Hart Hastings
The late Hart Hastings was dedicated to the sport of stock car racing. Long before I was born Hastings along with the Tune brothers (George & Brooks) had long made a mark throughout the southern race tracks.
Hastings eventually made the mark alone and making the mark he did. Opening night (July 19, 1958) at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville a car he owned and driven by Charlie Griffin of Chattanooga, TN won the first feature event.
The list of drivers who drove for Hastings are the cream of the crop. Freddy Fryar, Friday Hassler, Crash Bond, L. J. Hampton, Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Red Farmer and George Bonee all toured the racing facilities in his car.
Hastings car and driver proudly holds the record at Birmingham International Raceway located at the Alabama State Fairgrounds by winning the first eight feature events held at the historical track.
Throughout his racing career along with being in the management of the UniRoyal, Inc. plant located in Shelbyville, TN – Hastings continued to assist others and to be around when needed for support. Gary Adams of Donelson, TN who won the 1978 Limited Sportsman championship at Nashville Fairgrounds drove a car maintained by Hastings. When Darrell Waltrip departed Digard Racing in 1980, Hastings stood along side as DW let the racing world know his intentions. Bobby Hamilton, Sr. had a special bond with Hastings and throughout his career they shared a lot of ideas.
On a Saturday afternoon in May 2001, I received a call at the Fairgrounds to let me know that Hart had passed away. That night was a difficult night for me. During the invocation, Dave Kohler remembered him as the #14 was placed on the scoreboard in the first position.
The Hastings racing legacy continues on today. Hastings son, Jim owns a race engine shop located in Shelbyville. In addition to building engines, Jim is the promoter of Duck River Speedway, located in Wheel, TN outside of Shelbyville.
The world was a much better place in part to Hart Hastings. He did a lot for many people who never had an idea he was behind the gesture. He was a great friend, a person I admired a great deal. I miss him greatly – each trip I make to the Fairgrounds I always think of him and how much the Fairgrounds meant to him. The pioneers of racing made the sport in Nashville. Hastings was long a pioneer in the development of racing throughout the south.
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