William Harry Atkinson III (September 16, 1934 – March 15, 2010) was an American auto dealer and stock car racing driver. He competed in one event in the NASCAR Grand National Division, now the NASCAR Cup Series.
Personal life Born in Waycross, Georgia in 1934, Atkinson and his family moved to Bunnell, Florida in 1943, with his father purchasing the Bunnell Motor Company in 1944."William Harry Atkinson III Obituary". The Daytona Beach News-Journal, March 19, 2010. Accessed 2013-01-12 A 1952 graduate of Bunnell High School, Atkinson took over the business upon the death of his father in 1962,"W.H. Atkinson Dies Suddenly at Home Saturday". The Flagler Tribune, October 4, 1962. Page 1. operating the company until 1975. He also served two terms as a city commissioner in Bunnell.
Racing career Atkinson competed in stock car auto racing during the early and mid-1950s, competing in a single event in the NASCAR Grand National Division in 1956 at the Daytona Beach and Road Course. Starting 48th in a field of 80 cars, Atkinson finished 51st overall in the No. 265 Ford owned by his father."Atkinson - NASCAR Sprint Cup Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Accessed 2013-01-12.
Atkinson, through the Bunnell Motor Company, sponsored the 1967 Daytona 500-winning car of Mario Andretti.
Death Atkinson died of natural causes on March 15, 2010, at his home in Bunnell. He had been married for 35 years and had three sons and two daughters.
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