DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR recently celebrated the 2013 class of inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The five-person class, consisting of Buck Baker, Cotton Owens, Herb Thomas, Rusty Wallace and Leonard Wood, were officially inducted in a ceremony on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013, at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.
A Tribute To My Grandfather, My Hero by Ryan Owens
"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.
- Erma Bombeck
There can be no doubt that God is smiling proudly upon Cotton right now, nodding in affirmation that indeed he did give everything he had within him.
We would like to extend our sincerest Thank You to all of our friends and extended family for all the prayers, kind wishes and for remembering this fine lady who graced all of our lives with her special love and kindness. Dot Owens was perhaps the last of the original Southern Ladies of Racing who contributed so much to the sport while more importantly leaving a remarkable legacy of enduring warmth and affection to her family and all those who knew her. We will forever keep her in our thoughts and hearts.
Cotton Owens Inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame
COLUMBIA, SC, - The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame has announced the Class of 2009, including Everett "Cotton" Owens and fellow inductees Skip Harlicka, Jack Thompson, Ty Cline, Robert Porcher, Bobby Giles, Sylvia Hatchell, and Herman Helms. This annual ceremony celebrates the lives of men and women whose remarkable talent and drive to succeed will earn them a place in athletic history. The annual banquet and induction ceremony will be held Monday, May 18th at the Metropolitan Columbia Convention Center.
In addition to the inductees donning of the symbolic blue jackets, the Bobby Richardson Sportsmanship Award recipient and the pro and amateur athletes of the year will also be honored.
The affair, which includes a host of returning past inductees, may well be the greatest annual collection of Palmetto State sports stars under one roof.
Cotton Owens Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega Superspeedway
TALLADEGA, ALA. - The International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega Superspeedway has announced the Class of 2008, including Everett "Cotton" Owens and fellow inductees Art Arfons, Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins, Frank Kurtis and Ralph Seagraves. They will be enshrined on April 24, 2008 before the Cup event.
"This induction class is a perfect example of what makes the International Motorsports Hall of Fame so unique," said Talladega Superspeedway President and IMHOF Executive Director Rick Humphrey.
"With this class we are honoring drivers, an owner, a fabricator, an engine builder and a promoter. These men comprise the building blocks of all motorsports."
GOT HEMI? Pictured below is Cotton Owens' restoration of a 1964 Dodge Polara to NASCAR racing specifications of that era, complete with a vintage 426 Hemi NASCAR-spec racing engine exceeding 650+ horsepower. This is the ORIGINAL RACE MOTOR that won the last 5 races it competed in on the way to bringing Cotton Owens and David Pearson the NASCAR Championship in 1966. David Pearson won 15 races that year and took home $58,205 for his efforts. (click to view larger images or click here to view the full gallery, including the building of this car.)
How Did Cotton Get His Nickname?
It was no accident that Owens became a top race mechanic and driver. As a boy he climbed trees outside the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds track in Spartanburg to watch races. Little did Promoter Joe Littlejohn know when he chased him out, that the skinny, white-headed youngster would some day be one of his star attractions.
Born Everett Owens, Cotton got the name that has become his trademark while perched on a limb watching the races. It was Littlejohn, who has remained a close friend and chief booster of Owens over the years, who tabbed him.
"As I looked out beyond the fence into the trees all I could see was his head, a little white ball that looked like cotton in bloom," Littlejohn recalls. "I'd tell one of my guards to go get that cotton ball and chase him inside."
NOW PLAYING! - Cotton Owens watches his driver, Chargin' Charlie Gloztbach, go for a spin at Darlington International Raceway, 1968.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have old racing photos of Cotton or some of his racing cars or drivers in action, we would be very grateful for any items you would like to share with us, and with your permission, with the world at large through our website. Old racing stories or memories are also welcomed and appreciated. Email us at contact@cottonowens.com. We would be glad to hear from you!
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