Hershel Eldridge McGriff Sr. (born December 14, 1927) is an American professional stock car racing driver. A long-time competitor in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, formerly known as the Winston West Series, he won the series' 1986 championship, and is also a four-time winner in Grand National competition. He most recently drove the No. 04 Toyota Camry for Bill McAnally Racing in 2018.

Racing career McGriff first raced on September 16, 1945, right after racing resumed in the United States after World War II.Biography at the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, 2002, Retrieved November 7, 2007 He was the winner of the first Carrera Panamericana in 1950, where he met NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. Shav Glick, "MOTOR RACING:Ward to Enter Hall of Fame", August 15, 2006, page D.6, Los Angeles Times France convinced McGriff to come south and race in NASCAR races at Daytona Beach, the first Southern 500 race at Darlington Raceway, Detroit, and Raleigh.

France convinced McGriff to race full-time in NASCAR in 1954. He had his four wins that year in the Grand National series, the first coming at Bay Meadows Speedway. He had seventeen top-ten finishes in 24 events and finished sixth in the final points standings.Driver's statistics at Racing-reference.info McGriff's average finishing position was higher than points champion Lee Petty.

McGriff had two options to choose from for the 1955 season. He was offered a ride in NASCAR to race for millionaire Carl Kiekhaefer's newly formed team. McGriff decided to return home to the West Coast to be closer to his family and to tend to his growing timber and mill business. Tim Flock drove Kiekhaefer's Chrysler 300 to eighteen victories that season and the season championship.

McGriff returned to racing after an absence of around ten years. He started 41st at Riverside in 1967 and had moved up to second place by the sixth lap. He beat Ron Grable in a photo finish that day.

McGriff became the oldest driver to win a NASCAR feature race when he won the Spears Manufacturing 200, a Winston West Series race, in 1989 at the age of 61. His fourteen wins at the defunct Riverside International Raceway is the most at NASCAR-sanctioned events, and he was chosen as the grand marshal for the final race at the track in 1988.

In November 1996, McGriff made the trip with several NASCAR champions, current Winston Cup, Busch Grand National, and Craftsman Truck Series drivers to Japan's Suzuka Raceway for an exhibition race. He started 26th and finished 25th in what was called the NASCAR Thunder Special Suzuka.

McGriff announced his retirement following the 2002 season.

With later starts in the Camping World/K&N Pro Series East and West, McGriff set and broke his records as the oldest driver in series history.

In 2018, at the age of ninety, McGriff announced plans to run the K&N West races at Tucson Speedway, and upon starting became the oldest person to contest in a race sanctioned by NASCAR.

Career awards McGriff was inducted in the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame in its first class in 2002.

McGriff was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2006.Hershel McGriff at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America

McGriff, who retired from driving at age 74 said, "This is fantastic, getting in the Hall of Fame, but, hey, I might not be through yet. When I turn 80 [in two years], I just might go out to a short track and show the young guys that I can still do it."

In 2023, McGriff was inducted in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, alongside 2003 Cup Series Champion, Matt Kenseth, four-time Cup Series winning crew chief, Kirk Shelmerdine, and NASCAR Executive, Mike Helton.

