Bobby Hamilton dies at age 49

[6Taurus]

Very sad news prayers go out to the Hamilton family and friends for there loss!
RIP Bobby!



Bobby Hamilton dies at age 49: forner Nextel Cup driver and 2004 Truck Series Champion Bobby Hamilton passed away today at age 49, according to his son, Bobby Hamilton, Jr. Hamilton, a former Fairgrounds [Nashville] Speedway champion, missed most of the 2006 season after being diagnosed with cancer.(Tennessean...more details Monday)(1-7-2007)

http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm

[racin_girl72]

I just saw that on the front page of Yahoo.

I had hoped he was getting better since I hadn't heard anything about him in quite a while.

Prayers to the Hamilton family on their loss.

[falcon325]

Just saw the news on Speed.  Sad to hear about it.  Hamiliton was a good guy.

[Busch Babe 899]

I was really hoping he could win this battle....RIP, Bobby, I've enjoyed watching you race over the years. My prayers to Bobby Jr and the family and friends.

[Busch Babe 899]

There's a thread over at NASCAR.com to post your condolences to the family, if anyone wants to:

http://boards.nascar.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=nascarmeet&msg=612.1

Also a nice tribute to him at Truckseries.com:

http://www.truckseries.com/

[Bryan Blanton]

How many cup series races did bobby hamilton win i assume that he won 4 although he could have won more than 4 races.

[Bryan Blanton]

I remember when bobby was first trying to get into the cup series.

I also remember his rookie year in nascar in the cup series in 1991 he actually won the rookie of the year that year even though he missed a race at martinsville in the spring of that year cause qualifying got rained out.

His performances on track were still good enough to beat ted musgrave that year. Although it was close.

Also in bobby's rookie year at the spring talladega race bobby was very fast in that race and maybe had a racewinning car unfortuanately his pitcrew made a mistake and pitted him by hisself meaning he had no drafting partners and he got caught out by hisself. Which ended his chances of winning.

Wasn't bobby the first driver since richard petty won his 200th race to win in car number 43 the stp car.

I think he won at phoenix in 1996 i think he passed dale jarrett for the win late in that race.

He also won in the 43 car at rockingham in the fall 1997 cup series race at rockingham he won that race on a monday cause it got rained out on sunday.

I also think bobby was the last driver to win in the 4 car. He won the martinsville spring race in 1998 while driving the 4 car this race was also on a monday.

I think bobby's last cup series win was at talladega in 2001? Wasn't that also the fastest cup series race or 1 of the fastest that race had no caution flags i think it was the last cup series race that ran green the entire way.

Also another fact that some people might not know about bobby was when they were making the movie days of thunder the 1 that had tom cruise and robert duvall and others in it bobby was 1 of the guys who drove the days of thunder cars while they were filming and making the movie.

Bobby drove the number 51 car that rowdy burns drove the exxon chevrolet he also ran that car in phoenix in 1989 he raced it i think he was very competitive in the car too i think he even led some laps.

Bobby also drove the number 51 mello yello car at the 1990 daytona 500 but that was just for filming purposes he just drove around that day. He didn't race the car.

The number 51 mello yello chevrolet was the car that won the daytona 500 in the movie days of thunder. Cole Trickle was driving the car.

[flamehothead]

All I can say is that Suck's Bit Time.

My Prayers go out to his family and I know they are going to need them.

I honestly thought he was going to pull thru this. Evidentlly it was worse than what everyone thought.

GODSPEED BOBBY HAMILTON. You were one of the good guys and you will be missed by all and Thank's for letting us know you and your Family.

[Tyyrus]

All I can say is that Suck's Bit Time.

My Prayers go out to his family and I know they are going to need them.

I honestly thought he was going to pull thru this. Evidentlly it was worse than what everyone thought.

GODSPEED BOBBY HAMILTON. You were one of the good guys and you will be missed by all and Thank's for letting us know you and your Family.

He sure was one of the Good Ones ! I still remember that great Race he had with Ole JImmy Spencer in the Truck Series . which Spencer passed him on the last lap under Yellow , Bobby was awarded the win...Man that was a great
race and Bobby Hamilton was great Man !   Ya The Good , Do seem to Die too Damm Young..Eh !

[Tyyrus]

Good Post Bryan , didn't realize all the nostalgia Bobby was involved in within the #43 & #4 Cars..Man !
I was aware of his involvement within the Movie..Great Post..Thanks !

[falcon325]

Damn.  I really didn't know Bobby Hamilton's story. 

He was orphaned and on the streets at 13:

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2007/01/07/0108hamilton.html

Got his break as a stunt driver in “Days of Thunder”:

http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/16406127.htm

And wouldn’t go in through the celebrity door:

http://www.racejournalonline.com/index.cfm?Pagename=column&id=214

Why didn't motorsports writers say more about him when he was alive? 

Are then any more stories like that we don't know?

[sweetwahine]

His time here was too short. Ride Easy Mr Hamilton.

[AfterShock]

It has been suggested that fans wear a black armband at the Daytona race this year in recognition of Bobby Hamilton.

www.armbandforbobby.com

I think NASCAR should do something too. Something like a missing man formation. Or a single car making a lap or two around Daytona, flying crossed checkered flags. While on the track, ask all in attendance to observe silence.

If it's legal to do so, I'm thinking the flag should be flown at half staff. At least while the car is on the track. Then, a military gun salute. Twenty-one would be nice.
Then, the National Anthem could be sung. ON KEY, and done respectfully.

I'm going to step out of my "no favorite driver" stance this season in the Busch Series. My cheers will be for Bobby Jr. to rock the socks off of the competition.
Man on a mission. Fired up with a desire and a purpose.
Go Bobby Jr.!!

Above all else, do your daddy proud.
I know you can.
I know you will.

R.I.P Bobby Hamilton.
Carry on Bobby Hamilton Jr.

[falcon325]

>>Then, a military gun salute.<<

In a word, shocky, no. 

I could be wrong, but for everything he was, I don't think Bobby Hamilton was a veteran.

[AfterShock]

>>Then, a military gun salute.<<

In a word, shocky, no. 

I could be wrong, but for everything he was, I don't think Bobby Hamilton was a veteran.

Okay.

But how about a missing man formation for the fly-over before the race?

or

Twenty-one big skyrockets?