Brinkley, Ralph
Ralph Brinkley drivers in North Carolina, adjusts his victory helmet after winning the Winston Racing Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem in 1974. The popular Lexington, N.C., driver has expanded his interests to scuba diving and may soon be adjusting a sky diving helmet.
Name/Title
Brinkley, RalphEntry/Object ID
2025.1.65Description
Ralph Brinkley was a North Carolina short‑track star whose career was built almost entirely at Bowman Gray Stadium, where he became a fan favorite for his toughness, consistency, and sense of humor. He won 64 feature races at the Stadium and captured eight Modified championships, making him one of the most decorated drivers ever to compete there. Known for racing with only one natural eye — the other was a glass eye — Brinkley joked that he could “close the good one and see out of the glass one,” a line that became part of his local legend. Brinkley’s dominance came during the Stadium’s most competitive era, when future NASCAR national‑series drivers regularly mixed with local heroes. His success was built on smooth car control, patience in traffic, and an ability to survive the famously rough “Madhouse” style of Bowman Gray racing. Today he is remembered as one of the track’s all‑time greats, a driver whose name is still mentioned alongside other Stadium legends.Collection
Dr. Frederick A. Simeone Founder CollectionCategory
Race Car Drivers