Herbert Watson Thomas (April 6, 1923– August 9, 2000) was a stock car racer who was one of NASCAR's most successful drivers in the 1950s.
Background
Born in the small town of Olivia in the American state of North Carolina, Thomas originally worked as a farmer and also worked in a sawmill in the 1940s before his interest turned to auto racing.
Herb Thomas was the inspiration for the character "Doc Hudson" in the movie Cars.
NASCAR career
In 1949, Thomas took part in NASCAR's first Strictly Stock (the forerunner to the Grand National and ultimately the modern Sprint Cup) race, and made four starts in the series' first year. The following year, he made thirteen appearances in the series, now renamed the Grand National division. He scored his first career win at Martinsville Speedway in a privateerPlymouth.
He started the 1951 season with moderate success in his Plymouth (plus one win in an Oldsmobile) before switching to a HudsonHornet, at the suggestion of fellow driver Marshall Teague. Thomas won the Southern 500 rather handily in what was famously dubbed "The Fabulous Hudson Hornet", which would be the first of six wins in a two-month span. His late charge helped him narrowly defeat Fonty Flock to win the Grand National championship. With help from crew chiefSmokey Yunick, Thomas subsequently became the first owner/driver to take the championship in the process.
Herbert Mark Thomas (May 26, 1902 in Sampson City, Florida – December 4, 1991 in Starke, Florida) was a right-handed minor and major league baseball player and minor league manager. Although his major league career lasted only three seasons, 1924, 1925 and 1927, for two different teams, the Boston Braves and New York Giants, his minor league career spanned 17 seasons. He played professionally in three different decades.
Features
Thomas threw and batted right-handed. He was only 5ft 4.5in (1.64m) tall and he weighed only 157 pounds.
Before professional baseball
Prior to playing professionally, Thomas served in World War I.
Professional baseball career
Thomas' minor league career began in 1922 at the age of 20 with the Jacksonville Indians. He played in 112 games with them, hitting .298 with 19 doubles, 14 triples and four home runs in 426 at-bats. The following season, Thomas played for the Daytona Beach Islanders, hitting .387 with 13 doubles, five triples and no home runs in only 297 at-bats. He played for the Islanders in 1924, who became the Clearwater Pelicans partway that season, hitting .345 with 32 doubles, eight triples and three home runs in 94 games. His minor league performance that season was so impressive that he was purchased by the Braves from Daytona Beach on August 9, and on August 18 he made his major league debut. In 32 major league games in 1924, he hit .220 with only six extra-base hits in 127 at-bats.
Go fast, turn left and check out our in-depth documentary film on Hudson Hornet race cars! Learn the history behind how Hudson accidentally built a competitive racer that made waves in NASCAR when paired with early stock car champions, Herb Thomas or Marshall Teague!
------
This documentary film uncovers the serendipitous turn of events that led small Detroit manufacturer, Hudson, to become a standout champion in the emerging stock car racing craze of post-war America. Combining some of the best drivers of the day, with support from an automaker that quickly came to understand the mantra, “win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” the influence of this chapter of motoring history sets the stage for modern day racing.
At the center of the story is a humble, self-trained racer named Herb Thomas,...
published: 17 Jul 2023
Herb Thomas and Fireball Roberts Crash - NASCAR Grand National 1956 - Darlington
published: 12 Sep 2022
EP03 Herb Thomas 1951 1953 Champion (ENG)
NASCAR FAN ITALIA
New series of videos to remember the winners of the Nascar championships of the past
In this episode Herb Thomas, the winner of the 1951 and 1953 Nascar championship
Don't miss the video!
Video editing: Ruggeri Riccardo
Voice: by Rodney Rigoli
EPISODE 01 "RED BYRON"
https://youtu.be/8soWyRZy0YE
EPISODE 02 "BILL REXFORD"
https://youtu.be/vTbhbL53FjU
EPISODE 03 "HERB THOMAS"
https://youtu.be/Cg_cyAg0P9c
EPISODE 04 "TIM FLOCK"
https://youtu.be/q5PBCvuohpg
published: 21 Nov 2022
All of Herb Thomas' 48 Wins
The first multi Time NASCAR Cup Champion in 1951 & 1953 & the first repeat winner in the Southern 500 driving the famous Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Here is all of Herb Thomas' 48 Wins in the Cup Series. Winning his first race in 1950 at Martinsville and getting his final win in 1956 at Merced Fairgrounds. Like & Subscribe
published: 16 May 2024
1953 Darlington Southern 500
The running of the 1953 Darlington Southern 500.
