Buddy Arrington, a longtime driver who competed in over 500 NASCAR Cup Series races in his career, has died, according to an obituary tweeted by FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass.. He was 84.
Arrington debuted in the series in 1964, scoring two top fives and nine top 10s in a 27-start season for his own team.
In a career that spanned over 20 years from 1964 to 1988, Arrington made 560 Cup starts, earning 15 top fives and 103 top 10s.
His best finish in a race was third, coming a few times over his career: in 1965 at Nashville Speedway and in 1979 at Talladega Superspeedway.
He also made 15 starts in the Daytona 500, with a best finish of ninth in 1973.
Much of Arrington’s career came driving as an independent for his own team, Arrington Racing, mostly coming under the Dodge/Mopar manufacturer — even after the company pulled out of NASCAR. He did, however, make a handful of starts for team owners such as Elmo Langley, Raymond Fox, Ronnie Thomas and more.
His top overall points finish came in 1982, when he finished seventh, running the full season and scoring eight top 10s.
Arrington’s son Joey is a longtime engine builder for NASCAR suitors and elsewhere, and he also made nine Cup starts of his own for Arrington Racing between 1974 and 1980.
A cause of death is not currently known.
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