No racer has ever had a better name than Mississippi-born stock-car driver Lake Speed.
Speed, who is now 59 and has been retired since 1998, rose from go-kart racing to become a prominent player on the NASCAR scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
A six-time United States karting champion and the 1978 World Karting Champion, Speed started 402 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races from 1980 through 1998.
His lone victory came in the 1988 TransSouth 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, driving an Oldsmobile for his own No. 83 racing team sponsored by Wynn’s. Speed posted 75 top-10 finishes during his career.
Speed’s best point finish was 10th in 1985 while driving for RahMoc Racing.
Speed and his wife now serve on the board of directors for Motor Racing Outreach.
Featured here (clockwise from top left): Celebrating his only NASCAR victory at Darlington in 1988; Driving the No. 28 for Robert Yates Racing in 1993;  Walking with his family in Daytona in 1996;  In the Melling Racing shop; Making a hometown appearance in 1983;  The 1978 World Karting Champion; Posing with his No. 66 in 1981; In 1980. — NSSN Archives