⬇️ Nascar playlists:
Flips: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFF76A762B38C7ED0
Races: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3062F1B06490D50F
500s: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL841E0FC1B50AF368
Please Subscribe! ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7osqPCRB5KF4ppEuhX-w7w
published: 30 Dec 2011
NASCAR Hall of Fame Herb Thomas
HUDSON HORNET
published: 24 Apr 2011
Herb Thomas: The Trailblazing NASCAR Champion | Career, Victories, and Legacy
Delve into the life and triumphs of Herb Thomas, NASCAR's inaugural multi-time Cup Champion of the 1950s. Explore his rise from a farmer to a racing icon, pivotal victories like the Southern 500, and his significant impact on stock car racing history. #HerbThomas #NASCARChampion #StockCarRacing #MotorsportHistory #RacingLegend
published: 21 Nov 2023
New Day Cleveland Says Bye To Herb Thomas
published: 10 Nov 2016
1955 Herb Thomas flip @ Charlotte I-85
Herb Thomas overturns four times after his car dug into the dirt surface. He was seriously injured in the crash and would miss three months of Grand National racing as a result.
1955 Race 11
Date: 05/01/1955 (May 5, 1955)
Grand National Series
Charlotte Speedway
Involved:
Herb Thomas (Car No. 92)
Credits:
Getty Images (images/description)
Star-News (description)
#NASCARFlips
published: 08 Sep 2023
Herb Thomas can drive in '55
No one dominated the 50's at Darlington like Herb Thomas. In 1955 Thomas was in a big wreck that made him miss six months of the season. He returned for the Southern 500 and won his third race at the Track Too Tough to Tame.
Go fast, turn left and check out our in-depth documentary film on Hudson Hornet race cars! Learn the history behind how Hudson accidentally built a competitive ...
Go fast, turn left and check out our in-depth documentary film on Hudson Hornet race cars! Learn the history behind how Hudson accidentally built a competitive racer that made waves in NASCAR when paired with early stock car champions, Herb Thomas or Marshall Teague!
------
This documentary film uncovers the serendipitous turn of events that led small Detroit manufacturer, Hudson, to become a standout champion in the emerging stock car racing craze of post-war America. Combining some of the best drivers of the day, with support from an automaker that quickly came to understand the mantra, “win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” the influence of this chapter of motoring history sets the stage for modern day racing.
At the center of the story is a humble, self-trained racer named Herb Thomas, one of stock car racing’s first stars. To this day, Thomas retains the highest win percentage of any NASCAR driver – most of which was done at the wheel of Hudson Hornets. Featuring Thomas’s sons and grandson, Jay Leno (@jaylenosgarage Richard Petty (@Pettys-garage ), NASCAR historians, Pixar’s Jay Ward, and Hudson experts, the film gives a fresh perspective on the early days of America’s beloved stock car racing sport. You may be familiar with aspects of the story, as it was popularized in Pixar’s (@pixarcars ) Cars franchise that drew inspiration from Thomas’s career and the Hudson racing program for its character “Doc Hudson.”
The 1952 Hornet at the center of the film, owned by Michigan collector Al Schultz, was inducted into the Hagerty Drivers Foundation’s National Historic Vehicle Register in 2022, and is the only remaining factory racing Hornet and the oldest NASCAR winning car known to exist. Through the National Historic Vehicle Register, the Hudson’s history will be documented and kept in the Library of Congress in perpetuity. The car is currently on display at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation @TheHenryFord through Oct. 22! When it isn’t at shows or traveling to museums it can be found available to the public at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum/National Hudson Motor Car Company Museum.
The Hagerty Drivers Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, exists to ensure the future of car culture. Please check out our website https://driversfoundation.org to learn more about our many efforts and consider a donation to support future projects like this.
