Wayne Peterson (racing driver) explained

Wayne Peterson
Nationality:	American
Birth Name:	Wayne Peterson
Birth Date:	May 24, 1938
Birth Place:	Boaz, Alabama
Current Series:	ARCA Menards Series
First Year:	1983
Current Team:	Wayne Peterson Racing
Car Number:	06
Engine:	Chevrolet
Starts:	118
Wins:	0
Poles:	0
Best Finish:	18th
Year:	2016
Last Finish:	62nd (2021)
Module:	Embed: yes Allegiance: United States of America Branch: United States Army Serviceyears: 1954–1981 Unit: XVIII Airborne Corps Third United States Army Army Special Forces (77th, 10th, 1st, 5th, 7th Special Forces Groups) Battles: Vietnam War Bay of Pigs Invasion Operation Eagle Claw

For the American composer, pianist, and educator, see Wayne Peterson.

Wayne Peterson (born May 24, 1938) is an American professional stock car racing owner/driver and former paratrooper and United States Army Special Forces member. He currently operates Wayne Peterson Racing, a team in the ARCA Menards Series.

Military career

Peterson grew up in a poor family in Boaz, Alabama, and when he was 15 years old, his high school was visited by Army National Guard recruiters. Attracted by the benefits of food and clothing, he enlisted and entered active duty at 16, but was sent back to school upon the discovering of his age. After graduating, he returned to the military and was stationed at Fort Bragg as a paratrooper in the XVIII Airborne Corps. Peterson was a member of the United States Army Parachute Team (Golden Knights), and worked with NASA on performing High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) landings.^[1]

He was later assigned to the Third United States Army for 30 days, during which he was placed in the 77th and attended Ranger School in Fort Benning, followed by survival training in Antarctica and language studies in California, the latter in which he learned French and Vietnamese. Peterson served in Germany and Okinawa with the 10th and 1st Special Forces Groups respectively before being deployed to Vietnam in 1963 as an advisor and eventually a combat role. He served multiple tours during the Vietnam War until 1972.

In 1961, Peterson trained Cuban refugees and participated in the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. Two years later, he guarded President John F. Kennedy's body in the United States Capitol rotunda after his assassination. He also served as Richard Nixon and South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu's English/Vietnamese translator.

Peterson was scheduled to complete his service in 1980 when the government extended it by 13 months. He was ordered to Diego Garcia, where plans were made for Operation Eagle Claw, an effort to free United States embassy members in the Iran hostage crisis.^[2] However, the mission failed after two aircraft were destroyed during refueling. Peterson compared the debacle and resulting public backlash to that received by American troops withdrawing from Vietnam: "We had to abort, put our tail between our legs, same way we came out of Nam. We just didn't finish the job. [...] We had way too much TV coverage in Nam. The public don't need to know our missions; it messed with intelligence. Nam was a hard time, soldiers condemned for pulling the trigger. Of course, if you waited one second and thought about it, you were dead. We fought for the country, and our own survival. It wasn't pretty. You were there to save your people."

Racing career

At 14, Peterson swept floors for a dirt track racing owner who would let him test his car. While he was stationed at Fort Bragg, he purchased a 1948 Hudson and converted it into a dirt track car. Peterson later joined NASCAR driver Lee Petty's crew as a gasman, followed by a tenure with Junior Johnson on the DiGard Motorsports team. As compensation, Johnson gave him a car, which he fielded for Lennie Pond at Talladega Superspeedway. He also competed in modified stock cars in the 1970s.^[3]

During the 1980s, he began competing in the Automobile Racing Club of America.^[4] In 1983, he entered the NASCAR Winston Cup Series' Atlanta Journal 500, but spun out during qualifying due to tire issues.^[5] The following year, he tried to qualify for the Daytona 500, but did not make the race after suffering an engine failure in his Twin 125 qualifier and finishing tenth in the consolation race.^{[6] [7] [8]}

Wayne Peterson Racing fields various cars in the ARCA Racing Series. Drivers included Tim Mitchell, a colorectal cancer survivor who raced for the team in the 2000s;^[9] Zachary Gibson, son of ARCA Midget Series racer Larry Gibson and grandson of Indianapolis 500 driver Todd Gibson, in 2009;^[10] and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Clay Greenfield in 2004. Greenfield, described by The Leaf-Chronicle as a "talented kid with no name", finished 12th in his series debut at Salem Speedway, marking the team's strongest finish since 1998.^{[11] [12]} As of 2020, Tim Richmond, Steve Cronenwett and Jim Walker share the team's best race finish of ninth at Toledo Speedway and Talladega in 2004 as well as Toledo in 2020, respectively.^[13] The team has continued to field cars for drivers such as Ben Peterson, A. J. Moyer, Nate Moeller, and Cody Dennison.

