Samuel Julian Ard was an American professional stock car racing driver.
13 Facts About Sam Ard
1.
2.
Sam Ard won two NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series championships, in 1983 and 1984.
3.
Sam Ard retired from driving after being injured in late 1984 and became a car owner.
4.
Sam Ard battled Parkinson's in the later stages of his life and died in April 2017 at age 78.
5.
In 1981, Sam Ard finished fifth in the season-long NASCAR National Championship point standings.
6.
Sam Ard was the runner-up in 1982 of NASCAR's Late Model Sportsman Series, winning four races and finishing out of the top ten only six times.
7.
Sam Ard continued his dominant streak in 1984, with eight wins and twenty-four top fives in 28 starts.
8.
Sam Ard was seriously injured in a crash at the Rockingham Speedway on October 20,1984.
9.
Sam Ard made his first and only Winston Cup Series start on September 23,1984, at Martinsville.
10.
Sam Ard started 27th in the 31-car field, but lasted just one lap before a steering failure ended his day.
11.
Sam Ard served in the Vietnam War as a member of the US Air Force.
12.
Sam Ard married his wife Jo in 1961, and they had four children.
13.
Sam Ard's team was a post-entry for the race and thus did not receive points.