Go fast, turn left and check out our in-depth documentary film on Hudson Hornet race cars! Learn the history behind how Hudson accidentally built a competitive racer that made waves in NASCAR when paired with early stock car champions, Herb Thomas or Marshall Teague!
------
This documentary film uncovers the serendipitous turn of events that led small Detroit manufacturer, Hudson, to become a standout champion in the emerging stock car racing craze of post-war America. Combining some of the best drivers of the day, with support from an automaker that quickly came to understand the mantra, “win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” the influence of this chapter of motoring history sets the stage for modern day racing.
At the center of the story is a humble, self-trained racer named Herb Thomas, one of stock car racing’s first stars. To this day, Thomas retains the highest win percentage of any NASCAR driver – most of which was done at the wheel of Hudson Hornets. Featuring Thomas’s sons and grandson, Jay Leno (@jaylenosgarage Richard Petty (@Pettys-garage ), NASCAR historians, Pixar’s Jay Ward, and Hudson experts, the film gives a fresh perspective on the early days of America’s beloved stock car racing sport. You may be familiar with aspects of the story, as it was popularized in Pixar’s (@pixarcars ) Cars franchise that drew inspiration from Thomas’s career and the Hudson racing program for its character “Doc Hudson.”
The 1952 Hornet at the center of the film, owned by Michigan collector Al Schultz, was inducted into the Hagerty Drivers Foundation’s National Historic Vehicle Register in 2022, and is the only remaining factory racing Hornet and the oldest NASCAR winning car known to exist. Through the National Historic Vehicle Register, the Hudson’s history will be documented and kept in the Library of Congress in perpetuity. The car is currently on display at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation @TheHenryFord through Oct. 22! When it isn’t at shows or traveling to museums it can be found available to the public at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum/National Hudson Motor Car Company Museum.
The Hagerty Drivers Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, exists to ensure the future of car culture. Please check out our website https://driversfoundation.org to learn more about our many efforts and consider a donation to support future projects like this.
NASCAR FAN ITALIA
New series of videos to remember the winners of the Nascar championships of the past
In this episode Herb Thomas, the winner of the 1951 and...
NASCAR FAN ITALIA
New series of videos to remember the winners of the Nascar championships of the past
In this episode Herb Thomas, the winner of the 1951 and 1953 Nascar championship
Don't miss the video!
Video editing: Ruggeri Riccardo
Voice: by Rodney Rigoli
EPISODE 01 "RED BYRON"
https://youtu.be/8soWyRZy0YE
EPISODE 02 "BILL REXFORD"
https://youtu.be/vTbhbL53FjU
EPISODE 03 "HERB THOMAS"
https://youtu.be/Cg_cyAg0P9c
EPISODE 04 "TIM FLOCK"
https://youtu.be/q5PBCvuohpg
NASCAR FAN ITALIA
New series of videos to remember the winners of the Nascar championships of the past
In this episode Herb Thomas, the winner of the 1951 and 1953 Nascar championship
Don't miss the video!
Video editing: Ruggeri Riccardo
Voice: by Rodney Rigoli
EPISODE 01 "RED BYRON"
https://youtu.be/8soWyRZy0YE
EPISODE 02 "BILL REXFORD"
https://youtu.be/vTbhbL53FjU
EPISODE 03 "HERB THOMAS"
https://youtu.be/Cg_cyAg0P9c
EPISODE 04 "TIM FLOCK"
https://youtu.be/q5PBCvuohpg
The first multi Time NASCAR Cup Champion in 1951 & 1953 & the first repeat winner in the Southern 500 driving the famous Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Here is all of ...
The first multi Time NASCAR Cup Champion in 1951 & 1953 & the first repeat winner in the Southern 500 driving the famous Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Here is all of Herb Thomas' 48 Wins in the Cup Series. Winning his first race in 1950 at Martinsville and getting his final win in 1956 at Merced Fairgrounds. Like & Subscribe
The first multi Time NASCAR Cup Champion in 1951 & 1953 & the first repeat winner in the Southern 500 driving the famous Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Here is all of Herb Thomas' 48 Wins in the Cup Series. Winning his first race in 1950 at Martinsville and getting his final win in 1956 at Merced Fairgrounds. Like & Subscribe
The running of the 1953 Darlington Southern 500.
