by Dena White

Created on: August 04, 2008   Last Updated: November 24, 2008

On Wednesday, March 27, 1940, just twenty minutes from the Darlington Raceway, William Caleb Yarborough was born in Timmonsville, South Carolina. The son of a tobacco farmer, NASCAR legend Cale Yarborough attempted his first race as a teenager, but was disqualified when it was revealed that he had lied about his age.

Cale Yarborough made his official debut into the world of racing in 1957 in the Southern 500. After a bit of hub trouble, the #30 Pontiac he was driving for Bob Weatherly finished in the 42nd spot. Two years later, still running for Weatherly, he finished the race 27th. Cale Yarborough finished number fourteen at the Southern States Fairgrounds in 1960, bringing Cale the first top-fifteen finish of his career. His first top-ten finish came two years later when he finished tenth at the Daytona 500 Qualifying Race. After seven additional races, Cale Yarborough finished 50th in point standings at the end of the racing season.

Cale Yarborough started the 1963 racing season without a permanent ride, but quickly signed with Herman Beam to drive the #19 Ford. Yarborough's best finishes that season were at Savannah Speedway and Myrtle Beach; he finished fifth in both races. He started off the next season still driving for Herman Beam, but cut ties soon to complete the year driving for Holman Moody. With Yarborough's sixth place finish at North Wilkesboro Speedway, he ended the season nineteenth in the points race. Over the next season, Yarborough drove for a variety of owners. While driving Kenny Myler's #06 Ford at Valdosta Speedway, he picked up the first win of his career. Cale Yarborough finished tenth in points that season.

Yarborough started the 1966 season driving for Banjo Matthews. After two successive second place finishes, he left the Banjo Matthews team and finished out the year driving for the Wood Brothers in the #21 Ford. 1967 brought Yarborough two wins in both the Firecracker 400 and the Atlanta 500 before falling in the points race to 20th after only running seventeen races.

After racing for Bud Moore Engineering in the next season's opener, the Middle Georgia 500, Yarborough ran the rest of the season for the Woods Brothers. Yarborough picked up six wins in that season including the Daytona 500 and the Firecracker 400, finishing number seven in point standings.

The next season would being only two wins for Cale Yarborough as well as six pole positions.

Cale Yarborough in the 1970 season, still running for the Wood Brothers, won a total of

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