Richie Evans

The unquestioned king of modified racing, Richie Evans won nine NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour championships before his untimely death in an accident during practice at Martinsville Speedway in 1985.

The Rome, N.Y., driver captured his first title in 1973 and from 1978 through 1985 won a remarkable eight championships in a row. In 1979, Evans started 60 NASCAR Modified races and posted 54 top-five finishes -- including 37 victories.

In 1986, Evans was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame at Darlington Raceway. Ten years later, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala.