Barry Dodson, former NASCAR championship crew chief, dies at 64

Former NASCAR crew chief Barry Dodson, who led Rusty Wallace to the 1989 NASCAR Cup Series championship, died Wednesday. He was 64.

Dodson's cars won 19 races, and he worked for some of the sport's top drivers in the 1980s and ’90s. In his early years he also often served as a member of the over-the-wall crew that serviced the car.

In addition to working with Wallace for five seasons with owner Raymond Beadle's Blue Max Racing team, Dodson also crew chiefed for Darrell Waltrip, Kyle Petty and Tim Richmond, among other drivers.

Yet despite Dodson's success in the sport, his life was marked by great personal tragedy. Dodson's 17-year-old son, Trey, and his 16-year-old daughter, Tia, were killed as passengers in a car accident in 1994 in South Carolina.

Dodson’s brother, John Dodson, issued the following statement Wednesday: “Barry’s passing leaves us all with heavy hearts. He left his mark in the NASCAR history books and he served the sport with a passion that few will ever match. We love him and we miss him.”

Wallace, who was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013, said Wednesday, "If it weren’t for Barry, I likely wouldn’t be where I am today."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Barry Dodson’s family," Wallace said via Twitter. "Barry was an incredible leader and one of our sport’s best crew chiefs. We had a lot of success together and had a lot of fun too. If it weren’t for Barry, I likely wouldn’t be where I am today. He will be greatly missed.

Dodson's stepson, Trent Owens, a fellow NASCAR crew chief, also paid tribute to Dodson on Twitter.

"With sadness, my brother and sisters dad Barry Dodson went to join them in heaven this morning. He missed his children so much. He was a great and loving step father, and had much to do with my own career path, BD will be greatly missed."

NASCAR also issued condolences for Dodson: “His extraordinary skills around a race car were rivaled only by his passion for the sport, and his perseverance in the face of adversity. NASCAR extends its condolences to the family and friends of Barry Dodson. He will be missed.”