Bobby Hamilton | |||||||
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![]() Hamilton in 1997 | |||||||
Born | Charles Robert Hamilton May 29, 1957 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||
Died | January 7, 2007 Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, U.S. | (aged 49)||||||
Cause of death | Head and neck cancer | ||||||
Achievements | 2004 Craftsman Truck Series Champion | ||||||
Awards | 1991 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
371 races run over 15 years | |||||||
Best finish | 9th (1996) | ||||||
First race | 1989 Autoworks 500 (Phoenix) | ||||||
Last race | 2005 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 (Atlanta) | ||||||
First win | 1996 Dura Lube 500 (Phoenix) | ||||||
Last win | 2001 Talladega 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
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NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
86 races run over 12 years | |||||||
Best finish | 11th (1989, 1990) | ||||||
First race | 1988 All Pro 300 (Charlotte) | ||||||
Last race | 2005 Federated Auto Parts 300 (Nashville) | ||||||
First win | 1989 Commonwealth 200 (Richmond) | ||||||
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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
102 races run over 11 years | |||||||
Best finish | 1st (2004) | ||||||
First race | 1996 Hanes 250 (Martinsville) | ||||||
Last race | 2006 John Deere 200 (Atlanta) | ||||||
First win | 2000 NAPA 250 (Martinsville) | ||||||
Last win | 2005 UAW/GM Ohio 250 (Mansfield) | ||||||
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Charles Robert Hamilton Sr. (May 29, 1957 – January 7, 2007) was an American stock car racing driver and racing team owner. A driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship, Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing. Hamilton's son, Bobby Hamilton Jr., was also a NASCAR driver.
Hamilton may be best remembered for two of his Winston Cup Series wins. His first career victory at the 1996 Dura Lube 500 at Phoenix was the first win for the No. 43 Petty car since Richard Petty's last win in 1984.[1] He also had a memorable win at the Talladega 500 in April 2001 driving the No. 55 car for owner Andy Petree. The entire 500-mile race was run caution-free and was under intense scrutiny from both NASCAR and the media at large, being the first superspeedway race run since the death of Dale Earnhardt at the 2001 Daytona 500 two months earlier. A physically and mentally exhausted Hamilton slumped to the ground after exiting his car and was given oxygen from a tank before giving the standard post-race Victory Lane interview while sitting on the ground, leaning against the drivers door.