Jimmy Nelson

Jimmy started driving stock cars in El Paso, Texas while in the service. Nelson was small in stature (five foot seven and 138 pounds) but he had a heavy foot and was known as a charger from the drop of the green flag.
He moved up the ladder from the jalopies to the roadsters and then on to race super modifieds and sprint cars. He won numerous features and track championships. He was at home on both asphalt and dirt and possibly one of the most versatile drivers this state has ever had.

One of the highlights in Jim’s career was finishing 3rd in the prestigious “Knoxville Nationals” in Iowa in 1963. He drove Bob Patterson’s 8-ball, which was a little better on asphalt. So in 1965 he took Carter’s usual ride (Doc Smalley’s 64 question) to Knoxville because it was better on dirt. But Jim wasn’t as successful as he qualified a disappointing 54th out of 96 cars. That same night Carter died at Berlin.