Multi-car Teams in NASCAR Aren’t New, But They Weren’t Always the Same

Multi-car teams are the norm in NASCAR today and are considered a relatively new phenomenon that was created in the 1980s.

True enough.

But single teams employing multiple drivers – and in some cases, multiple crewmen – is not a recent phenomenon by any means. It’s been a part of every decade of NASCAR’s existence. In other words, it is nothing new. You’ve heard me say that before, I’m sure.

There is a bit of a difference. Today’s multi-car teams are just that. They come complete with their own driver, management level employees, crew personnel, support staff, equipment and sponsors.

The only thing they really share is a single organization and a principal owner whose name is Hendrick, Childress, Gibbs, Penske et al.

For the first more than 30 years of NASCAR, a multi-car team was, for the most part, only temporary. It would last only as long as the number of races a second driver was enlisted to drive.

For example, Petty Enterprises, unquestionably the most successful racing organization over three decades of NASCAR’s existence, had no problem hiring drivers to compete alongside Hall of Famers Lee Petty and his son, Richard.

In 1957, such stalwarts as Ralph Earnhardt, Tiny Lund, Bobby Lutz, Johnny Dodson and Bobby Myers competed in 15 races for Petty Enterprises. Lee drove in 41 of the season’s 53, which should give you an idea of how massive the Grand National schedule was back then.

But the Pettys didn’t abandon the practice of hiring additional drivers, even when the schedule was more manageable. Pete Hamilton competed in 15 races for them in 1970, and Buddy Baker raced 28 times in 1971-72.

Hamilton won three races, including the Daytona 500. Baker claimed two wins, at Darlington and Charlotte.

There was one team owner who came into NASCAR with the intention of owning a multi-car team. Carl Kiekhaefer was a highly ambitious, no-nonsense businessman who plowed funds from his company, Mercury Outboard, into a fleet of Chryslers he hoped would be an instant success that would increase sales.

He started operations in 1955 with principal driver Tim Flock and four others of note – Fonty Flock, Bob Flock, Buck Baker and Speedy Thompson. Baker assumed the lead role in 1956 and Thompson took over in 1957.

During those three seasons, there was always more than one Kiekhaefer Chrysler in a race. Sometimes there were as many as three. And indeed, they were successful. During that time, they…