Johnny Roberts (May 31, 1924 - July 25, 1965) was a NASCAR driver from Brooklyn, MD. He competed in thirteen Sprint Cup Series events in his career, earning one top-ten.
His racing career began in 1949, just by chance he stopped at Reading Speedway in Pennsylvania. After reading that there was a car minus a driver, he walked up to the promoters and volunteered to get behind the wheel, as it looked like fun. Once behind the wheel he was a natural as he drove to a fifth place finish. Racing was now in his blood and so a racing career began.
Roberts' NASCAR debut came in 1953, when he competed at the famous Daytona Beach. Starting 49th in the large field of fifty-seven, Roberts had a midpack race and finished 32nd. He fared a bit better in his other start that year, showing 25th at Spring Lake. By the end of 1953 it was apparent that a champion was born, as Johnny Roberts won the NASCAR National Sportsman Championship, the first of 3 NASCAR Titles. The other two were from the NASCAR National Modified Series, '60 & '61.
Roberts also competed in a pair of races during the 1954 season. He started the year off at Palm Beach, falling a great many laps down to finish 20th. But that race was better than his return to Daytona, when Roberts broke an engine to finish 48th.
Roberts' best year came during the 1955 season, when he finished a career-high 60th in points. He also recorded a career-best finish of tenth at New Oxford. The rest of the results weren't too shabby either, with a 13th at Langhorne, a 14th at Richmond, and a 22nd at Altamont.
Roberts' also competed in four races during the 1956 season, with more solid finishes coming in for the driver. Despite a DNF during the year, Roberts never finished worse than 20th. His best run of the year was a 12th at Palm Beach and a 16th at his return to New Oxford.
Roberts' final career race came during 1961, when he drove for Donlavey Racing at Richmond. Starting 15th in the field of twenty-five, Roberts had a disappointing end to his career after engine issues left him 21st.
External Links[]
Johnny Roberts career NEVER ended at Donlavey! He continued racing Modifieds on the east coast, winning multi track championships and 1960 and 61 NASCAR National Modified Championships driving for Tiny Slayton of Baltimore in car #7. He chose the #7 because two of his children were born on the seventh. In the run for the 1960 title he won 17 of 21 races, was second twice, and finished third once. In 1963 he drove for Melvin Joseph of Delaware in car #49. His last two years of racing was with car owner Reds Kagle in car #7 & #8 winning a lot of races. On July 4th at Lincoln speedway in Hanover Pa. then the following 4th of July at Hagerstown Speedway (1965). His last race was a heat race July 24,1965 substituting for Bobby Ballentine (who was late getting to the track that evening) driving the #1 owned by Rubin McBee of Hanover Md.. On the seventh lap of heat one, something happened to the car causing him to loose control, hitting another car before crashing into the fence. He suffered a severe head injury, the next night the world lost a true Champion.