95-year-old former NASCAR champion Rex White dies

Rex White, the former NASCAR Series winner and the oldest living champion, has passed away at the age of 95. The North Carolina-native was the 1960 NASCAR Grand National Series winner and was inducted into NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.

NASCAR began for Rex White in 1956, and by 1960, he was a regular, strong competitor. He was known for winning six races and the NASCAR championship in 1960, mostly in General Motors cars and running number 4.

Over a span of 10 years in the NASCAR Cup Series, he recorded a total of 28 wins, 36 poles, 110 top-5 finishes, and 163 top-10 finishes in 233 starts, including an incredible top-10 finish rate of almost 70%, which is one of the highest in the history of the sport.

Although White was only 5'4" tall and weighed only 135 pounds, he was NASCAR’s smallest champion, and he also met the challenges of having polio in childhood, which left one leg withered. His ability behind the wheel made him a highly proficient short-track driver in a time when NASCAR's schedule was comprised predominantly of short tracks.

Motorsports journalist Deb Williams shared the news of White's passing on X, writing:

"It is with great sadness that I must report the oldest living #NASCAR Cup champion -- Rex White -- has passed away. The #NASCAR Hall of Fame & @NMPAonline Hall of Fame member was 95. White survived polio as a child & eventually became NASCAR's premier series 1960 champion. He was a wonderful person! RIP my friend."

Rex White is best known for his fearless driving and reliability. His legacy includes being named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998, being inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 1974 and being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.

White's footprint was not limited to his driving record; he was also a visionary and an important person of influence within motorsports. Author of an autobiography, Gold Thunder, and notably contributed to the preservation of history within NASCAR.

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Rex White didn't care for the fame NASCAR brought him

Rex White’s experience with fame was complex, shaped by his humble beginnings and remarkable humility despite his success. Born during the Great Depression and battling polio as a child, White grew up with a practical view of automobiles—as tools for transportation rather than symbols of glory.

Talking about fame in NASCAR, White once said (via Autoweek):

“It wasn’t my nature to be the center of attention. If a newspaper reporter came my way, I’d dodge him like a bulldog. I didn’t realize how important publicity could be. But Fireball Roberts … if there was a sportswriter anywhere, he wouldn’t have to look for Fireball. No, because Fireball would go find the reporter. That just wasn’t my lifestyle. I just did my thing and didn’t worry about being a star.”

White was known less for seeking the spotlight and more for his consistent on-track performance and strategic thinking.

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Edited by Sumeet Kavthale