Personal life McGriff's son Hershel Jr. currently races Outlaw Late Models, while his granddaughter Mariah competes in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series' Super Late Model and Pro Stock divisions. His brother Norman and other son Doug have also competed in NASCAR.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series NASCAR Grand National Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Pts Ref 1950 McGriff Motorsports 52 Olds DAB CLT LAN MAR CAN VER DSP MCF CLT HBO DSP HAM DAR9 LAN NWS VER MAR WIN HBO NA 0 1951 DAB CLT NMO GAR HBO ASF NWS MAR CAN CLS CLB DSP GAR GRS11 BAI HEI AWS MCF ALS NA 0 11 MSF54 FMS MOR ABS 77 DAR4 CLB CCS LAN CLT DSP WIL HBO TPN PGS MAR OAK31 NWS HMS33 JSP ATL GAR NMO 1952 Beryl Jackson 3 Olds PBS DAB JSP NWS MAR CLB ATL CCS LAN DAR DSP CAN HAY FMS HBO CLT MSF7 NIF15 OSW MON MOR PPS MCF AWS DAR CCS LAN DSP WIL HBO MAR NWS ATL PBS NA 0 1953 McGriff Motorsports 5 Olds PBS DAB HAR NWS CLT RCH CCS LAN CLB HCY MAR PMS RSP19 LOU14 FIF LAN TCS WIL MCF PIF MOR ATL RVS LCF DAV HBO AWS PAS HCY DAR CCS LAN BLF WIL NWS MAR ATL 51st 322 1954 Beryl Jackson 98 Olds PBS DAB12 JSP ATL OSP 6th 5137 9 OAK20* NWS HBO CCS LAN WIL MAR SHA Frank Christian 14 Olds RSP3 CLT10 GAR CLB2 HCY7 MCF5 WGS3 PIF10 AWS13 SFS3 GRS21 MOR3 OAK CLT15 SAN1* COR2 DAR45 CCS1 CLT1 LAN3 MAS9 MAR2 NWS1Unknown 8 Jaguar LND30 1971 Beryl Jackson 04 Plymouth RSD12 DAY DAY DAY RSD21 HOU GPS DAY BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL BGS ONA MCH TAL CLB HCY DAR MAR CLT DOV CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS NA 0 Robert Koehler 41 Plymouth ONT28 RCH CAR HCY BRI ATL CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR DAR SBO TAL ASH KPT CLT DOV MCH

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Pts Ref 1972 Beryl Jackson 04 Plymouth RSD5 DAY RCH RSD12 TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL TAL MCH NSV DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR TWS5 45th 1199.75 4W ONT6 CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV MCH 1973 04 RSD23 DAY5 RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD7 MCH DAY BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR 51st - 1974 Petty Enterprises Dodge RSD10 DAY39 RCH CAR32 BRI ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL12 NSV DOV CLT 50th 20.34 Midgley Racing 26W Chevy RSD35 MCH DAY BRI NSV ATL POC TAL MCH DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ONT 1975 29W RSD10 69th 205 Friez Enterprises 69 Chevy DAY30 RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT Midgley Racing 29 Chevy RSD19 MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR Harris Racing 82 Dodge CLT11 RCH CAR BRI ATL Friez Enterprises 26 Chevy ONT31 1976 McGriff Motorsports 50 Chevy RSD30 DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL 102nd 73 1 ONT32 1977 69 RSD7 67th 207 Puro Racing 90 Ford DAYDNQ RCH CAR ATL NWS DAR BRI MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT McGriff Motorsports 4 Chevy RSD34 MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 1978 Jefferson Racing 95 Ford RSD6 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT NSV 84th 112 McGriff Motorsports 48 Chevy RSD17 MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 1979 Midgley Racing 29 Chevy RSD DAY CAR RCH ATL NWS BRI DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL ONTDNQ NA - 1980 Robert Palmer 93 Dodge RSD26 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS 59th 270 Midgley Racing 29 Chevy RSD24 MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ATL John Kieper 98 Chevy ONT23 1981 Gerald Craker 01 Dodge RSD33 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS 66th 206 Buick RSD25 MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD38 1982 Gary Smith 04 Buick DAY RCH BRI ATL CAR DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT POC RSD33 MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS CLT MAR CAR ATL RSD28 73rd 143 1983 DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV BRI CLT RSD26 POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD8 53rd 227 1984 Pontiac DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD35 POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD9 67th - 1985 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD29 POC MCH DAY POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD26 66th 161 1986 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD28 POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD26 77th 164 1987 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR TAL CLT DOV POC RSD12 MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR RSD42 ATL 67th 164 1988 McGriff Motorsports DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD36 POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN25 MCH BRI DARDNQ RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO34 ATL 53rd 204 1989 DAY CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON14 POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHODNQ ATL 65th - 1990 Bob Lipseia DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON44 POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHODNQ ATL 105th 31 1991 DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON32 POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO27 ATL 60th 149 1992 TTC Motrosports Inc. 50 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON42 POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 97th 37 1993 04 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON43 CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 95th 34 1994 Breezly Motorsports 04W Ford DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL INDDNQ GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL NA -

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1973 Beryl Jackson Plymouth 6 5 1974 Petty Enterprises Dodge 8 39 1975 Friez Enterprises Chevy 38 30 1977 Puro Racing Ford DNQ

K&N Pro Series West