John Pershing Soares Sr. (November 7, 1918 – March 10, 2007) was an American stock car racing driver. He was a competitor in early NASCAR Grand National Series and NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Division seasons. He was an inductee of the inaugural West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame class in 2002.
Racing career In his early career, Soares raced roadsters and midgets. He was a two-time Bay Cities Racing Association hardtop champion. Soares competed in at least one Pacific Racing Association Hard Top Division race in 1951, finishing third. He also made is his NASCAR Grand National Series debut at Oakland Stadium, finishing ninth. He also competed at Marchbanks Speedway, finishing 31st, and at Carell Speedway, also finishing 31st after failing to start. In 1954 he competed in the Grand National Series again, running nine races including the Southern 500, where he finished sixth in a field of fifty cars. He also scored his lone victory in the series at Carrell Speedway in a combination race with the NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Division in its inaugural season. This win was the first for car No. 4 in what is now the NASCAR Cup Series. The race was cut short by four laps due to a scoring error. He competed full-time in the Pacific Coast Late Model Division that year, scoring the aforementioned win at Carrell, a pole position, and six top-tens, finishing fifth in the standings. In contesting the full Pacific Coast Late Model Division season, he competed in five NASCAR Short Track Division races that were combination races with the series. He competed in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman National Championship, ranked 264th in the standings. In 1955, Soares made his final Grand National Series Start, additionally being his final documented Pacific Coast Late Model Division start, finishing 20th at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. In 1969, he was 18th in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman National Championship standings. Soares stepped away from oval track racing after a fiery midget car crash at West Capital Speedway and began promoting drag racing. He made his final NASCAR attempt in 1978, failing to qualify for the 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season opener at Riverside International Raceway.
Track promotion In the 1960s, Soares began promoting Antioch Speedway and Petaluma Speedway. He continued promoting racetracks until 2002 and was inducted into Antioch's hall of fame.
Personal life Soares was married to Gladys Soares. Soares' son John Soares Jr. was also a NASCAR driver, although Soares initially pushed his son to do drag racing, building him a car. His other son Jim Soares worked in track preparation, racing photography, and as a track promoter.
Death Soares died from pneumonia on March 10, 2007.
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.)
Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series resultsYearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445PtsRef1951Harry Schilling41MercuryDABCLTNMOGARHBOASFNWSMARCANCLSCLBDSPGARGRSBAIHEIAWSMCFALSMSFFMSMORABSDARCLBCCSLANCLTDSPWILHBOTPNPGSMAROAK9NWSNANAUnknown-OldsHMS31JSPATL17GAR31NMO1954Charles Vance4DodgePBSDABJSPATLOSPOAK3NWSHBOCCSLANWILMARSHARSPCLTGAR1*CLBLNDHCYMCFWGSPIFAWSSFSGRSMOROAK23CLTSAN34COR816th207240DAR6LAN52MASMARNWS4-WCCS18CLT1219552TCSPBSJSPDABOSPCLBHBONWSMGYLANCLTHCYASF20TUSMARRCHNCFFORLINMCFFONAIRCLTPIFCLBAWSMORALSNYFSANCLTFORMASRSPDARMGYLANRSPGPSMASCLBMARLVPNWSHBO209thNA1978RPM Engineering7PlymouthRSDDNQDAYRCHCARATLBRIDARNWSMARTALDOVCLTNSVRSDMCHDAYNSVPOCTALMCHBRIDARRCHDOVMARNWSCLTCARATLONT121st0
Winston West Series NASCAR Winston West Series resultsYearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122PtsRef1954Charles Vance4DodgeOAK3GAR1*HMS2BST4OAK23VSP3SAN34BST9CAP225th97419552ASF20TUCGARCCSMBSBALGARBMSCCSBALGARLVSGARWSRNANA1978RPM Engineering7PlymouthRSDDNQAASS99SHAPETMMRRSDIFSYAKWSPLSPEVGPORCRSASPSONSHACBSYAKOSSONTPHONA0
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