Norm Nelson

Norman Huber Nelson (January 30, 1923 – November 8, 1988) was an American racing driver. Known primarily for his stock car career, Nelson competed in AAA and USAC Stock Cars from the 1950s through 1970s. He won the season championship in 1960, 1965, and 1966 as a driver.

Nelson also won five owner's championships. He competed in five NASCAR Grand National Series events and won one. He had 35 USAC victories including 11 at the Milwaukee Mile near his hometown Racine, Wisconsin. He was nicknamed "The Great Dane" because he was 6 feet 4 inches tall.

Racing career

Early career

Nelson prepared for racing when, as a 14-year-old, he borrowed his sister's 1934 Chevrolet and he raced it on the back streets of Racine. He competed for the first time on a rainy 1939 afternoon race in a swampy field near Pleasant Prairie. His first race ended when his jalopy got stuck on the straightaway. He continued in the car until the 1940-41 winter indoor series,

Nelson joined up with Carl Kiekhaefer's Chrysler team in 1955. Nelson's crew had done their pit stop in 1 minute and second-place finisher Marshall Teague had a 1-minute and 40 seconds stop. Nelson began his 25th season of racing in 1965 by winning the season-opening USAC Stock Car race at Milwaukee over Paul Goldsmith. Nelson took the lead away from Parnelli Jones when his engine blew up late in the race. Nelson won the 150-mile event at Langhorne Speedway in 1966 and he won his third season championship. He also won his second straight Yankee 300 at IRP. He made his first start at the 1955 LeHi 300 in LeHi, Arkansas, and won his only NASCAR race later that season after starting on the pole position at the only NASCAR race held at the 1-mile dirt Las Vegas Park Speedway. While driving for Carl Kiekhaefer's championship team, he led the final 106 laps of a 111 lap race which was shortened from its original 200 lap distance because of darkness.

Nelson's cars started in 13 NASCAR; nine of these races ended in a top-ten finish; five with a top-five. Jim Hurtubise drove Nelson's only win as a car owner at Atlanta International Raceway in the 1966 Atlanta 500. Caroline and several of their children worked at the shop.

Awards and honors

Nelson has been inducted into the following halls of fame: Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame (2009) Racine County Sports Hall of Fame (2011) United States Auto Club (USAC) Hall of Fame (2014)