- Joie Ray
Joseph Reynolds "Joie" Ray Jr. (
September 29 ,1923 –April 13 ,2007 ) was an American open-wheel and stock-car racer.cite news |last=Grant |first=Michael |date=2007-04-17 |url=http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070417/SPORTS/704170511/1002/SPORTS |title=Pioneer auto racer Ray dies at 83 |publisher="The Courier-Journal "]Ray was born in
Louisville, Kentucky . In 1947, Ray was the first African American licensed by theAmerican Automobile Association . Ray raced primarily in the Midwest and raced in AAA, USAC, CSRA and other organizations, but despite many sources to the contrary, was not the first African-American to race in NASCAR's top series. The Joie Ray who started 25th in the 1952 Daytona race in a Henry J was white, from Portland, Oregon and little is known about him. They were two different men.Elias Bowie became the first African-American to race in NASCAR's top series, then known as Grand National, when he raced in the July 31, 1955 event at San Mateo, California.
Ray died in Louisville of
pneumonia .References
External links
* [http://www.joieray.com/ Joie Ray official site]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18986483 Joie Ray] viaFind A Grave http://www.racerhub.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-11418.html
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