Racer Profile: Hershel McGriff

Posted on June 7, 2006

By Allen Madding

 

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Born December 14, 1927 in Bridal Veil, Oregon, Hershel McGriff launched his stock car racing career in September of 1945 at the dirt Portland Speedway finishing 13th in his family’s sedan. In 1950, McGriff won the Pan American Road Race in Mexico in a 1950 Oldsmobile 88, with an average speed of 79.2 mph over 27 hours, 34 minutes, and 25 seconds. His payoff was more than $17,000. The same year McGriff made his NASCAR debut campaigning his #52 City of Roses Oldsmobile in the inaugural Southern 500 at Darlington where he finished 9th.

McGriff made 3 starts in the 1951 NASCAR Grand National Division season driving his own Oldsmobile. He placed 11th at Detroit and 4th in the Southern 500 at Darlington. In 1952, He drove Beryl Jackson’s #3 Oldsmobile in 2 NASCAR Grand National events finishing 7th at Detroit and 15th at Niagara Falls. In 1953, McGriff entered his own #5 in 2 events. In 1954, McGriff won a feature event in the inaugural year of the NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model series, which would later be renamed the NASCAR Winston West Series. McGriff drove Beryl Jackson’s Oldsmobile in 2 Grand National events setting the pole at Oakland Stadium in Oakland, California. He then made 22 starts driving Frank Christian's #14 Oldsmobile winning 4 events including back-toback wins at Macon, Georgia and at Southern States Fairgrounds at Charlotte, North Carolina finishing 6th in the championship points.

McGriff did not return to the NASCAR’s elite division in 1955. He continued to race locally and to compete in what is now known as the NASCAR Winston West Series. In 1969, he won the Oregon Auto Racing Championship. In 1970, he won the Oregon Auto Racing Championship again by winning 23 of 33 races.

In 1971, McGriff reappeared in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series driving Beryl Jackson’s #04 Plymouth in 2 events and Robert Koehler’s #41 Plymouth at Ontario but was plagued with 2 DNF’s in 3 starts. In 1972, McGriff campaigned Beryl Jackson’s #04 Plymouth in 4 Winston Cup Series events scoring 5th places finishes at Riverside, California and at College Station, Texas. He added a 6th place finish at Ontario, California to log

4 starts, 2 top-5s and 3 top-10s. In 1973, McGriff finished 5th in the Daytona 500 and 7th at Riverside driving Jackson’s #04 The Cousins Plymouth. In 1974, McGriff made 4 starts driving the Petty Enterprises’

#04 Almost Heaven, West Virginia Dodge and 1 start driving Dick Midgley’s #26W Chevrolet. For 1975, McGriff drove Dick Midgley’s #29 Mercury Marine Chevrolet, Ken Friez #69 Friez Enterprises Chevrolet, and Ferrell Harris’

#82 Dan Walters Forever Dodge making 5 starts recording 1 top-10.

McGriff returned to Winston Cup competition campaigning his own Chevrolets for 1976 entering the race at Riverside and at Ontario. In 1977, he entered only the 2 events at Riverside. In 1978, He recorded a 6th place finish in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series season opener, the Winston Western 500 at Riverside driving George Jefferson’s #95 Ford. He returned for the second event at Riverside driving his own #48 Chevrolet finishing 17th.

McGriff was absent from Winston Cup Series competition in 1979, but returned in 1980 entering the 2 Riverside events and the one event at Ontario, California. McGriff competed in the 3 Winston Cup events at Riverside in 1981 driving Gerald Craker’s #01 Dodge and Buick recording DNF’s in all 3 starts. McGriff returned for the 2 Riverside events in 1982 driving Gary Smith’s #04 Matson Graphics Buick suffering transmission failures in both events. McGriff returned to the Winston Cup Series in

1983 with Smith’s #04 Buick for the 2 Riverside events scoring an 8th place finish in the final event of the Winston Cup Series schedule. In 1984, he entered both Riverside events finishing 9th in the final event of the year. In 1985, 1986, and 1987, McGriff again made both Riverside events. In 1986, McGriff won the NASCAR Winston West Series Championship.

In 1988, McGriff campaigned his own #04 U. S. Banks Pontiac in 2 Winston Cup Series events. In 1989 and 1990, McGriff entered only the NASCAR Winston Cup Series road course event at Sears Point. In 1991, McGriff competed at Sears Point and Phoenix driving Bob Lipseia’s #04 U. S. Bank Pontiac. In 1992 and 1993, he entered the road course event at Sears Point.

In 2002, At the age of 74, McGriff announced his retirement from racing, ``Well, I just retired,'' McGriff said. ``If I cannot keep up, be near the front, have fun and be comfortable, which is how it has been, than I think the time has come. I kept losing the guys and saw the pack coming. That is when I decided (to retire). I wrecked in Las Vegas two weeks ago, so I don't want to do that again. I will keep busy with other work and things will not change that much for me.''

Career Accomplishments:

1969 Oregon Auto Racing Championship

1970 Oregon Auto Racing Championship

1986 NASCAR Winston West Series Championship

NASCAR Winston West Series 236 starts, 34 wins, 96 top-5s, and 145 top-10s NASCAR Winston Cup Series 85 starts, 5 poles, 4 wins, 17 top-5s, and 31 top-10s

 

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