⬇️ Nascar playlists:
Flips: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFF76A762B38C7ED0
Races: https://www.youtu...
The running of the 1953 Darlington Southern 500.
⬇️ Nascar playlists:
Flips: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFF76A762B38C7ED0
Races: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3062F1B06490D50F
500s: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL841E0FC1B50AF368
Please Subscribe! ► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7osqPCRB5KF4ppEuhX-w7w
Delve into the life and triumphs of Herb Thomas, NASCAR's inaugural multi-time Cup Champion of the 1950s. Explore his rise from a farmer to a racing icon, pivot...
Delve into the life and triumphs of Herb Thomas, NASCAR's inaugural multi-time Cup Champion of the 1950s. Explore his rise from a farmer to a racing icon, pivotal victories like the Southern 500, and his significant impact on stock car racing history. #HerbThomas #NASCARChampion #StockCarRacing #MotorsportHistory #RacingLegend
Delve into the life and triumphs of Herb Thomas, NASCAR's inaugural multi-time Cup Champion of the 1950s. Explore his rise from a farmer to a racing icon, pivotal victories like the Southern 500, and his significant impact on stock car racing history. #HerbThomas #NASCARChampion #StockCarRacing #MotorsportHistory #RacingLegend
Herb Thomas overturns four times after his car dug into the dirt surface. He was seriously injured in the crash and would miss three months of Grand National ra...
Herb Thomas overturns four times after his car dug into the dirt surface. He was seriously injured in the crash and would miss three months of Grand National racing as a result.
1955 Race 11
Date: 05/01/1955 (May 5, 1955)
Grand National Series
Charlotte Speedway
Involved:
Herb Thomas (Car No. 92)
Credits:
Getty Images (images/description)
Star-News (description)
#NASCARFlips
Herb Thomas overturns four times after his car dug into the dirt surface. He was seriously injured in the crash and would miss three months of Grand National racing as a result.
1955 Race 11
Date: 05/01/1955 (May 5, 1955)
Grand National Series
Charlotte Speedway
Involved:
Herb Thomas (Car No. 92)
Credits:
Getty Images (images/description)
Star-News (description)
#NASCARFlips
No one dominated the 50's at Darlington like Herb Thomas. In 1955 Thomas was in a big wreck that made him miss six months of the season. He returned for the S...
No one dominated the 50's at Darlington like Herb Thomas. In 1955 Thomas was in a big wreck that made him miss six months of the season. He returned for the Southern 500 and won his third race at the Track Too Tough to Tame.
No one dominated the 50's at Darlington like Herb Thomas. In 1955 Thomas was in a big wreck that made him miss six months of the season. He returned for the Southern 500 and won his third race at the Track Too Tough to Tame.
Go fast, turn left and check out our in-depth documentary film on Hudson Hornet race cars! Learn the history behind how Hudson accidentally built a competitive racer that made waves in NASCAR when paired with early stock car champions, Herb Thomas or Marshall Teague!
------
This documentary film uncovers the serendipitous turn of events that led small Detroit manufacturer, Hudson, to become a standout champion in the emerging stock car racing craze of post-war America. Combining some of the best drivers of the day, with support from an automaker that quickly came to understand the mantra, “win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” the influence of this chapter of motoring history sets the stage for modern day racing.
At the center of the story is a humble, self-trained racer named Herb Thomas, one of stock car racing’s first stars. To this day, Thomas retains the highest win percentage of any NASCAR driver – most of which was done at the wheel of Hudson Hornets. Featuring Thomas’s sons and grandson, Jay Leno (@jaylenosgarage Richard Petty (@Pettys-garage ), NASCAR historians, Pixar’s Jay Ward, and Hudson experts, the film gives a fresh perspective on the early days of America’s beloved stock car racing sport. You may be familiar with aspects of the story, as it was popularized in Pixar’s (@pixarcars ) Cars franchise that drew inspiration from Thomas’s career and the Hudson racing program for its character “Doc Hudson.”
