Elmo Harold Langley (August 21, 1928 – November 21, 1996) was a NASCAR driver and owner. Langley primarily used the number 64 on his race cars during his NASCAR career.

Elmo Langley
BornElmo Harold Langley
(1928-08-21)August 21, 1928
Creswell, North Carolina
DiedNovember 21, 1996(1996-11-21) (aged 68)
Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Cause of deathHeart attack
NASCAR Cup Series career
535 races run over 27 years
Best finish5th (1969, 1971)
First race1954 Southern 500 (Darlington)
Last race1981 Mason-Dixon 500 (Dover)
First win1966 race #23 (Spartanburg)
Last win1966 Old Dominion 150 (Manassas)
Wins Top tens Poles
2 193 1
NASCAR Grand National East Series career
23 races run over 2 years
Best finish2nd (1972)
First race1972 Hickory 276 (Hickory)
Last race1973 Buddy Shuman 100 (Hickory)
First win1972 Fun Sun 200 (Myrtle Beach)
Last win1972 Fun Sun 200 (Myrtle Beach)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 19 2
Statistics current as of October 27, 2013.

Racing career

edit

Langley began his racing career racing modified cars in Virginia and Maryland in 1952. Langley came into NASCAR as a Driver/Owner in 1954. In 1966 he partnered with Henry Woodfield and created Langley-Woodfield Racing. That same year Langley won the only two races of his long career. After the second race of the 1969 season, Langley and Woodfield split and Langley continued to run the team on his own returning to the driver/owner role.

Langley finished 5th in season points in 1969 and 1971, 6th in 1968 and 1970, 7th in 1972, 8th in 1975, and 9th in 1967 and 1973. His final full season was as a driver for Langley Racing in 1975.

He continued to drive in a few select races until 1981 when he hung up the helmet for good. Langley began to field his familiar #64 for other drivers to develop their career including Tommy Gale, Joe Millikan, Jimmy Hensley and Ken Schrader. Langley shut down his team after the 1987 season.

On April 15, 1988, Langley was named as the crew chief for Cale Yarborough and Dale Jarrett with his duties in effect after that year's First Union 400 where he attended as an observer.[1]

Elmo's very last race was the Battle of the NASCAR Legends race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1991. The race featured such drivers as Cale Yarborough, Junior Johnson, Pete Hamilton, and Donnie Allison. The winner was Langley, beating Yarborough to the line by about 3 feet on the last lap.

From April 1989 through November 1996, Langley served as the official pace car driver for all Winston Cup events. Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace were well known to bump and draft his car during pace laps.

Personal life

edit

Langley was married to Nancy and had four sons; Elmo Jr., Raymond, William and Steven. He lived in Harrisburg, North Carolina.[2]

Death

edit

On November 21, 1996, Langley was in Suzuka, Japan to drive the pace car in the NASCAR Thunder Special Suzuka exhibition race which was held on November 24.[3] During a test drive, he began to experience chest pains. He was subsequently taken to the Suzuka General Hospital where he was pronounced dead when his heart stopped beating before arrival.[4] NASCAR legend and TBS Superstation analyst Buddy Baker was in the pace car at the time Langley suffered his heart attack, and was one of the last people to see Langley still alive.[5]