Personal life

Peterson was married to Sarah Peterson and has three sons, Michael, Brian, and Kevin, and five grandchildren, one of which is Ben Peterson, who competed in ARCA in 2019 and 2024. Sarah died in February 2008.^[14] Peterson currently resides in Pulaski, TN.

Motorsports career results

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

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30		Pts	Ref
1983	Peterson Motorsports	83		DAY	RCH	CAR	ATL	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	BRI	CLT	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR DNQ	ATL DNQ	RSD	NA	-	^[15]
1984		06		DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	BRI	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	ATL	RSD	NA	-	^[16]

Daytona 500

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (

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

ARCA Menards Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25		Pts	Ref
1983		8	Buick	DAY	NSV	TAL	LPR	LPR	ISF	IRP	SSP	FRS	BFS	WIN	LPR	POC	TAL 26	MCS	FRS	MIL	DSF	ZAN	SND						NA	-	^[17]
1984	Peterson Motorsports	06	Buick	DAY	ATL	TAL 22	CSP	SMS	FRS	MCS	LCS	IRP	TAL	FRS	ISF	DSF	TOL	MGR											NA	-	^[18]
1994	Wayne Peterson Racing	06	Pontiac	DAY 32	TAL	FIF	LVL	KIL	TOL	FRS	MCH	DMS	POC	POC	KIL	FRS	IND	I70	ISF	DSF	TOL	SLM	WIN	ATL					133rd	-	^[19]
2001	Wayne Peterson Racing	6	Chevy	DAY	NSH	WIN	SLM	GTY	KEN	CLT	KAN	MCH	POC	MEM	GLN 28	KEN	MCH	POC	NSH	ISF									133rd	165	^[20]
		7																			CHI 36	DSF	SLM	TOL	BLN	CLT	TAL	ATL
2002		06		DAY DNQ	ATL	NSH	SLM	KEN	CLT	KAN	POC	MCH	TOL	SBO	KEN	BLN	POC	NSH	ISF	WIN	DSF	CHI	SLM	TAL	CLT				NA	-	^[21]
2003		27		DAY	ATL	NSH	SLM	TOL	KEN	CLT	BLN	KAN 36	MCH	LER															131st	165	^[22]
		06													POC 37	POC	NSH	ISF	WIN
		0																		DSF 37
		6																			CHI QL^†	SLM
		0																					TAL DNQ	CLT	SBO
2004		06		DAY	NSH	SLM	KEN 36	TOL	CLT	KAN 21			SBO 24	BLN	KEN							DSF 23	CHI	SLM	TAL				52nd	580	^[23]
		16									POC 38	MCH DNQ					POC DNQ	LER	NSH	ISF	TOL
	Jan Gibson Racing	56	Chevy													GTW 33
2005	Wayne Peterson Racing	06	Chevy	DAY	NSH	SLM	KEN	TOL DNQ	LAN	MIL	POC 40																		78th	385	^[24]
		09										MCH DNQ											DSF DNQ	CHI	SLM DNQ	TAL
	Day Enterprises	90	Ford										KAN 37	KEN	BLN
	Wayne Peterson Racing	0	Chevy													POC 40
	Norm Benning Racing	8	Chevy														GTW 40	LER	NSH	MCH
	Wayne Peterson Racing	16	Chevy																		ISF 35	TOL
2006		0	Ford	DAY	NSH DNQ	SLM DNQ	WIN DNQ	KEN	TOL	POC	MCH			BLN DNQ	POC	GTW	NSH				TOL DNQ	DSF 35	CHI DNQ	SLM	TAL	IOW			107th	205	^[25]
			Chevy									KAN DNQ	KEN					MCH DNQ	ISF	MIL
2007				DAY	USA	NSH DNQ	SLM DNQ	KAN	WIN	KEN DNQ	TOL	IOW 35	POC DNQ	MCH DNQ	BLN	KEN DNQ	POC DNQ	NSH	ISF 37	MIL 39	GTW	DSF DNQ	CHI	SLM	TAL	TOL			68th	385	^[26]
2008				DAY	SLM DNQ	IOW DNQ	KAN DNQ	CAR 50	KEN 40		POC 38	MCH DNQ	CAY 33		BLN 30	POC DNQ	NSH 41	ISF DNQ	DSF 36	CHI DNQ	SLM DNQ	NJE	TAL	TOL					33rd	1050	^[27]
