World of Outlaws and Sprint Car legend Rick Ferkel has passed away at 84. The Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee has been extremely influential on the sprint car community throughout his career in racing. Having transitioned from driver to crew chief to team owner, Rick Ferkel has had a hand in producing some great sprint car talents. One among them would be the 2023  Cup Series championship finalist Christopher Bell.

Ferkel’s unfortunate demise has pained the broader racing community and especially left a deep wound in the Sprint Car community. Christopher Bell expressed his emotions on Instagram as he described Rick Ferkel’s importance in his career and how Ferkel always pushed him to be a better driver and person. Following in the footsteps of Bell, the racing community has also expressed its heartfelt condolences and prayers.

Christopher Bell waves Rick Ferkel a final goodbye

Even during his days of racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports, Christopher Bell had iterated the importance of Rick Ferkel in his life. As he moved to Ohio to go further distance in his blooming racing career, Ferkel provided him with a platform and some incredible mentoring. The results are before everyone’s eyes as Bell hopes to make a third consecutive appearance in the Cup Series season finale in 2024.

Christopher Bell shared a post on Instagram and captioned it, “This man right here impacted my life as much as anyone. He started as my first sprint car owner but turned into my biggest mentor and life coach. 

“He taught me the ultimate level of accountability and always pressured me to be the best person I could be. Thank you for the memories and wisdom, Rick. RIP”

Ferkel wasn’t just an influential figure off the track. On it, he was one of his generation’s best Sprint Car drivers. Racing at the historic Fremont Speedway, Millstream Speedway, and Limaland Speedway, Ferkel retired with 21 victories in the WoO division in the 1980s. As he moved out of that role to return as a WoO official before preparing a sprint car as a team owner, he met Christopher Bell, who has treated Ferkel like his idol ever since.

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Rick Ferkel’s passing has sent a wave of sadness across the Sprint Car racing community, and many popular voices have expressed their dismay at it through social media.

The racing community extends its condolences

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Rick Ferkel earned the moniker ‘The Ohio Traveller’ due to his origin being in Ohio. Running in 70 to 80 races annually, Ferkel would win 30 or more regularly. This made him popular on specific tracks like the Eldora Speedway, where he won 4 out of 9 World of Outlaws events. The world’s fastest 3/8-mile dirt track, Atomic Speedway’s official Twitter handle joined the cause and paid its respect to a racing legend as it wrote,

“The racing community has lost a legend. The Ohio Traveler, Rick Ferkel, left his legacy on this sport and will be forever missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and all of those in the racing community impacted by Rick Ferkel.”

Central Pennsylvania-based dirt track connoisseur DirtStation also posted a video that would take one back to some of the incredible moments of Rick Ferkel across a legendary career. The Twitter caption read, “RIP Rick Ferkel; Rick was one of the greatest sprint car drivers in the history of the sport.”

“Truly one of the original Outlaws, the “Ohio Traveler” would place 2nd to Steve Kinser in the 1978 WoO standings. The first year of the tour”

The World of Outlaws and Attica Raceway’s official accounts also posted their heartfelt condolences on Twitter, paying respect to a Sprint Car legend who has contributed in multiple roles.

Certainly, in the world of sprint car racing, there have been a select few like Rick Ferkel. Like Christopher Bell, Ferkel has inspired hundreds of drivers in America and will continue to do so even after his demise.

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