the cops had stayed out of it."

Bob Flock retired from driving when he broke his back in an on track accident, but he remained involved with racing as a track owner and promoter in the Atlanta area.

• 1946 replaced Bill France on the Raymond Parks Racing Team.
• Won both Daytona Beach and Road Course events in 1947.
• 1949 Won first pole in Winston Cup history. (Charlotte).
• Won 1952 Winston Cup (Grand National) event at Ashville Speedway with a broken neck.
• Won more than 200 Modified events.