Legacy
Despite having his career cut short and having never won a Grand National title, Fireball Roberts was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers.
Other career awards he won include induction into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1995.
In 2000 the city of Concord, North Carolina named a street near Charlotte Motor Speedway in his honor.
Ned Jarrett has stated that his decision to retire was prompted by Roberts' death.
After Roberts' death, NASCAR mandated that all drivers must wear flame retardant coveralls while on track. They also instituted the five point safety harness, and the special, contoured drivers seat, all three of which are still requirements on all NASCAR entrants.
In 2007 a one of its kind adventurally series was named "FIREBALL RUN" in honor of Fireball Roberts. The production is headquartered at Universal Studios Florida and has aided in the recovery of 38 missing children.
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Famous quotes containing the word legacy:
“What is popularly called fame is nothing but an empty name and a legacy from paganism.”
—Desiderius Erasmus (c. 1466–1536)