Smokey yunick bio

American sports car mechanic (1923–2001)

NASCAR driver

Henry "Smokey" Yunick (May 25, 1923 – May 9, 2001) was an American professional stock car racing crew chief, owner, driver, engineer, engine builder, and car designer.

He also served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II. Yunick was deeply involved in the early years of NASCAR and is probably most associated with that racing genre. He participated in nearly every facet of the sport as a driver, designer, and held other jobs related to the sport, but was best known as a mechanic, engine builder, and crew chief.

Yunick was twice NASCAR mechanic of the year, and his teams would include 50 of the most famous drivers in the sport, winning 57 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two championships in 1951 and 1953.

He was renowned as an opinionated character who "was about as good as there ever was on engines," according to Marvin Panch, who drove stock cars for Yunick and won th