Sam Ard

Samuel Julian Ard (February 14, 1939 – April 2, 2017) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He won two NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series (now Xfinity Series) championship, in 1983 and 1984. Ard also made one Winston Cup start. He retired from driving after being injured in late 1984 and became a car owner. He battled Parkinson's in the later stages of his life and died in April 2017 at age 78.

Late Model Sportsman Division 1975-1981

Ard was a regular competitor, earning at least nine wins and scoring multiple top-five finishes. In 1981, Ard finished fifth in the season-long NASCAR National Championship point standings.

Late Model Sportsman / Busch Grand National Series

Ard was the runner-up in 1982 of NASCAR's Late Model Sportsman Series, winning four races and finishing out of the top ten only six times. On the heels of that season, Ard won ten races and had twenty-three top five finishes and won the Busch Grand National (now Nascar Xfinity Series) points championship.

He continued his dominant streak in 1984, again winning the Busch GN championship by virtue of eight wins and twenty-four top fives in 28 starts. Ard was seriously injured in a crash at the North Carolina Speedway on October 20, 1984. He missed the final race of his 1984 championship season, and was never able to race again.

Winston Cup Series

Ard made his first and only Winston Cup Series start on September 23, 1984 at Martinsville. He started 27th in the 31-car field, but lasted just one lap before a steering failure ended his day.

After retiring as a driver, Ard became an owner, fielding cars for several drivers, most notably Jimmy Hensley and Jeff Burton, who claimed his first Grand National win driving Ard's car.

Later life and death

Ard battled Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. His family often received donations and aid from the racing community to help him. In 2006, drivers Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. led a charge to donate a substantial amount of funds for the care of Ard and his family. After tying Ard's Nationwide Series single-season victory record in 2008, Kyle Busch announced that he would give $100,000 to aid Ard's family with his care and mounting medical expenses in his honor.

Ard died on April 2, 2017 at the age of 78.

Ard served in the Vietnam War as a member of the U. S. Air Force. He married his wife Jo in 1961, and they had four children.

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

Ard's team was a post-entry for the race and thus did not receive points.

Busch Series