Terrific Trio - Teague, Yunick & the Hudson Hornet

[revilo]

When we talk about the fifties, we have to include this trio who made their impact felt, if only briefly, during the borning years of NASCAR. Driver Marshall Teague paired with the Wizard Smokey Yunick, and of course the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. The low center of gravity and the big flathead six of the Hornet gave the car a distinct advantage in the early fifties, but when combined with the "fine tuning" of Smokey and the driving ability of Teague, it became a dominant force. In 1951 and '52 Teague and the Hornet won seven of the 19 races they entered, including the beach course at Daytona. Marshall Teague lost his life, at age 36, in a speed test at Daytona.

[pmossberg]

Marshall Teague beside the Fabulous Hudson Hornet with his daughter at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1952



Marshall Teague (February 22, 1922 - February 11, 1959)

He was nicknamed by NASCAR fans as the "King of the Beach" for his performances at the Daytona Beach Road Course.

He walked into fellow Daytona Beach resident Smokey Yunick's "Best Damned Garage in Town", and launched Yunick's legendary NASCAR mechanic career.

Teague competed in 23 NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) races from 1949 to 1952 winning seven of them. Teague approached Hudson by traveling to Michigan and visiting the plant without an appointment: by the end of the visit Hudson virtually assured Teague of corporate support and cars: the relationship was formalized shortly after the visit. During the 1951 and 1952 seasons Teague was a member of the Hudson Motors team and driving what he called the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Teague was also instrumental in helping Hudson tune the I6 powered Hudson Hornet to its maximum stock capability. When combined with the cars light weight and low center of gravity, the Hornet allowed Teague and the other Hudson drivers to dominate stock car racing from 1951 through 1954, consistently beating out other drivers in cars powered by larger, more modern engines. Yunick and Teague won 27 of 34 events in major stock car events. He was also the inspiration for Doc Hudson in the film Cars.

Smokey's history thread is here:

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