Bob Senneker (born December 12, 1944) is an American

stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...

driver from Dorr, Michigan near

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

. He is best known for racing on the

American Speed Association The American Speed Association (ASA) is a sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States formed in 1968. The Association was based in Pendleton, Indiana, Pendleton, Indiana, and later in Daytona Beach, Florida. The ASA sanctioned asphalt a ...

(ASA) National Tour where he was the 1990 champion. Senneker's 85 wins were the most in series history. He has also raced in eight

NASCAR Cup Series The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States. The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...

races between 1968 and 1983.

Background /Personal life

Senneker was born on December 12, 1944. His brother, Terry Senneker, raced against him and has done some touring series starts.

Racing career

Local driver (1963–1972)

In 1963, Senneker began racing at the 1/4 mile paved Grand Rapids Speedrome in 1963. He began racing at

Berlin Raceway Berlin Raceway is a long paved oval race track in Marne, Michigan, near Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids. The track races weekly as part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. It has also held touring series events on the ARCA Menar ...

after it was paved in 1966; he won 92 features and over 130 preliminary races between 1966 and 1980. In 1966, he won 18 features at Berlin. He was the 1966, 1967, and 1968 Berlin track champion. In the 1960s, he also won track championships at Grand Rapids Speedrome, Tri-City Motor Speedway, and Kalamazoo Speedway. He began this 1970 season by winning at Heidelberg Raceway; he also won the Glass City 200 at Toledo Speedway by two laps. In 1971, he raced Heidelberg Raceway as well at selected larger money shows. Senneker won the Goodyear 250 that season at Cayuga Speedway in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada. In 1972, Senneker was the U.S. Stock Car Champion at Tri-City.

ASA / ARTGO (1974–1998)

Senneker took his first ASA National Tour win at the Winchester 400 in 1974; he ended up winning the race five consecutive times (1974–1978). That season, he used a Camaro to win approximately 40 races. He began teaming up with Ed Howe in 1975 and he started using a new car. Senneker won 21 times in 1976 and 28 feature races in 1977. In his "Bluebird" car, he won 24 times in 1978, including six ASA wins - the first Milwaukee 150, his fifth consecutive Winchester 400, and a 300-lap race at I-70 Speedway. In 1979, he promoted at Hartford Motor Speedway. He cut back on weekly races and just concentrated on major races. The final year of the decade ended with five wins, including one in ASA and one in ARTGO. He started the eighties by winning 15 times including the Anderson 300, Cayuga 300, Minnesota State Fair 300, and the Queen City 300. He won five in ASA to take second in the national tour points. Senneker recorded 11 wins in 1981, including five times in ASA (Milwaukee 500 and the first ASA race at

Michigan International Speedway Michigan International Speedway (formerly named as the Michigan Speedway from 1997 to 2000) is a D-shaped oval superspeedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. It has hosted various major auto racing series throughout its existence, including NASCAR, Cham ...

) as well as an All-Pro race at Birmingham International Raceway. In the 1982 ASA season, Senneker primarily raced in ASA. He had eight wins, including the Badger 150 at the

Milwaukee Mile The Milwaukee Mile is a oval race track in the central United States, located on the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin, a suburb west of Milwaukee. Its grandstand and bleachers seats approximately 37,000 spectat ...

, Indianapolis Raceway Park, the Molson 200 and Molson 300 at Cayuga International Speedway, the Fall Classic 300 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and the All-American 400 at Nashville Speedway. Senneker remained racing primarily in ASA in 1983 and won six features. Senneker won ten ASA races in 1984 and finished second after an accident in the final race of the season. He raced strictly at ASA races and won once in 1985 and once in 1986 (Cayuga). In 1991, he won four consecutive ASA races in the middle of the year. Senneker's final ASA start happened on September 26, 1998 where he won in his final race at Southern National Speedway. He had competed in 396 ASA races with 85 wins. Senneker won nine times in frequent ARTGO starts throughout his career.

NASCAR

Senneker made eight

starts in this career. He made his first start at the 1968 Daytona 500 in a home-built 1966 Chevelle. He had his career-best 13th-place finish. His next NASCAR race happened at his home track of

in 1970. He started 30th and finished 21st. Eleven years later, Senneker started 23rd for J.D. Stacy at

Charlotte Motor Speedway Charlotte Motor Speedway (known as Lowe's Motor Speedway from 1999 to 2009 due to sponsorship reasons) is a quad-oval Oval track racing#Intermediate, intermediate speedway in Concord, North Carolina. It has hosted various major races since it ...

and finishing 21st after crashing. Senneker made his final five NASCAR starts in 1983 for Terry Marra in the No. 80 Pontiac. He finished 28th after crashing at

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, 27th with battery issues at 1983 World 600 ( Charlotte), 14th and 16th at Michigan, and 15th at Atlanta.

Driving style

'' Speed Sport'' describes his personality as "intensely focused, ... engrossed with the thought of winning the next race." ''Speed Sport'' also said "His smooth, calculating style was perfectly suited to long races and he had an uncanny ability to conserve his equipment." Michigan fans nicknamed him "The Sneaker" for his patience and "The Bluebird" for his blue car which was often "flew" in front.

Awards

Senneker was inducted into the

Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame The Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame is a non-profit hall of fame for Michigan auto racers. It was founded in 1982 by Dick Lee and was incorporated April 19, 1982, as a non-profit 501(c) (3) non-stock Michigan corporation. The Michigan Motor Sp ...

in 1988. Bob was inducted into the Grand Rapids, MI Sports Hall of Fame(www.grshof.com) in 2006. He was added to the

Hall of Fame in 2015.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Senneker, Bob Living people 1944 births People from Midland, Michigan Racing drivers from Michigan American Speed Association drivers NASCAR drivers