Bill Davis, the champion NASCAR owner who won crown jewel races and gave Jeff Gordon his start, has passed away. He was 74 years old.

NASCAR Media/Getty Images

NASCAR confirmed Davis’ passing Sunday, Sept. 7, before the NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

With his wife Gail, Bill Davis fielded cars in NASCAR’s national series from 1988 to 2008 as Bill Davis Racing.

In 2008, the team won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship with driver Johnny Benson Jr., who was with the team for its entire 2004-2008 run in the Truck Series. The run proved to be a masterclass of success with 24 wins and 40 poles earned in 125 starts.

Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR

Sam Greenwood/Getty Images for NASCAR

Benson earned 14 wins and four poles while Mike Skinner earned nine wins and 32 poles and Scott Speed earned a pole and a win.

Bill Lester was not far behind with two poles. Davis made history with Lester at Atlanta in March 2006 when Lester became one of the first Black drivers to make a Cup start since Wendell Scott’s run in the 1960s.

LOUDON, NH – JULY 21: Bill Davis Racing driver Ward Burton is being lifted up by Bill Davis (left) and Tommy Baldwin Jr. in victory circle after taking his #22 Dodge Intrepid R/T to victory in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series New England 300 on July 21, 2002 at the New Hampshire International Speedway, in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

Cup success was fruitful for BDR with Ward Burton. They won five races — including the 2001 Southern 500 and the 2002 Daytona 500. Burton finished ninth in the 1999 points and 10th in the 2000 points. Along the way, the No. 22 Caterpillar scheme became an icon synonymous with both of them.

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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media

BDR was also known for helping give several NASCAR legends their start. Jeff Gordon’s first two full-time NASCAR seasons came with them. He won three NASCAR Xfinity Series races and 12 poles in two seasons before he started his legendary Cup career in 1993.

In 1993, BDR started their Cup team with rookie — and eventual Cup champion — Bobby Labonte.

Other notable drivers for BDR include Geoffrey Bodine, Mike Skinner and Mark Martin — the team’s first driver when they started up in the Xfinity Series in 1988. In the Xfinity Series, BDR earned 11 wins — three with Gordon, three with Martin and five with Scott Wimmer.

NASCAR statement on Bill Davis’ passing

“A championship-winning leader and owner, Bill Davis made a lasting mark on our sport through his passion and unwavering belief in the people around him. His teams celebrated some of NASCAR’s most prestigious victories, including the Daytona 500 and the Southern 500.

Bill was more than a competitor — he was a friend to all in the garage, respected for his kindness, generosity, and genuine love for racing.

NASCAR extends its deepest condolences to his wife and business partner Gail, the Davis family, and Bill’s many friends during this difficult time.”

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