Motorsports career results

edit

NASCAR

edit

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

Grand National Series

edit
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 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 NGNC Pts Ref
1954 Langley Racing 53 Olds PBS DAB JSP ATL OSP OAK NWS HBO CCS LAN WIL MAR SHA RSP CLT GAR CLB LND HCY MCF WGS PIF AWS SFS GRS MOR OAK CLT SAN COR DAR
12
CCS CLT LAN
59
MAS MAR NWS 34th 864 [6]
1955 TCS PBS JSP DAB OSP CLB HBO NWS MGY LAN CLT HCY ASF TUS MAR RCH
8
NCF FOR LIN MCF FON AIR CLT PIF CLB AWS RSP
23
100th - [7]
John Dodd, Sr. 171 Dodge MOR
16
ALS NYF SAN CLT FOR MAS
Langley Racing 76 Dodge DAR
59
MGY LAN RSP GPS MAS CLB MAR LVP NWS HBO
1956 81 Chevy HCY CLT WSS PBS ASF DAB PBS WIL ATL NWS LAN RCH CLB CON GPS HCY HBO MAR LIN CLT POR EUR NYF MER MAS CLT MCF POR AWS RSP PIF CSF CHI CCF MGY OKL ROA OBS SAN NOR PIF MYB POR DAR
19
CSH CLT LAN POR CLB HBO NWP CLT CCF MAR HCY WIL NA 0 [8]
1957 8 WSS CON TIC DAB CON WIL HBO AWS NWS LAN CLT PIF GBF POR CCF RCH MAR POR EUR LIN
11
LCS ASP NWP CLB CPS PIF JAC RSP CLT MAS POR HCY NOR LCS GLN KPC LIN OBS MYB DAR NYF AWS CSF SCF LAN CLB CCF CLT MAR NBR CON NWS GBF NA 0 [9]
1958 FAY DAB CON FAY WIL HBO FAY
24
CLB PIF ATL CLT MAR
43
ODS
7
OBS
5
GPS GBF STR NWS BGS TRN
13
RSD CLB NBS REF LIN
24
HCY AWS RSP MCC SLS TOR BUF MCF BEL BRR CLB NSV AWS BGS MBS DAR CLT BIR CSF GAF RCH
8
HBO SAS 39th 980 [10]
Ratus Walters 10 Ford MAR
39
NWS ATL
23
1959 FAY DAY
30
DAY
25
HBO
17
CON
8
ATL WIL
18
BGS CLB NWS REF
22
HCY MAR HEI
17
CLT MBS CLT 28th 1568 [11]
110 TRN
18
CLT NSV ASP PIF GPS ATL CLB WIL RCH BGS AWS
10 Buick DAY
36
NSV
3
AWS
23
BGS GPS CLB DAR
45
HCY RCH CSF HBO MAR
40
AWS NWS CON
1960 CLT CLB DAY DAY
32
DAY
52
CLT NWS PHO CLB MAR
27
HCY WIL BGS GPS AWS DAR PIF HBO RCH HMS CLT BGS DAY
32
HEI MAB MBS ATL BIR NSV AWS PIF CLB SBO BGS 54th 1534 [12]
Gerald Duke 92 Ford DAR
45
HCY CSF GSP
Doc White 61 Ford HBO
14
MAR
19
NWS
23
CLT
17
RCH
14
Happy Steigel 16 Pontiac ATL
40
1961 Doc White 61 Ford CLT
12
HCY
6
RCH
5
MAR DAR
31
CLT CLT RSD ASP CLT
17
PIF BIR GPS BGS NOR HAS STR DAY ATL CLB MBS BRI NSV BGS AWS RCH
