# Roy Tyner
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{{short description|American racing driver}}
{{Infobox NASCAR driver|
image= RoyTynerNASCARRarePhoto.PNG|
caption = A photo of Roy Tyner in a white T-shirt posing in front of the grandstand of an American speedway.|
name = William "Roy" Tyner |
birth_date = {{birth date|1934|1|3}} |
death_date = {{death date and age|1989|2|23|1934|1|3}} |
birth_place = [Red Springs, North Carolina](/source/Red_Springs%2C_North_Carolina), U.S. |
death_place = [Conover, North Carolina](/source/Conover%2C_North_Carolina), U.S. |
death_cause = Homicide|
Best_Cup_Pos = 10th – 1968 Grand National season|
Cup_Wins = 0|
Cup_Top_Tens = 71|
Cup_Poles = 0|
First_Cup_Race = [1957](/source/1957_NASCAR_Grand_National_Series) untitled race ([Coastal Speedway](/source/Coastal_Speedway))|
First_Cup_Win = |
Last_Cup_Win = |
Last_Cup_Race = [1970 Tidewater 300](/source/1970_Tidewater_300) ([Langley Field Speedway](/source/Langley_Field_Speedway))|
awards = |
Years_In_Cup = 13|
Total_Cup_Races = 311|
}}
{{more sources|date=May 2019}}
'''William Leroy "Roy" Tyner''' (January 3, 1934 – February 23, 1989) was a ''[NASCAR](/source/NASCAR) [Grand National](/source/Sprint_Cup_Series)'' driver from [Red Springs, North Carolina](/source/Red_Springs%2C_North_Carolina), United States.
==NASCAR career==
===Driver===
Tyner participated in the [1968 Fireball 300](/source/1968_Fireball_300) in addition to the [1959 Daytona 500](/source/1959_Daytona_500); his total contribution to his career statistics includes making fourteen finishes in the top five, and seventy-one finishes in the top ten. Additional statistics included a total career earnings of $83902 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|83092|1970|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation), 45420 laps completed, an average start of 23rd place, an average finish of 19th place, and {{convert|30896.6|mi|km}} of stock car racing experience. Tyner has competed in 311 races in his thirteen-year career from the time that he was 23 years old (in the [1957](/source/1957_NASCAR_Grand_National_Series) season) to the time that he was 36 years old (in the [1970](/source/1970_in_NASCAR) season).[[http://www.racing-reference.info/driver?id=tynerro01 Racing Reference - Tyner as a Driver] at Racing Reference]
Tyner's nicknames were ''The Flying Indian'' and ''The Wild Indian''. His choice of automobiles were the [Pontiac](/source/Pontiac_(automobile)), [Ford](/source/Ford_Motor_Company), and [Dodge](/source/Dodge); with only Pontiac being a defunct brand name as of 2022. The most famous sponsor associated with him was ''[Pepsi](/source/Pepsi)'' which he was seen drinking between races and which continued to be his beverage of choice throughout his life. For reasons unknown, Tyner chose to take a [sabbatical](/source/sabbatical) from the [1962 NASCAR Grand National Season](/source/1962_in_NASCAR). Art Brady would take over for Tyner in 1962; finishing 21st at the [1962 Southern 500](/source/1962_Southern_500) along with [Cale Yarborough](/source/Cale_Yarborough) (25th at Charlotte) and T.C. Hunt (19th at Chattanooga).
===Owner===
In addition to being a driver, Tyner eventually became a NASCAR owner. Tyner ran his own business doing auto body repair after his driving career ended. He also worked as a show car driver for [Junior Johnson](/source/Junior_Johnson)'s [Budweiser](/source/Budweiser_(Anheuser-Busch)) race team. Tyner's death was caused by a fatal [gunshot](/source/gunshot) to the head while he was in the show truck that was later set on fire. Local police ruled the death a suicide, but many believe foul play was involved. The case is still a mystery to this day. Tyner was married twice and fathered three children: William Leroy Jr., India Dawn, and Truett (who has a Pontiac patch from his father's racing days).[[http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Roy_Tyner.htm Roy Tyner] at Legends of NASCAR]
Tyner would accomplish twelve finishes in the top-five, sixty-one finished in the top-ten, 36235 laps, $234809 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|234809|1970|r=2}}}} when adjusted for inflation) in total winnings, and 23869.0 miles of racing as an owner. The vehicles that Tyner would own would have an average start of 23rd and an average finish of 19th. [African-American](/source/African_American) driver [Wendell Scott](/source/Wendell_Scott) would participate in one racing event using Roy Tyner's car in the [1968 NASCAR Grand National season](/source/1968_in_NASCAR). This event would be known as the [1968 Rebel 400](/source/1968_Rebel_400).[[http://www.racing-reference.info/owner?id=tynerro01 Racing Reference - Tyner as an Owner] at Racing Reference]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyner, William LeRoy}}
Category:1934 births
Category:1989 deaths
Category:20th-century Native American people
Category:1989 suicides
Category:NASCAR drivers
Category:NASCAR team owners
Category:Native American sportspeople
Category:People from Red Springs, North Carolina
Category:Racing drivers from North Carolina
Category:Suicides by firearm in North Carolina
Category:Daytona 500 drivers
Category:Coca-Cola 600 drivers
Category:Southern 500 drivers
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roy Tyner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Tyner) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Tyner?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.