Raymond Parks was a business man. He was successful in ventures such as real estate and he saw the potential that stock car racing had before it even really began.

He became a team owner in 1938 and then once he partnered with Red Vogt, a world-class mechanic, Parks’ equipment was some of the best in the sport.

The first Cup Series championship was won by Red Byron in 1949 and Parks was the car owner. Parks only fielded cars in four years of competition, ’49, ’50, ’54 and ’55, despite the immense success his teams had on the track.

Byron, Bob and Fonty Flock, Roy Hall and Curtis Turner all drove for the Parks before he retired from racing in the mid-1950s.

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