8
SBO
12
RCH
8
CSF 30th 5376 [13]
16 Pontiac JSP
16
DAY
Happy Steigel 16 Pontiac DAY
21
DAY
25
PIF AWS HMS ATL
17
GPS HBO BGS MAR NWS CLB
Fred Clark 30 Chevy DAR
13
HCY
J.L. Cheatham 96 Chevy ATL
28
MAR NWS
32 Ford CLT
24
BRI GPS HBO
1962 Ratus Walters 77 Ford CON AWS DAY DAY
19
DAY
47
CON AWS SVH HBO RCH CLB NWS GPS MBS MAR BGS BRI RCH HCY CON 40th 2556 [14]
Langley Racing 64 Ford DAR
24
PIF CLT ATL BGS AUG RCH SBO DAY CLB ASH GPS AUG SVH MBS BRI CHT NSV HUN AWS STR BGS PIF VAL RCH
32
DTS AUG MAR NWS CLT
82 DAR
16
HCY
Ratus Walters 66 Ford ATL
13
1963 Langley Racing 64 Ford BIR GGS THS RSD DAY DAY DAY PIF AWS HBO
18
ODS
5
RCH
15
CLT BIR ATL DAY MBS SVH DTS
6
BGS
20
ASH
12
OBS
17
BRR 39th 3982 [15]
Lyle Stelter 55 Mercury ATL
15
HCY BRI AUG RCH GPS SBO BGS MAR NWS CLB THS DAR
Bob Adams 09 Chevy BRI
DNQ
GPS NSV CLB AWS
15
PIF BGS ONA DAR
18
HCY
Ratus Walters 66 Ford RCH
26
MAR DTS NWS THS CLT SBO HBO RSD
1964 CON AUG JSP SVH RSD DAY DAY DAY RCH BRI GPS BGS ATL AWS HBO
11
PIF CLB NWS MAR SVH DAR 42nd 4400 [16]
Henry Woodfield 08 Ford LGY
6
HCY
8
SBO
16
John Berejoski 64 Ford CLT
42
GPS ASH ATL CON NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF DAY ODS
6
OBS
7
BRR ISP GLN LIN
14
BRI NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA CLB BGS STR DAR
21
HCY RCH
16
ODS
8
HBO MAR
24
SVH NWS CLT
11
HAR AUG JAC
18
1965 Langley Racing Ford RSD DAY
17
DAY DAY
21
PIF AWS RCH
13
HBO
4
ATL GPS
18
NWS
29
MAR
6
CLB BRI
30
DAR LGY
3
BGS
7
HCY
13
CLT
35
CCF ASH HAR NSV BIR ATL GPS
DNQ
MBS VAL DAY
21
ODS
6
OBS
17
ISP GLN
7
BRI
33
NSV
16
CCF AWS
12
SMR
12
PIF
3
AUG
13
CLB DTS BLV
13
DAR
26
ODS
6
RCH
12
MAR
34
NWS
14
CLT
27
HBO CAR
8
DTS
21
25th 10982 [17]
84 BGS
12
Emory Gilliam 00 Ford HCY
16
LIN
16
1966 Langley Racing 64 Ford AUG
30
RSD DAY CAR
7
BRI
4
ATL
30
HCY
6
CLB
22
GPS
25
BGS
5
NWS
21
MAR
4
DAR
7
LGY
4
MGR
8
MON
9
RCH
17
CLT
25
DTS
16
ASH
11
PIF
1
SMR
4
AWS
11
BLV
16
DAY
13
ODS
1*
BRR
5
OXF
24
FON
15
ISP
5
BRI
6
SMR
26
NSV
17
ATL
30
CLB
6
AWS
22
BLV
2
BGS
15
DAR
18
HCY
12
RCH
5
HBO
6
MAR
33
NWS
29
CLT
30
CAR
19
11th 19116 [18]
