Harold Kite | |||||||
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Born | November 22, 1921 East Point, Georgia |
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Died | October 17, 1965 | (aged 43)||||||
Cause of death | Racing accident | ||||||
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career | |||||||
9 races run over 5 years | |||||||
Best finish | 25th - 1951 NASCAR Grand National Series season | ||||||
First race | 1950 untitled race (Daytona Beach Road Course) | ||||||
Last race | 1965 National 400 (Charlotte Motor Speedway) | ||||||
First win | 1950 untitled race (Daytona Beach Road Course) | ||||||
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Harold Kite (November 22, 1921 - October 17, 1965) was a NASCAR Grand National driver from East Point, Georgia, United States of America. In his brief Sprint Cup Series career, Kite competed in nine events to earn one win and two top-ten finishes.
Kite's debut came in 1950. He started third on the Daytona Beach Road Course, Kite quickly found his way to the lead. From there, he led 38 of the 48 laps and holding off Red Byron by fifty-three seconds for the victory. He recorded two midpack finishes to close out the year: a 38th in the inaugural event at Darlington and a 12th place in a small field at Rockingham Speedway.
Kite's next two races would take place during the 1951 season, when he finished a career-high 25th in points. He started 38th in the history-breaking eighty-two car field at the Southern 500, Kite completed most of the laps and kept in shouting distance of the leaders to finish 6th. Kite did not keep early-season momentum on his side, finishing his other start that year with a last (29th) place showing at Columbia.
Kite tacked on two more starts a few years later, making his return during the 1955 season. Piston issues very early in the LeHi race left him 25th, and various woes kept him to 43rd place in the Darlington Southern 500.
Kite made a new approach during his solo 1956 appearance, making his first start at the tiny Shelby track. But even the small field of seventeen could not be conquered for Kite, who fell a number of laps down and finished 11th.
Kite waited until 1965 to return to the sport, competing for the first time at the speedy Charlotte. It would be a tragic return for the driver. Just one lap in, Kite crashed out of the race to finish 42nd. Unfortunately, not only did Kite lose the race but his life that day, after being hit in the driver's door by Frank Warren. Kite was forty-three.