The 1952 Hornet at the center of the film, owned by Michigan collector Al Schultz, was inducted into the Hagerty Drivers Foundation’s National Historic Vehicle Register in 2022, and is the only remaining factory racing Hornet and the oldest NASCAR winning car known to exist. Through the National Historic Vehicle Register, the Hudson’s history will be documented and kept in the Library of Congress in perpetuity. The car is currently on display at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation @TheHenryFord through Oct. 22! When it isn’t at shows or traveling to museums it can be found available to the public at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum/National Hudson Motor Car Company Museum.
The Hagerty Drivers Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, exists to ensure the future of car culture. Please check out our website https://driversfoundation.org to learn more about our many efforts and consider a donation to support future projects like this.
NASCAR FAN ITALIA
New series of videos to remember the winners of the Nascar championships of the past
In this episode Herb Thomas, the winner of the 1951 and 1953 Nascar championship
Don't miss the video!
Video editing: Ruggeri Riccardo
Voice: by Rodney Rigoli
EPISODE 01 "RED BYRON"
https://youtu.be/8soWyRZy0YE
EPISODE 02 "BILL REXFORD"
https://youtu.be/vTbhbL53FjU
EPISODE 03 "HERB THOMAS"
https://youtu.be/Cg_cyAg0P9c
EPISODE 04 "TIM FLOCK"
https://youtu.be/q5PBCvuohpg
The first multi Time NASCAR Cup Champion in 1951 & 1953 & the first repeat winner in the Southern 500 driving the famous Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Here is all of Herb Thomas' 48 Wins in the Cup Series. Winning his first race in 1950 at Martinsville and getting his final win in 1956 at Merced Fairgrounds. Like & Subscribe
Delve into the life and triumphs of Herb Thomas, NASCAR's inaugural multi-time Cup Champion of the 1950s. Explore his rise from a farmer to a racing icon, pivotal victories like the Southern 500, and his significant impact on stock car racing history. #HerbThomas #NASCARChampion #StockCarRacing #MotorsportHistory #RacingLegend
Herb Thomas overturns four times after his car dug into the dirt surface. He was seriously injured in the crash and would miss three months of Grand National racing as a result.
1955 Race 11
Date: 05/01/1955 (May 5, 1955)
Grand National Series
Charlotte Speedway
Involved:
Herb Thomas (Car No. 92)
Credits:
Getty Images (images/description)
Star-News (description)
#NASCARFlips
No one dominated the 50's at Darlington like Herb Thomas. In 1955 Thomas was in a big wreck that made him miss six months of the season. He returned for the Southern 500 and won his third race at the Track Too Tough to Tame.
Herbert Watson Thomas (April 6, 1923– August 9, 2000) was a stock car racer who was one of NASCAR's most successful drivers in the 1950s.
Background
Born in the small town of Olivia in the American state of North Carolina, Thomas originally worked as a farmer and also worked in a sawmill in the 1940s before his interest turned to auto racing.
Herb Thomas was the inspiration for the character "Doc Hudson" in the movie Cars.
NASCAR career
In 1949, Thomas took part in NASCAR's first Strictly Stock (the forerunner to the Grand National and ultimately the modern Sprint Cup) race, and made four starts in the series' first year. The following year, he made thirteen appearances in the series, now renamed the Grand National division. He scored his first career win at Martinsville Speedway in a privateerPlymouth.
He started the 1951 season with moderate success in his Plymouth (plus one win in an Oldsmobile) before switching to a HudsonHornet, at the suggestion of fellow driver Marshall Teague. Thomas won the Southern 500 rather handily in what was famously dubbed "The Fabulous Hudson Hornet", which would be the first of six wins in a two-month span. His late charge helped him narrowly defeat Fonty Flock to win the Grand National championship. With help from crew chiefSmokey Yunick, Thomas subsequently became the first owner/driver to take the championship in the process.
NASCAR has housed a host of gifted drivers within its banner ... For comparison, Christian's 13th-place showing was better than that of Buck Baker and HerbThomas, both of whom were named members of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers List ... .
A medical warning notice from 1923. Buyenlarge/Getty ImagesThe measles vaccine first became available to the public in 1963.Before the vaccine, measles was an endemic disease ... Camerique/Getty Images ... Herb Snitzer/Getty Images. Enders and Thomas C ... ....