NASCAR veteran Sam Ard passes at 78

Sam Ard, a two-time champion of what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series, has passed away at the age of 78.

North Carolina native Ard scored 22 wins in what was then called the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series, winning back-to-back championships in 1983 and '84. However, he was seriously injured in a crash at North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham) in October 1984. He announced his retirement the following year.

Ard's 10 wins in 1983 stood as the series single-season record for single-season wins until Kyle Busch tied that mark in 2008. In 2010, Busch reset the record with 13 wins.

Following his retirement as a driver, Ard became a team owner in the Xfinity Series, claiming two wins with Jimmy Hensley and one with Jeff Burton in six years. All three victories came at Martinsville Speedway.