Richie Evans will go down in history as one of the best racing drivers of all time — and the best modified driver.
Evans was killed Oct. 24, 1985 when he crashed while practicing at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Evans had already clinched the NASCAR Modified Tour title at the time of his death. It was the first year of the Modified Tour, but it was the eighth overall NASCAR modified crown for the driver from Rome, N.Y. Evans, whose orange No. 61j was known across the country, was 44.
Evans won 478 modified features at 38 tracks in 14 states and Canadian provinces. He also claimed 26 track championships at 11 tracks in four states.
Featured here (clockwise from top left): Celebrating his May 1983 Winston 100 score at New Egypt (N.J.) Speedway; In victory lane at Riverside Park Speedway in April 1983; Showing off the hardware at Thomspon Speedway in Sept. 1985, little more than a month before his death; At Watkins Glen; A 1979 NASCAR champ; Sharing the spotlight with his crew at Stafford Motor Speedway in 1981; Behind the wheel of the No. 61; Victor of a 1970 event at Fulton (N.Y.) Speedway. — NSSN Archives