Deb Williams, Senior Writer
An award winning motorsports journalist, Deb Williams has covered auto racing for more than 30 years. She began her career covering weekly short-track races in Asheville, N.C., while a student at East Tennessee State University and continued after becoming the sports editor at the newspaper in Waynesville, N.C. Upon joining United Press International in Raleigh, N.C., as a general assignment reporter, she began covering NASCAR's top two series and continued to do so after being named UPI's Charlotte, N.C., bureau manager. After leaving UPI, she spent 18 years with the publication NASCAR Winston Cup Scene, serving as its editor for 10 years. Her numerous honors include the Henry T. McLemore Award, the Russ Catlin Award and the George Cunningham National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year award. She has received NMPA awards for columns, news, features and magazine stories. She has written three books. Her most recent, “The Evolution of NASCAR, A Historical Collection, was released in November 2010. Williams has taught the Evolution of Southern Motorsports at Appalachian State University, and has been interviewed for historical motorsports shows that have aired on ESPN and SPEED. She resides in Concord, N.C.
Articles by Deb Williams
At age 17, Thad Moffitt is on the threshold of his stock car racing career, learning his profession and dealing with school simultaneously.
During the week the Trinity, N.C., teenager works at Mooresville, N.C.-based Empire Racing from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then attends school online at night and while he’s at the race track. […]
By Deb Williams | Senor Writer
RacinToday.com
CONCORD, N.C. – Ever since childhood, Kyle Busch has dreamed of winning the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. On Sunday night, the Las Vegas native turned his dream into reality, becoming the first driver in NASCAR’s Modern Era to win at every Cup track on which he has competed.
“Always […]
CONCORD, N.C. – For several decades, the Coca-Cola 600 was an endurance race with the final 100 miles often a mechanical nightmare, but technology has changed the way drivers approach Sunday’s Memorial Day classic.
“It’s 400 laps as fast as the car will go,” says Kevin Harvick, who starts stock car racing’s longest race at the […]
By Deb Williams | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
CONCORD, N.C. – Jimmie Johnson confirmed Thursday that Red Bull was one of the companies that had expressed an interest in replacing Lowe’s as the seven-time NASCAR champion’s primary sponsor in 2019.
Red Bull was involved in NASCAR from 2006-2011. During that time the team fielded cars for Brian Vickers, Kasey […]
By Deb Williams | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon led the balloting Wednesday in a selection process that placed three drivers and two team owners into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Joining Gordon for the Feb. 1, 2019 induction ceremonies will be 1992 NASCAR premier series champion Alan Kulwicki, Davey Allison, and […]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Roger Penske’s expectations of his open-wheel drivers are twofold – win the Indianapolis 500 and a championship – and teammates Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud believe they have a good shot at the former this weekend.
The two IndyCar champions Tuesday pointed to Chevrolet’s development during the past year as the key reason. […]
With 1.5-mile tracks responsible for 11 of the 36 races on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule and nearly half of those in the playoffs, something needed to be done about the boring races that often occur on those tracks. Now, it appears NASCAR has the solution.
The package used in Saturday night’s All-Star race […]
By Deb Williams | Senor Writer
RacinToday.com
CONCORD, N.C. – Roush Fenway Racing has struggled for most of the season, but less than a month after announcing Matt Kenseth’s return, the organization swept the front row in qualifying Friday for this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Kenseth earned the pole in the […]
By Deb Williams | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
CONCORD, N.C. – NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. vehemently fought against legalized gambling in stock car racing, but a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this week could allow it and Kyle Busch believes it would be good for the sport.
“I think it’ll put more eyeballs on the sport,” Busch said […]
By Deb Williams | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
CONCORD, N.C. – Paul Menard said Tuesday he believes this year’s Bank of America 500 will be a “survival” race due to the characteristics possessed by Charlotte Motor Speedway’s new road course.
“It looks like Watkins Glen, it feels like Watkins Glen, but it has the grip of Sonoma. It’s pretty […]