Hut Stricklin

Infobox NASCAR driver
Name = Waymond Lane "Hut" Stricklin
Birthdate = birth date and age|1961|6|24
Birthplace = flagicon|USA Calera, Alabama
Best_Cup_Pos = 16th - 1991 (Winston Cup)
Cup_Top_Tens = 29
Cup_Poles = 1
First_Cup_Race = 1987 Holly Farms 400 (North Wilkesboro)
Last_Cup_Race = 2002 Sharpie 500 (Bristol)
Awards = 1986 NASCAR Dash Series champion
Years_In_Cup = 15
Total_Cup_Races = 328
Best_Busch_Pos = 25th - 1992
Busch_Top_Tens = 8
Busch_Poles = 2
First_Busch_Race = 1985 Miller 400 (Charlotte)
Last_Busch_Race = 2000 NAPAonline.com 250 (Michigan)

Years_In_Busch = 12
Total_Busch_Races = 54

Waymond Lane "Hut" Stricklin was a NASCAR race car driver. He was born on June 24, 1961, in Calera, Alabama. He married Pam Allison, the daughter of NASCAR legend Donnie Allison after they were introduced by her cousin Davey. Hut was the last member of the Alabama Gang.

In 1986, Stricklin won NASCAR's Dash Series Championship. The next year, he made his debut in NASCAR Winston Cup.

Two years later he finished second to Dick Trickle in the NASCAR Rookie of the Year championship with car owner Rod Osterlund. In his sophomore season, he competed in only three events before taking over the driving chores of Bobby Allison's #12 Raybestos Brakes Buick. 1991 turned out to be one of his best seasons yet, as he finished 16th in the championship point standings as well as a career high 2nd place at Michigan International Speedway. Halfway through 1992, Hut left Allison to drive Junior Johnson's McDonald's Ford. The next year, Stricklin paired with owner Travis Carter to form a new team, the Number 23 Camel Cigarettes Ford. It was a disappointing year with Hut finishing 26th in points.

After Stricklin couldn't find a ride for 1995, he served as a consultant for Kenny Bernstein's rookie driver Steve Kinser, a World of Outlaws Sprint Car champion who was struggling to transition from dirt to pavement. During the season, Kinser resigned, and Stricklin took over, posting five top 10 finishes. Unfortunately the team closed at the end of the year, and Hut had to find a new job.

Hut joined the Stavola Brothers Racing #8 Circuit City Ford in 1996. He had a second-place finish at Darlington Raceway, and ended up 22nd in points that year.

In 1998, Stricklin went between jobs, first driving the #8 car, which closed because of sponsorship woes, then driving substitute duty for David Green and Robert Pressley for the rest of the year.

1999 presented Stricklin with a new challenge. He was now the crew chief for Gary Bradberry's #78 Ford for Triad Motorsports. When that team was sold, Hut took over the #58 Ford for businessman Scott Barbour. He posted some of the best finishes of the year for that team, including a top-ten finish at Michigan. Despite posting three consecutive DNQs, Stricklin appeared to have found solid footing, as Barbour announced Stricklin would be his driver through 2003, and would have Motorsports Safety Technologies as his sponsor. Unfortunately, sponsorship again plagued Stricklin, as shortly after signing the deal, MST produced a bounced check, causing Stricklin's team to close its doors forever.

In 2000, Stricklin drove for longtime owner Junie Donlavey at the Brickyard 400 and finished 14th. The next year he had a 6th place finish at Michigan. However, sponsor Hills Brothers wanted to find a new team, and they both moved to Bill Davis' #23 Dodge.

In 2002, Stricklin struggled and was soon released. That was the last year that he drove a NASCAR race. His family now owns Stricklin Auto & Truck Parts in Cleveland, North Carolina.

Stricklin was a stunt driver for the movie Days of Thunder

External links

* [http://www.hutstricklin.net/ Hut's Home Page]
* [http://www.espn.go.com/auto/news/1999/1101/145923.html Stricklin out of Winston Cup Ride]
* [http://www.hutstricklinusedparts.com/ Hut Stricklin Used Parts]

Persondata
NAME=Stricklin, Waymond
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Stricklin, "Hut"
SHORT DESCRIPTION=NASCAR racer
DATE OF BIRTH=June 24, 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH=Calera, Alabama
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=