NASCAR’s history is packed with moments that stick with fans forever, and one of the wildest came during the 1988 Daytona 500. In the thick of the pack, a small-budget car nudged Richard Petty’s iconic No. 43 Pontiac, sending “The King” into a spin up Daytona’s steep banking.

The car flipped skyward, tumbled multiple times, and took a brutal hit from Brett Bodine’s machine. It was a heart-stopping wreck, the kind replayed for decades as a reminder of Daytona’s raw danger. Petty walked away, battered but unbroken, and the crash became NASCAR folklore. The driver behind that fateful tap?

Phil Barkdoll, a scrappy underdog whose name became forever linked to one of the sport’s most jaw-dropping moments. Barkdoll wasn’t a household name with big sponsors or flashy rides. He was a small-town racer from Iowa who rolled into NASCAR in the early ‘80s with a $100 street stock and a dream bigger than his bank account.

Legend has it he strolled into Midwestern racing promoter Keith Knaack’s office and declared, “I think I’m ready for Daytona.” Most would’ve laughed him off, but Barkdoll’s quiet grit got him to the 1981 Daytona 500, where he qualified in a car that was anything but fancy. That debut was pure Barkdoll: an overachiever who belonged among giants, even if he wasn’t supposed to be there.

Sadly, the NASCAR community is now mourning the loss of this independent driver and car owner, whose underdog spirit defined his legacy. Phil Barkdoll passed away peacefully at his home in Vinton, Iowa, on September 2, 2025, at the age of 87.

NASCAR community mourns for Barkdoll

The outpouring of love for Phil Barkdoll has been heartfelt, with the NASCAR community rallying around his memory. Spotter Freddie Kraft took to X to share his thoughts. “RIP Phil Barkdoll. I never got a chance to meet Phil, but his son Steve is simply one of the kindest, generous, and most genuine people I’ve ever met. We’re thinking of you buddy.”

Fans echoed that sentiment, celebrating Barkdoll’s unique place in the sport. One wrote, “He was one of a kind that’s for sure… keep the Barkdoll family in your thoughts and prayers as Steve has a brother (Jeff) that’s also battling cancer.”

Another added, “RIP. Although I only got to see him compete a few times, I always anticipated the plate races and his qualifying attempts. A legend for folks in and around Iowa. Long live Hawkeye Racing News.” Barkdoll’s legacy stretched beyond his own races.

He fielded cars for drivers like Ken Bouchard, Mike Wallace, and Jim Sauter, keeping their dreams alive. His most selfless moment came in 1997 at Daytona, when he qualified for the 500 but sold his spot to Joe Nemechek, giving “Front Row Joe” a shot at NASCAR’s biggest stage.

For a guy who scratched and clawed to make the field himself, that act of generosity spoke volumes about his character, humble, selfless, and all about lifting up the racer next to him. Barkdoll’s battle with cancer in 1993 was another testament to his toughness. Most would’ve walked away from racing, but not Phil.

He came back, strapping into cars at Daytona and Talladega, where speeds push the limits and danger’s always lurking. That resilience made him a cult hero, not just for his wild crashes but for his refusal to let anything, cancer included, steal his love for the sport.

Kelley talks about moving On After Dale’s Death

While the NASCAR community grieves Phil Barkdoll, it’s also a moment to reflect on the personal losses that have shaped the sport’s biggest names. When Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a last-lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500, it rocked the entire sport, but for Kelley Earnhardt, it was a personal earthquake.

She’s been open about the long road to healing, recently sharing, “Honestly, it’s taken a lot of therapy. It was not just being on good terms that took its toll, but the lack of family support … I had to heal ‘little Kelley’ during therapy so that ‘big Kelley’ could exist.”

That raw honesty shows the strength it took to navigate such a public tragedy. Kelley wasn’t just mourning her father; she became the rock for her brother, Dale Jr., and the Earnhardt family’s racing legacy.

In another interview, she described that time simply, “It was just the two of us …” Those words capture the weight she carried, not just for her own grief but as a steady hand for Dale Jr. as he faced the spotlight and the pressure of their father’s shadow.

Kelley’s role wasn’t about dodging pain but walking through it, helping her brother and the family’s racing empire move forward. Her resilience mirrors the kind of grit Phil Barkdoll showed, whether battling cancer or racing against the odds.

Both stories remind fans that NASCAR’s heart beats not just in the cars but in the people who keep pushing through loss and adversity. As the Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway looms, the sport honors Barkdoll’s underdog spirit and Kelley’s quiet strength, proving that NASCAR’s legacy is as much about courage off the track as it is about speed on it.