Harry Gant |
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Wikipedia: Harry Gant
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Biography
The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Harry Gant page on 26 September 2018, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Harold Phil Gant, better known as "Handsome Harry", is a retired American racecar driver best known for driving the No. 33 Skoal Bandit car on the NASCAR Winston Cup (now Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series) circuit during the 1980s and 1990s and his 4-race win streak in 1991.
Gant gained a lot of nicknames throughout his racing career. He was known as "Handsome Harry Gant" due to his Hollywood-style good looks, the "Bandit" after his longtime sponsor Skoal Bandit, "Mr. September" after winning four consecutive Winston Cup races and two Busch Series races in September 1991, and "High Groove Harry" after the high line he often took through the corner.
The North Carolina native began his racing career at the old dirt track in Hickory. He built a hobby class car with his friends, and took turns behind the wheel. Gant became the full-time driver and won the track championship. Hickory Speedway was paved in 1967 after Ned Jarrett became the promoter. Gant excelled on the asphalt, and won his first race in the sportsman division.
He won over 300 races with the car builder and crew chief Kenneth H. Sigmon, in the NASCAR Sportsman on his way to winning three national championships, in 1972, 1973, and 1974. He finished second three times in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman (now Nationwide Series) in 1969, 1976, and 1977. He finished in the top 10 of the final points standing in several other years.
He sold half of his construction business in 1979 upon deciding to race full-time in the Winston Cup Series.
| Date | Article | Author/Source |
|---|---|---|
| 18 January 2003 | NASCAR Winston Cup Preview | Harry Gant |
| Type & Item # | Name | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Collector Card - 1992 Maxx 33 | Harry Gant | #33 Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile |
| Collector Card - 1992 Maxx 201 | 1991 Memorable Moments | Harry Gant wins 4 in a row |
| Collector Card - 1992 Maxx 232 | All Pro: Harry Gant (Driver) | #33 Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile |
| Collector Card - 1992 Maxx 272 | Race 9: Talladega | Winston 500, Harry Gant #33 Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile |
| Collector Card - 1992 Maxx 285 | Race 21: Darlington | Heinz Southern 500, Harry Gant #33 Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile |
| Collector Card - 1992 Maxx 286 | Race 22: Richmond | Miller Genuine Draft 400, Harry Gant #33 Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile |
| Collector Card - 1992 Maxx 287 | Race 23: Dover | Peak Antifreeze 500, Harry Gant #33 Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile |
| Collector Card - 1992 Maxx 288 | Race 24: Martinsville | Goody's 500, Harry Gant #33 Skoal Bandit Oldsmobile |
| Model Kits - Monogram HG1241993 | 7 Mac Tools | 1:24 scale, Harry Gant #7 Chevrolet Lumina |