Chevy DAY
13
DAY
45
Gene Black 74 Ford GPS
3
1967 Langley Racing 64 Ford AUG
8
RSD DAY
16
DAY DAY
20
AWS
8
BRI
6
GPS
6
BGS ATL
26
CLB
8
HCY
13
NWS
18
MAR
7
SVH
4
RCH
14
DAR
9
BLV
13
LGY
4
CLT
15
CAR
24
GPS
3
MGY
5
DAY
22
TRN
5
OXF
9
FDA
23
ISP
8
BRI
7
SMR
8
NSV
31
ATL
24
BGS
7
CLB
3
SVH
2
DAR
34
HCY
5
RCH
12
BLV
15
HBO
6
MAR
20
NWS
23
CLT
30
CAR
9
AWS
22
9th 22286 [19]
4 ASH
14
DeWitt Racing Ford MGR
3
SMR
5
BIR
1968 Langley Racing 64 Ford MGR
6
MGY
12
RSD DAY
25
BRI
9
RCH
3
ATL
17
HCY
10
GPS
10
CLB
8
NWS
31
MAR
10
AUG
12
AWS
5
DAR
10
BLV
13
CLT
18
ASH
5
MGR
22
SMR
6
BIR
6
CAR
23
DAY
18
ISP
7
OXF
24
FDA
7
TRN
9
BRI
11
SMR
6
NSV
6
ATL
30
CLB
4
BGS
5
AWS
16
SBO
7
LGY
7
DAR
12
HCY
5
RCH
9
MAR
32
NWS
10
AUG
18
CAR
40
JFC
8
6th 2823 [20]
Champion Racing 10 Ford LGY
8
Langley Racing 93 Ford GPS
7
Seifert Racing 45 Ford BLV
17
HBO
9
47 CLT
13
1969 Langley Racing 64 Ford MGR
4
MGY
21
RSD
19
DAY
14
DAY DAY
20
CAR
22
AUG
25
BRI
8
ATL
21
CLB
6
HCY
11
GPS
4
RCH
3
NWS
9
MAR
8
AWS
19
DAR
16
BLV
4
LGY
7
CLT
10
MGR
8
SMR
5
MCH
36
KPT
6
GPS
9
NCF
5
DAY
14
BLV
23
BRI
14
NSV
10
SMR
4
ATL
28
MCH
13
SBO
5
BGS
4
AWS
4
DAR
26
HCY
7
RCH
21
TAL
DNQ
CLB
6
MAR
9
NWS
16
CLT
13
SVH
5
AUG
5
JFC
6
MGR
20
TWS
27
5th 3383 [21]
84 DOV
5
TPN
20
TRN
9
Champion Racing 41 Ford CAR
22
1970 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD
36
RCH
3
CAR
9
SVH
7
BRI
13
TAL
27
NWS
8
CLB
13
BLV
7
LGY
8
SMR
17
MAR
24
HCY
7
KPT
11
GPS
6
SMR
20
CLB
6
ONA
7
BGS
8
SBO
8
HCY
10
RCH
12
NCF
18
NWS
11
MAR
29
MGR
8
6th 3154 [22]
Mercury DAY
13
DAY DAY
28
ATL
11
DAR
31
CLT
35
MCH
11
RSD
17
DAY
28
AST
7
TPN
10
TRN
13
NSV
34
ATL
13
MCH
13
TAL
12
DAR
21
DOV
19
CLT
6
CAR
13
LGY
7
45 Ford BRI
8
1971 Langley Racing 64 Mercury RSD
17
DAY DAY
7
DAY
14
ONT
11
RCH
6
CAR
9
HCY
5
BRI
7
ATL
18
DAR
10
TAL
28
ASH
2
CLT
27
MCH
22
RSD
27
HOU
4
DAY
27
ATL
40
BGS
15
MCH
21
TAL
11
DAR
34
CLT
14
DOV
8
CAR
29
MGR 5th 3356 [23]
Clyde Lynn 20 Ford CLB
5
MAR
12
Mercury GPS
10
Langley Racing 64 Ford SMR
4
NWS
15
SBO
24
KPT
2
DOV
7
GPS
4
NSV
17
ONA
25
CLB
7
HCY
2
MAR
7
RCH
5
NWS
10
TWS
41
Ron Ronacher 67 Ford BRI
6
AST
5
TRN
15
Mercury ISP
3

