Travis Carter, former NASCAR crew chief and car owner, passes away
CHARLOTTE, N.C.— Travis Carter, the champion NASCAR Cup Series crew chief who transitioned to being a car owner for decades, has died.
Multiple sources confirmed Carter’s death Tuesday.
Travis Carter was born Nov. 21, 1949, in Ellerbe, North Carolina. In 1973, Carter burst into the NASCAR Cup Series working with Benny Parsons. He and Parsons earned a win, 15 Top-5 finishes, 21 Top-10s and the championship – thanks to a remarkable repair job in the season finale at Rockingham Speedway.
Parsons started fifth and just needed a solid finish in the 492-lap race to clinch the 1973 title. Then, 13 laps in, disaster struck when a multi-car crash tore open the right-side of his car.
Carter led a repair job that put Parsons back in the race. While attrition claimed a chunk of the field, Parsons jumped 40th to 28th – good enough for them to win the 1973 title.
Carter worked with Parsons for two more seasons. They finished Top-5 in points each year and won the Daytona 500 in 1975.
Carter worked with Bobby Allison, Dave Marcis and Cale Yarborough – whom he worked with during the 1979 Daytona 500.
In 1981, Carter found himself at home with Harry Gant. In their first five seasons, they made the Skoal Bandit an icon for owner Hal Needham with nine wins, 58 Top-5s, 87 Top-10s and 10 poles in the 140 races during that span.
Then, as the 1980s turned to the 1990s, Carter purchased Needham’s team and became a car owner.
“In 1989, Travis Carter, while in a desperate situation trying to save his team, took a chance on an unproven, unpolished rookie race car driver at DAYTONA. He was rewarded with running up front, leading, and a 6th place finish. (Could’ve won had we gambled on fuel like Darrell did). This race propelled me into the spotlight and reaffirmed Travis’s place in our sport. That man took a chance on me because he ‘saw something.’ Travis was a visionary and was hailed with the upmost respect in our industry. RIP dear friend. ‘It’s ah dupping’,” Mast said on social media.
After a rocky start, Carter found a distinct identity with Jimmy Spencer driving a yellow and purple No. 23 Ford that soon turned red and white.
Carter gave Darrell Waltrip one final ride in 1999 and 2000 when Kmart signed on to sponsor the now-two-car team.
In 2001, with Kmart and new driver Todd Bodine on-board for the first year of a new TV deal that brought an influx of money into the garage area, Carter’s team then stepped up. Bodine won three poles while Spencer won two. Both drivers also led over 100 laps on the season – Spencer leading the way with 214 laps led, three Top-5s and eight Top-10s.
Travis Carter Enterprises stayed in business through 2003 when the team shut down at the end of the season. Carter then transitioned into mentoring his son, Matt, who won his first ARCA Menards Series race in 2008 and made 46 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Travis Carter was 75 years old when he passed away.
NASCAR tributes to Travis Carter
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “Sad news. Travis added a lot to NASCAR. It was really nice to get to talk with him in recent months. I’m in awe of the men like him that shaped the NASCAR I grew up in.”
Todd Bodine: “Sad to hear about Travis Carter. I had the opportunity to drive for him for three years not only one of the best car owners I could have had but also a good friend. Praying for his wife Linda and his family.”
Kenny Wallace: “Travis Carter has passed away. I will always remember Travis changing tires for Junior Johnson’s cars in a VERY calm demeanor. Travis never got on his knees. TRAVIS WAS A LEGEND. My prayers to the family.”
Doug Yates: “Travis was one of the nicest guys, best car owners, and crew chiefs in NASCAR history. My dad and I built his engines in the early 2000’s and enjoyed all of the time that we spent with him and his teams. He will be missed.”
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com