Ken Rush, the 1957 NASCAR rookie of the year and 1969 Grand American series champion, died as a result of a stroke Monday in his hometown of High Point, N.C. He was 80.

Rush grew up in rural Randolph County and eventually became friends with Bob Welborn and Jim Paschal -- who both went on to successful careers in NASCAR's premier division. He made his racing debut in 1955 at Bowman-Gray Stadium in nearby Winston-Salem.

Rush made 56 Cup starts between 1957 and 1972, recording 16 top-10 finishes. That included a second-place finish at Bowman-Gray. Rush never ran a full season, but with six top-10s in 1957, he earned rookie of the year honors.

In 1958, Rush won the convertible division race at the half-mile Charlotte Fairgrounds dirt track. With 10 top-five finishes in 17 starts that season, Rush finished sixth in the standings behind Welborn.

When NASCAR developed its Grand American division -- showcasing the "pony car" class -- Rush was in his element. He won the inaugural Grand American races at Talladega, Michigan and Dover, and was the only other driver other than Tiny Lund to win a championship over the four-year span of the series.

Rush's career was cut short by a savage crash at Flemington, N.J., where he suffered a broken sternum, broken jaw and lost 12 teeth when his car slammed head-on at full speed into one driven by Stan Styers.