Winston Cup Series

edit
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 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD
8
DAY
12
RCH
7
ONT
9
CAR
9
ATL
34
BRI
7
DAR
13
NWS
24
MAR
11
TAL
24
DOV
25
MCH
29
RSD TWS
29
DAY
35
BRI
11
TRN
11
ATL
20
TAL
14
MCH
12
NSV
5
DAR
22
RCH
22
DOV
7
MAR
9
NWS
8
CLT
35
CAR
13
TWS
24
7th 6656.25 [24]
Mercury CLT
11
1973 Ford RSD
7
DAY
DNQ
RCH
12
CAR
21
BRI
12
ATL
26
NWS
13
DAR
35
MAR
11
TAL
19
NSV
17
CLT
14
DOV
17
TWS
27
RSD
19
MCH
19
DAY
16
BRI
9
ATL
38
TAL
21
NSV
21
DAR
31
RCH
15
DOV
8
NWS
14
MAR
13
CLT
8
CAR
12
9th 5826.85 [25]
1974 Mercury RSD
15
25th 433.78 [26]
Ford DAY
DNQ
RCH
9
CAR
38
BRI
16
ATL DAR
38
NWS
13
MAR
27
TAL
23
NSV
12
DOV
18
CLT RSD MCH DAY BRI
27
NSV
18
ATL
16
POC
18
MCH
16
DAR
20
RCH
6
DOV
22
NWS
26
MAR
7
CLT
DNQ
CAR
25
ONT
Adams Racing 56 Ford TAL
20
Champion Racing 10 Ford CLT
33
1975 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD
5
DAY RCH
5
CAR
12
BRI
17
ATL
17
NWS
27
DAR
20
MAR
11
NSV
15
DOV
12
CLT
24
RSD
12
MCH
14
DAY
25
POC
24
TAL
14
MCH
18
DAR
10
DOV
24
NWS
14
MAR
10
CLT
10
RCH
7
CAR
23
BRI
19
ONT
22
8th 3399 [27]
Dodge TAL
14
Champion Racing 10 Ford NSV
10
Handy Racing 33 Chevy ATL
15
1976 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY CAR RCH
10
BRI
15
ATL NWS
15
DAR MAR
13
TAL NSV
13
DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI
25
DAR RCH
15
DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 36th 824 [28]
1977 RSD DAY RCH
20
CAR ATL NWS DAR BRI
16
MAR TAL NSV
28
POC TAL MAR
16
NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 42nd 634 [29]
Price Racing 45 Chevy NSV
23
Junior Miller Racing 95 Chevy DOV
31
CLT RSD MCH DAY
Robbins Racing 42 Dodge MCH
35
BRI DAR RCH DOV
1978 Gray Racing 10 Chevy RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV
37
CLT NSV RSD MCH DAY 67th 243 [30]
Langley Racing 64 Ford NSV
16
POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
Gray Racing 19 Chevy CAR
29
ATL ONT
1979 Nelson Malloch Racing 05 Chevy RSD DAY CAR RCH ATL NWS BRI DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV
28
CLT TWS 57th 246 [31]
Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD
35
MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR
DNQ
CLT NWS CAR ATL ONT
1981 Speed Racing 66 Olds RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV
29
CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 96th 76 [32]
Daytona 500
edit
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1959 Ratus Walters Ford 48 25
1960 Buick 55 52
1961 Happy Steigel Pontiac 38 25
1962 Ratus Walters Ford 39 47
1965 Langley Racing Ford 31 21
1966 Chevrolet 26 45
1967 Ford 33 20
1968 17 25
1969 29 20
1970 Mercury 25 28
1971 16 14
1972 Ford 38 12
1973 DNQ
1974 DNQ

References

edit
  1. ^ "Langley new Yarborough crew chief". The Item. April 15, 1988. p. 5B.
  2. ^ "Elmo Langley, 68, Nascar Pace-Car Driver". The New York Times. 1996-11-22. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
  3. ^ "Elmo Langley dead at 68". motorsport.com. 1996-11-21. Archived from the original on 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
  4. ^ "Elmo Langley, NASCAR official". Beaver County Times. November 22, 1996. p. A4.
  5. ^ "1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Suzuka Thunder 100". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1954 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  7. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1955 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  8. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  9. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1957 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  10. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1958 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  11. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1959 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  12. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  13. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  14. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  15. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  16. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  17. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  18. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  19. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  20. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  21. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  22. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  23. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  24. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  25. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  26. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  27. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  28. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  29. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  30. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  31. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  32. ^ "Elmo Langley – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
edit