By The Time NASCAR Figured Out This Driver’s Strange Motive, It Was Already Too Late

While the title of greatest NASCAR track is a matter of some debate, most aficionados of the sport will attest that the Talladega Superspeedway is among the contenders for that crown. Drivers spend their lives dreaming of this course, but very few actually get to speed around it. One person who did, though, was L. W. Wright, today regarded as a legendary figure. But while he was certainly no ordinary racer, today he’s remembered for all the wrong reasons.

The Winston 500

This story takes us back to the springtime of 1982 when racing enthusiasts were getting ready for the Winston 500. For a lot of people back then, the Winston 500 was the best race around. And to make things even more enticing that particular year, word had got out about some newcomer who fancied his chances.

The real deal

On paper, L.W. Wright looked like the real deal. His stats suggested he’d gained a lot of racing experience over the years, plus he was sponsored by famous musicians T.G. Sheppard and Merle Haggard. These stars obviously trusted this up-and-coming racer, so expectations were now running high. Could Wright even manage to take first place on the big day?

The qualifier

Well, first things first, Wright had to enter a qualifying race so he could actually compete at the Winston 500. But despite all the buzz, this qualifier didn’t go as well as might have been expected. In fact, Wright only just scraped through it. Maybe he’d been having an off day?

Acting strange

Regardless, Wright had done enough and eventually the day of the Winston 500 arrived. He was about to drive in what some regarded as the greatest of all races — but something seemed a little off. People around Wright noticed his behavior was strange, almost like he wasn’t prepared. Was it nerves? Well, as the day unfolded, it became clear that Wright wasn’t quite the racer people thought...