Nascar has long been the pinnacle of the racing world. However, within the Nascar community, there stands no track greater than the Talladega Super Speedway. This racetrack is the track of dreams. Nascar Drivers spend their careers chasing qualifications for a chance on that pavement. In 1982 one aspiring driver rose through the ranks to earn his qualification at the Winston 500 held on Talladega’s hallowed grounds. But, there was only one problem. This racer was no Nascar Driver. In fact, he was no driver at all. Yet, somehow this driver managed to scam not only an entire race team but the whole of Nascar. Whatsmore, after the Winston 500, he vanished and hasn’t been found to this day. This is the unbelievable DB Cooperesque story of LW Wright.
How to Become a Nascar Driver
In the spring of 1982 news began circulating about a new Nascar driver based out of Nashville TN with hopes of competing in the Winston 500. This race was arguably the most significant race in the sport and the most impressive. Taking place at the Talladega Superspeedway, the Winston 500 was host to some of the fastest drivers in the world. Most racers approached or surpassed 200 mph at this race. New Nascar drivers had to possess nerves of steel to race like this. LW Wright may not have had nerves of steel, but he did have the cunning chops needed to trick an entire organization.
The hype grew around the Nashville racer due to his 43 Nascar starts and his sponsors, country music stars Merle Haggard and TG Sheppard. The problem? LW Wright hadn’t competed in any of these races nor was he sponsored by anyone. Nonetheless, the press coverage surrounding his Nascar goals landed him with a sponsorship, a 1981 Monte Carlo, and a full racing team. With his race car, team, and sponsor in tow, Wright managed to barely squeak by at the qualifying race and earn a spot in the Winston 500.
The Biggest Race for Nascar Drivers
Sterling Marlin, a mechanic and future Nascar driver accompanied Wright to Talladega as the racers crew chief. Recalling the events of that day Marlin said, “Wright didn’t seem like he had any idea what was going on.” When Marlin would cover strategy with Wright, the new driver would ask questions that most drivers would see as fundamental. His inexperience was made evidently clear after just a few laps when Wright blew his engine.
Photo By Curtis Palmer
What Happened to LW Wright
Right after his vehicle was disqualified from the race for mechanical failures LW Wright disappeared. Straight from the speedway, Wright took the team’s semi-truck and seemingly fell off the face of the earth. Then the checks began to bounce and everyone from his sponsor, his race team, and the companies that sold him gear were looking for Wright to get the money they were owed. Multiple sources hired private investigators to track LW Wright down. After investigation, it became clear that no one named LW Wright had ever competed in Nascar or lived in Nashville. This mysterious Nascar driver was never seen or heard from again.
Wright’s Motives
LW Wright was nothing more than a major con man. The question remains, what was LW Wright’s motive? All in all, LW seemed to only make it out with a few thousand dollars in profit. If money was his goal he probably would have taken the sponsorship money and skipped town long before risking his life alongside the world’s best Nascar drivers. It is possible that he was a thrill-seeker who just wanted to compete in a race. If this were the case, though, one would expect him to race in some lower-profile racers and avoid the financial fraud.
One theory, however, is pervasive. Some believe that LW Wright entered the Winston 500 as a bar bet. In this theory, LW was so committed to proving that he could make it to Talladega that nothing would stand in his way. Unfortunately, many laws were broken in his road to the race so he has had to remain silent about what was likely his most impressive accomplishment.
Conclusion
The LW Wright story has shocked Nascar drivers for generations. It’s truly unbelievable to consider what this man accomplished and how he pulled off his disappearing act. We may never know his motivations or how he got away with it, but we do know this, he may not have known what was going on at Talladega but he did know perhaps a little too much about people.
Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode right now!
Sources
Related Episodes
Tell Us What You Think of This Content!
Don’t forget to share with your friends!