			Ford							TOL DNQ				KEN DNQ
2009		10	Chevy	DAY	SLM	CAR	TAL 41	KEN	TOL	POC																			40th	725	^[28]
		0									MCH DNQ		IOW 37	KEN 37	BLN 34					DSF 36	NJE	SLM	KAN 40
			Ford									MFD 32							TOL 31
		08														POC DNQ	ISF	CHI
		06																						CAR DNQ
2010				DAY	PBE 28			TAL 41									ISF 35		DSF 34	TOL									31st	900	^[29]
			Chevy			SLM 27	TEX
		0	Chevy						TOL 32	POC DNQ	MCH DNQ	IOW 39		POC DNQ	BLN 33	NJE 35		CHI 39				KAN DNQ	CAR
	Brad Smith Motorsports	2	Ford										MFD 31								SLM 32
2011	Wayne Peterson Racing	06	Chevy	DAY	TAL 29			NJE 32	CHI	POC																			41st	585	^[30]
			Ford			SLM 21	TOL							IOW 36	IRP
		0	Chevy								MCH 39	WIN 29	BLN 32								KAN 38	TOL
			Ford													POC DNQ	ISF	MAD	DSF	SLM
2012		06		DAY	MOB DNQ	SLM 26	TAL	TOL	ELK	POC	MCH								ISF 29	MAD	SLM	DSF C							70th	305	^[31]
		0										WIN 26	NJE	IOW	CHI	IRP	POC	BLN					KAN 39
2013			Chevy	DAY	MOB	SLM	TAL	TOL	ELK 22	POC	MCH 27	ROA 25	WIN 22	CHI 26	NJE	POC 31	BLN 24	ISF 32					KEN 31	KAN 31					21st	1320	^[32]
		06	Ford																MAD 26	DSF	IOW
			Chevy																			SLM 26
2014		0	Ford	DAY	MOB	SLM 28	TAL	TOL																					26th	1080	^[33]
	Carter 2 Motorsports	97	Dodge						NJE 26	POC
	Wayne Peterson Racing	06	Chevy								MCH 26	ELK 23	WIN 19	CHI
			Ford												IRP 28
	Hylton Motorsports	49	Ford													POC 31
	Wayne Peterson Racing	00	Chevy														BLN 24	ISF 30	MAD 28	DSF 30	SLM	KEN 33	KAN
2015	Kimmel Racing	80	Ford	DAY	MOB 25																								21st	1505	^[34]
	Wayne Peterson Racing	00	Ford			NSH 29	SLM 26	TAL	TOL	NJE	POC												KAN 27
			Chevy									MCH 27								DSF 29
		0	Ford										CHI 27	WIN 21				BLN 24	ISF 29		SLM 28
			Chevy												IOW 29	IRP	POC					KEN 26
2016			Ford	DAY	NSH	SLM 25	TAL																						18th	1430	^[35]
		00	Chevy					TOL 27	NJE 27	POC	MCH 32	MAD 23	WIN 22	IOW 28	IRP 31	POC	BLN 25	ISF					KAN 34
		0																	DSF 21	SLM	CHI	KEN 31
2017		88		DAY	NSH	SLM	TAL	TOL	ELK	POC	MCH 29	MAD	IOW	IRP	POC	WIN	ISF	ROA	DSF	SLM	CHI	KEN	KAN						117th	85	^[36]
2018		1	Ford	DAY	NSH	SLM	TAL	TOL	CLT	POC	MCH	MAD																	43rd	465	^[37]
			Chevy										GTW
		23												CHI	IOW	ELK	POC	ISF
		0	Dodge																BLN	DSF
			Chevy																		SLM	IRP	KAN
2019			Toyota	DAY	FIF	SLM	TAL	NSH	TOL	CLT	POC	MCH	MAD	GTW	CHI	ELK	IOW	POC											34th	495	^[38]
			Ford																ISF	DSF	SLM	IRP
			Chevy																				KAN
2020				DAY	PHO	TAL	POC	IRP	KEN	IOW	KAN	TOL	TOL	MCH	DAY	GTW	L44	TOL	BRI	WIN	MEM	ISF	KAN						32nd	102	^[39]
2021		06	Ford	DAY	PHO	TAL	KAN	TOL	CLT	MOH	POC	ELK	BLN	IOW	WIN	GLN	MCH	ISF	MLW										62nd	59	^[40]
			Chevy																	DSF	BRI	SLM
	Brad Smith Motorsports	48	Chevy																				KAN
^† – Qualified for Brian Conz

