The Associated Press
March 3, 2006
02:21 PM EST (19:21 GMT)

COLUMBIA, Tenn. -- North Carolina native James Ronald "Bunkie" Blackburn, a former NASCAR driver who once won a race at Daytona International Speedway, died Tuesday. He was 69.

Blackburn died at his home, according to an announcement from Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home in Columbia. His cause of death was not available Thursday night.

Blackburn drove in the Grand National and NASCAR circuits from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, driving for teams run by Smokey Yunick and Petty Enterprises.

He had four top-fives and 14 top-10s in the Grand National series, The Daily Herald in Columbia reported. Blackburn ran 71 races at 26 different tracks in his career.

His top finish was in 1968, when he won the Permatex 300 at Daytona from the pole. He also won poles at Talladega and Bristol and was inducted into the Pure Darlington Record Club in 1964 after posting a record qualifying time. He finished in the top 10 twice in the Daytona Firecracker 400.

Blackburn grew up surrounded by racing -- his father owned and operated a dirt track in his hometown of Fayetteville, N.C.

Blackburn also competed throughout the Middle Tennessee area on dirt tracks and at Nashville Speedway against drivers like Darrell Waltrip, who lives in Franklin, and Coo Coo Marlin, the late father of current Nextel Cup driver Sterling Marlin, also of Columbia.

He retired from racing after an injury and went to work for General Electric in Columbia for 20 years before retiring.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Nancy Hedrick Blackburn, three daughters, a son and 12 grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home.

It's always sad to hear of anyone dying. Thoughts are with his family.