Perhaps the most significant testament to an individual’s skill is how quickly adaptable one is to their surroundings and how resilient they are to sudden obstacles.

Rickey Hood showcased these skills in spades throughout his illustrious racing career.  In fact, no driver has become a winner in all three of USAC’s national divisions quicker than Hood with a victory in his Silver Crown debut as well as triumphs in his second starts with both the sprints and midgets – a total of five appearances.

Born into the ultra-competitive Memphis racing scene on July 15, 1952, as the son of National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Clarence “Hooker” Hood, Rickey cemented his own status as USAC star in 1984 by virtue of his first career USAC National Sprint Car driving title.  At the conclusion of the season, however, a freak accident occurred when an errant sprint car hit Rickey in the pits, breaking both of his legs.

In his comeback season of 1985, once again teamed with car owner Damon “Blackie” Fortune, Rickey performed even better by becoming the first driver to capture both the USAC National Sprint Car and Silver Crown titles in the same season, thus earning the Jimmy Caruthers Memorial Award for Spirit and Determination.

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