Lawrence Neil Bonnett was an American NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 poles over his 18-year career.
24 Facts About Neil Bonnett
2.
Neil Bonnett rose to prominence in the late 1970s with his performances in cars owned by Jim Stacy and Wood Brothers Racing, becoming one of the top competitors in the 1980s.
3.
Neil Bonnett appeared in the 1983 film Stroker Ace and the 1990 film Days of Thunder.
4.
Neil Bonnett hosted the TV show Winners for TNN from 1991 to 1994.
5.
Neil Bonnett was a color commentator for CBS, TBS, and TNN in the years until his death.
6.
Neil Bonnett's driving career was interrupted by a severe brain injury from a crash in 1990.
7.
Neil Bonnett was killed while practicing for the 1994 Daytona 500 for a much-anticipated comeback.
8.
Neil Bonnett was born in the Birmingham suburb of Hueytown, Alabama on July 30,1946.
9.
Neil Bonnett began his NASCAR career as a protege of 1983 Winston Cup champion Bobby Allison, working on the team's cars.
10.
Neil Bonnett later became part of the famous "Alabama Gang" that included himself, Red Farmer and the Allison family: father Bobby, brother Donnie and, later, son Davey.
11.
Neil Bonnett had another victory in 1977 at the Los Angeles Times 500, which would be the last Dodge win in NASCAR until 2001.
12.
Neil Bonnett later won back-to-back World 600s in 1982 and 1983 and back-to-back Busch Clash victories in 1983 and '84, including his first in which he did not win a single pole from the previous season, but was selected as a wild card entry.
13.
In 1984, Neil Bonnett joined Junior Johnson's team, becoming a teammate to Darrell Waltrip.
14.
Neil Bonnett participated in International Race of Champions during three seasons, and finished second twice.
15.
Neil Bonnett holds the distinction of being the winner of the first ever NASCAR race held outside of North America when he won the 1988 Goodyear NASCAR 500 at the Calder Park Thunderdome in Melbourne, Australia.
16.
Neil Bonnett, who had won the Pontiac Excitement 400 at Richmond International Raceway the previous weekend, started from the pole driving his Valvoline sponsored Pontiac Grand Prix.
17.
Neil Bonnett was left with amnesia and dizziness and retired from racing and turned to television, becoming a race color commentator for TNN, CBS Sports, and TBS Sports, and hosting the TV show Winners for TNN.
18.
Neil Bonnett was uninjured and called the rest of the race from the CBS broadcast booth after being cleared at the infield care center.
19.
Neil Bonnett would start the final race of the 1993 season in Atlanta, but he dropped out after just three laps.
20.
Earnhardt needed to maximize his finishing position, and by Neil Bonnett quitting the race he was assured of those three championship points.
21.
Neil Bonnett did not survive the accident; he was 47 years old.
22.
Neil Bonnett is buried in Pleasant Grove's cemetery, Forest Grove Memorial Gardens.
23.
When Earnhardt, Neil Bonnett's colleague, won the 1998 Daytona 500, he dedicated the victory to Neil Bonnett among others.
24.
Neil Bonnett was portrayed by the actor Sean Bridgers in the TV movie 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story.