Hometown: Riverside, Calif.
Les Richter achieved extraordinary success as
both a NASCAR executive and a National Football League defensive star.
After becoming an All-American and All-Pro as
a hard-nosed lineman and linebacker, Richter, a native of Fresno, Calif.,
brought an incomparable work ethic to the world of motorsports. His second
career began in 1959 at Riverside International Raceway, where he quickly rose
to become president and general manager in 1961.
Richter, affectionately known as “Coach”
throughout the motorsports industry, came to NASCAR in 1983 and evolved into
one of the most important advisors to then-NASCAR Chairman/CEO Bill France Jr.
as NASCAR’s popularity expanded. Richter was named NASCAR's executive vice
president of competition in 1986 and the senior vice president of operations in
’92.
His last job in motorsports was as vice
president of special projects for Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., a
track he helped come into existence and then become established as a big-time
facility.
Richter was named to the College Football
Hall of Fame in 1982. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in
February of this year.
Richter passed away last June at the age of
79.
This is the latest in
a series of GodfatherMotorsports.com biographies profiling the 25 nominees for
the 2012 class of the NASCAR Hall Of Fame. Each of the 25 candidates will be profiled
in the coming weeks, in alphabetical order.
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