Murphy Jody Ridley[1] (born May 19, 1942) is a former NASCAR driver. He won the 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award and one race at Dover International Speedway the next year, the only Cup victory for Donlavey Racing.

Jody Ridley
Born (1942-05-19) May 19, 1942 (age 82)
Chatsworth, Georgia, United States
Achievements1991, 1992, 1993 Slim Jim All Pro Series Champion
1987, 1988, 1990 All Pro Super Series Champion
1985 Snowball Derby Winner
1993 Myrtle Beach 400 Winner
Awards1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year
1991, 1992, 1993 Slim Jim All Pro Series Most Popular Driver
Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Inductee (2007)
NASCAR Cup Series career
140 races run over 11 years
Best finish5th (1981)
First race1973 Dixie 500 (Atlanta)
Last race1989 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
First win1981 Mason-Dixon 500 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 56 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
3 races run over 2 years
Best finish75th (1982)
First race1982 Goody's 300 (Daytona)
Last race1985 Winn-Dixie 300 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 0
Statistics current as of March 25, 2013.

His career statistics include 140 career starts, one win, seven top fives, 56 top tens, and two top ten points finishes (fifth in 1981, and seventh in 1980).

He now resides in Chatsworth, Georgia. He was inducted in the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.[2]

Early life

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Born in Chatsworth, Georgia, and raised in Dalton, Ridley was a fan of cars from a young age. In 1967, he purchased Joe Lee Johnson's 1963 Ford Mustang at the age of 25. At that time, he had only been racing and affiliated with NASCAR for a year, joining the professional leagues in 1966.[3] 1967 would be the beginning of Ridley's career, participating in many NASCAR races throughout Georgia, such as in Lakewood, Trenton, and Byron.[4][5]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

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NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1973 Donlavey Racing 90 Mercury RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY BRI ATL
5
TAL
37
NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT 59th - [6]
Elliott Racing 09 Ford CAR
31
1974 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL
33
DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY BRI NSV ATL POC TAL MCH DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR
30
ONT 88th 3.17 [7]
1975 93 RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL
29
NWS DAR MAR TAL ATL
11
ONT NA 0 [8]
Arrington Racing 6 Dodge NSV
27
DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI
1977 Makar Enterprises 84 Mercury RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL
14
NWS DAR BRI MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 87th 121 [9]
1979 Donlavey Racing 77 Mercury RSD DAY CAR RCH ATL NWS BRI DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL
5
MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT
26
NWS CAR ATL
10
ONT 47th 374 [10]
1980 90 Ford RSD
16
RCH
18
CAR
29
BRI
11
DAR
10
NWS
7
MAR
7
NSV
8
DOV
6
TWS
26
RSD
11
MCH
6
NSV
8
POC
18
DAR
30
RCH
5
DOV
9
NWS
9
MAR
9
CAR
5
ATL
6
ONT
18
7th 3972 [11]
Mercury DAY
10
ATL
6
TAL
10
CLT
12
DAY
7
TAL
30
MCH
18
BRI
12
CLT
8
1981 Ford RSD
7
DAY
7
RCH
8
ATL
6
BRI
6
NWS
28
DAR
7
MAR
6
TAL
31
NSV
25
DOV
1
CLT
20
TWS
6
RSD
7
MCH
4
DAY
38
NSV
10
POC
15
TAL
8
MCH
12
BRI
20
DAR
12
RCH
9
DOV
11
MAR
21
NWS
7
CLT
15
CAR
10
ATL
5
RSD
9
5th 4002 [12]
Miller Racing 79 Olds CAR
17
1982 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAY
9
RCH
13
BRI
20
ATL
17
CAR
33
DAR
22
NWS
17
MAR
12
TAL
38
NSV
13
DOV
17
CLT
6
POC
9
RSD
7
MCH
27
DAY
15
NSV
8
POC
36
TAL
14
MCH
26
BRI
8
DAR
28
RCH
25
DOV
25
NWS
9
CLT
7
MAR
7
CAR
31
ATL
28
RSD
9
13th 3333 [13]
1983 Robert McEntyre Racing 84 Buick DAY
10
RCH CAR ATL
17
DAR
27
NWS MAR TAL
32
NSV DOV BRI CLT
DNQ
RSD POC MCH DAY
8
NSV POC 32nd 1050 [14]
Chevy TAL
31
MCH
15
BRI DAR
33
RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
12
CAR ATL
10
RSD
1984 DAY
10
RCH CAR ATL
27
BRI NWS DAR
36
MAR TAL
16
NSV DOV CLT
8
RSD POC MCH
35
DAY
19
NSV
28
POC TAL
34
MCH
14
BRI DAR
16
RCH DOV
29
MAR CLT
7
NWS CAR ATL
32
RSD 14th 1288 [15]
1985 Helen Rae Motorsports 00 Chevy DAY
DNQ
RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD NA - [16]
1986 RahMoc Enterprises 57 Ford DAY
12
RCH CAR ATL
29
33rd 1213 [17]
75 Pontiac BRI
23
DAR
20
NWS
15
MAR
10
TAL
42
DOV
18
CLT
21
RSD POC
11
MCH
34
DAY
13
POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
1989 Melling Racing 9 Ford DAY
RL
CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL NA NA
– Relieved Bill Elliott during race
Daytona 500
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Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1980 Donlavey Racing Mercury 27 10
1981 Ford 27 7
1982 23 9
1983 Robert McEntyre Racing Buick 18 10
1984 Chevrolet 33 10
1985 Helen Rae Motorsports Chevrolet DNQ
1986 RahMoc Enterprises Ford 33 12
1989 Melling Racing Ford RL

Busch Series

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NASCAR Busch Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 NBSC Pts Ref
1982 98 Pontiac DAY
2
RCH BRI MAR DAR
2
HCY SBO CRW RCH LGY DOV HCY CLT ASH HCY SBO CAR CRW SBO HCY LGY IRP BRI HCY RCH MAR CLT HCY MAR 75th 340 [18]
1985 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. 8 Pontiac DAY CAR HCY BRI MAR DAR SBO LGY DOV CLT
29
SBO HCY ROU IRP SBO LGY HCY MLW BRI DAR RCH NWS ROU CLT HCY CAR MAR 86th 76 [19]

References

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  1. ^ "Murphy J Ridley from Chatsworth, GA". Radaris.com. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Inductees". Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  3. ^ Krueger, John; King, J.D. (26 Jun 1967). "Ridley is Victorious in Perry 200 Race". The Macon Telegraph. p. 6. Retrieved 8 Jun 2023.
  4. ^ Zier, Pat (28 Jun 1967). "Big Curtis Heads Field at Lakewood". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. 34. Retrieved 8 Jun 2023.
  5. ^ Krueger, John (4 Jul 1967). "Johnson, Ridley to Duel in '200'". The Macon Telegraph. p. 18. Retrieved 8 Jun 2023.
  6. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  7. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  8. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  9. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  10. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  11. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  12. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  13. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  14. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  15. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  16. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  17. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  18. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1982 NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  19. ^ "Jody Ridley – 1985 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
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Achievements
Preceded by Snowball Derby Winner
1985
Succeeded by
Awards
Preceded by NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year
1980
Succeeded by