A few weeks ago, NASCAR was remembering the legendary Cale Yarborough on the anniversary of his death in 2023. William Caleb ‘Cale’ Yarborough was among the only remaining drivers from the bygone era of NASCAR. He was a participant in the Cup Series from 1957 to 1988. Yarborough’s name was taken with the same reverence and respect as drivers like Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, and Dale Earnhardt.
His stats speak on his behalf. The first driver to win three consecutive Cup Series titles from 1976 to 1978, Yarborough is ranked sixth in the list of all-time wins. As a driver, he sported a winning percentage of nearly 14.82%, which is insane, as he is third on the list of drivers with more than 500 starts.
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Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip’s was the defining story of the 70s and 80s in NASCAR. But there is a certain aspect of his story that not many fans are aware of. It is incredibly personal and moving, yet Yarborough never tried to flash it around.
When Cale Yarborough made a three-week visit to soldiers in Vietnam
For 20 years, from 1955 to 1975, America and Vietnam were at war. It was during the same timeline that Yarborough raced in NASCAR. So how did he celebrate his very first Daytona 500 victory?
By visiting the veteran soldiers in Vietnam for three weeks.
Cale Yarborough and his fellow drivers, Richard Petty from NASCAR, Don Garlits from NHRA drag racing, Wally Dallenbach Sr., Art Pollard, and Bill Vukovich Jr. from USAC open-wheel racing, and Butch Hartman from USAC’s stock car division, took that trip.
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During his visit to the war-torn camp of the US soldiers, Cale Yarborough made stops at Da Nang, the Mekong Delta, Saigon, at hospitals in Binh Thuy and Pleiku, time on PBR boats, and a tour of the USS Hornet.
In an emotional throwback post shared by nascarman on social media, fans could witness the moment he shook hands with one of the hospitalized soldiers.
As Richard Petty said, “It was kind of miserable to do it but to see what these guys in the service have to go through, it gives you a different perspective when you see them and talk to them and thank them for being able to do what we want to do.”
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The visit from these drivers was a part of a goodwill campaign. They wanted to bring some joy to the troops who were stuck in the war and unable to go home for Christmas. But it was not the only patriotic thing that Yarborough did.
Throughout his life, Yarborough was actively involved in politics and wanted to serve the people of America. He was the County Councilman of Florence County. In his own words, the people took him very “seriously” as he handled the County, taking care of multiple responsibilities.
His work was widely recognized in South Carolina. In 2010, Yarborough was awarded the Palmetto Patriot award by Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer for his contributions to the citizens and the state of South Carolina.
Cale Yarborough is just one example of the patriotic spirit that runs in NASCAR…
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NASCAR drapes Daytona Duels in patriotic colors ahead of 2026 season
After being sponsored by brands like Gatorade, Budweiser, etc., NASCAR has decided to go all in on patriotic vigor for this year. Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, the Daytona Duels have a new name: America 250 Florida Duels at Daytona.
Daytona is doing this in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in what will be its 68th year of running.
The flyer for the race splashed red and blue with star-spangled decorations in order to show NASCAR’s support as the prime offering from the States. These Duels are the qualifying races for the ‘Great American Race,’ the Daytona 500.
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Within this initiative, the FDOT officials are adding another. They are promoting their ‘Target Zero’ initiative to eliminate traffic accidents and injuries.
“It’s an honor to welcome the Florida Department of Transportation as our new sponsor for the America 250 Florida Duel at DAYTONA to help kick off Speedweeks Presented by AdventHealth in 2026,” said Frank Kelleher, president of the Daytona International Speedway.
With the new naming scheme, NASCAR has made one thing clear–they are going to embrace the legacy of representing America even more.
The post When a NASCAR Hall of Fame Legend Went to War-Torn Vietnam to Help American Soldiers appeared first on EssentiallySports.
