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Edwin 'Banjo' Matthews inducted into N.C. Auto Racing Hall of Fame
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Published: November 28, 2008
Former NASCAR legendary driver Donnie Allison half-kidded that it wouldn't take the late Edwin "Banjo" Matthews long to get all the kinks ironed out of the premier stock car racing division's current Car of Tomorrow.
"Banjo could get that thing fixed in a matter of hours," atoned Allison, on the stage as the official presenter of Matthews as the latest recipient of the Snap-On Tools Golden Wrench Award during the course of earlier this fall's 12th annual N.C. Auto Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. "He was a mastermind at what he did."
Matthews is considered by those in the know as one of the founding fathers -- particularly what took place in the garage area behind the scenes – of the modern stock car racing scene. His contributions first as a driver and then most notably as a car builder/owner remain unparalleled. The impact he made on the sport is still in place today.
Born in Ohio, Matthews first attempted to make it as a driver. He had some success, making his debut at the age of 15. He went on to claim hundreds of wins at lower divisions before making the move to the big time in the Grand National/Winston Cup – now Sprint – level. Though never managing a win, he was able to collect nearly $30,000 in career winnings.
Matthews, who relocated to the Asheville area, became a full-time car owner in 1963. As such, his cars picked up nine wins and garnered 14 pole positions in a total of 160 starts, resulting in some $317,000 in earnings.
In addition to Allison, among other drivers steering Matthews's cars to wins included Fireball Roberts and A.J. Foyt.
It was under the hood, though, where Matthews racked in the bulk of his success and notoriety.
Once getting started as a car builder in 1970 at his Banjo's Performance Center, he first constructed Ford racecars for Holman and Moody Co. and then built Chevrolets for General Motors.
From the years 1974-1985, Matthews-built entries won a startling 262 of 362 Cup races for an impressive 72 percent winning rate during that span. The stretch included the claiming of all 30 wins of the season's races in cars he built during the 1978 season. The run also included the capturing of four consecutive series championships from 1975-1978.
It wasn't just in the winner's circle where Matthews' cars appeared. In many of the races, entries built by him comprised more than half the overall field. In addition to the constructing of some 750 new racecars, the organization also repaired some 400 more. The effort was spread out among not just Cup series cars but also those in the Limited Sportsman, Modifieds and IROC series as well.
Matthews, who moved from Miami to Asheville to set up shop, was first saddled with the nickname "Banjo Eyes" due to the wearing of his thick-lensed glasses he wore from his grade school years. The moniker was then shortened to just Banjo during his later years.
He often felt more secure working in the background, feeling more at ease letting his efforts speak for themselves with the performances on the various tracks.
He becomes the ninth winner of the annual Golden Wrench Award that has been presented by the NCARHOF since 2000. Other winners include Dale Inman, Leonard Wood, Smokey Yunick, Maurice Petty, Buddy Parrott, Robert Yates, Waddell Wilson and Harry Hyde.
On hand to accept the distinction on the part of the family was the honoree's son, Jody Matthews.
"It's a great honor,'' assured the recipient.
Some other of the honors the latest Golden Wrench winner received came near the latter stages of his life. He received the Buddy Shuman Award for contributions to the sport, the Smokey Yunick Award presented by the Charlotte – now Lowe's – Motor Speedway for lifetime mechanical achievement, and induction into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.
Matthews passed away in early October of 1996 due to heart and respiratory disease at the age of 64. He had been in declining health for nearly a decade and was seriously ill the last two years of his life.
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