ARCA Menards Series East

ARCA Menards Series East results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8		Pts	Ref
2020	Wayne Peterson Racing	0	Chevy	NSM	TOL	DOV	TOL	BRI	FIF			52nd	18	^[41]
2021		06		NSM	FIF	NSV	DOV					22nd	90	^[42]
			Ford					SNM	IOW	MLW	BRI

Notes and References

1. Web site: Radebaugh. Don. A military salute...this one for American hero Wayne Peterson. ARCA Racing Series. April 6, 2015. February 25, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160412193115/https://www.arcaracing.com/articles/1994360-peterson-military-hero-longtime-arca-car-owner. April 12, 2016.
2. News: Marine speaks on leading 1980 Iranian rescue mission. Pensacola News Journal. June 30, 2015. February 25, 2018. To prevent anyone of knowing about the plan, the helicopters had to be painted inconspicuously below deck with the hangar doors closed because the Russians were using submarines and cruisers to follow them. But the paint was left on Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean used as a base of operations of sorts..
3. News: Associated Press. NASCAR 200 leaders. Montgomery Advertiser. February 17, 1979. December 30, 2018.
4. News: Harris. Mike. Davey Allison drives to victory. The News Journal. May 6, 1984. December 30, 2018.
5. News: Helms. Tracy. Mike Waltrip wins stop-and-go 150. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. November 6, 1983. December 30, 2018.
6. Web site: 1984 Daytona 500. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
7. Web site: 1984 First UNO Twin 125 Qualifier. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
8. Web site: 1984 Daytona 500 Consolation Race. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
9. News: Brudenell. Mike. ARCA driver glad to be racing, glad to be alive. Detroit Free Press. February 9, 2008. December 30, 2018.
10. News: McCurdy. Rob. Young racer has big dreams. Telegraph-Forum. June 18, 2009. December 30, 2018.
11. News: Trodglen. Jimmy. Greenfield likes first taste of ARCA racing. The Leaf-Chronicle. September 30, 2004. December 30, 2018.
12. News: Trodglen. Jimmy. Clarksville driver hunting for ARCA ride. The Leaf-Chronicle. February 19, 2004. December 30, 2018.
13. Web site: Wayne Peterson (owner) – ARCA Racing Series Results (races). Racing-Reference. December 30, 2018.
14. Web site: February 2008. The Pit Lane. February 25, 2018.
15. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results. Racing-Reference. July 8, 2020.
16. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
17. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 1983 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 30, 2020.
18. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 1984 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 30, 2020.
19. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 1994 ARCA Hooters SuperCar Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
20. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2001 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
21. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2002 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
22. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2003 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
23. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2004 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
24. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
25. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2006 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
26. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
27. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
28. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2009 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
29. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2010 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
30. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2011 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
31. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2012 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
32. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2013 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
33. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2014 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
34. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2015 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
35. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2016 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
36. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2017 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. February 25, 2018.
37. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 19, 2020.
38. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2019 ARCA Menards Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 23, 2019.
39. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2020 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. October 5, 2020.
40. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results. Racing Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. July 25, 2021.
41. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2020 ARCA Racing Series East Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 19, 2020.
42. Web site: Wayne Peterson – 2021 ARCA Menards Series East results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 27, 2021.