Marshall Teague (February 22, 1922 - February 11, 1959) was an American race car driver.
He was nicknamed by NASCAR fans as the "King of the Beach" for his performances at the Daytona Beach Road Course.
He walked into fellow Daytona Beach resident Smokey Yunick's "Best Damned Garage in Town", and launched Yunick's legendary NASCAR mechanic career.
Teague competed in 23 NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) races from 1949 to 1952 winning seven of them. Teague approached Hudson by traveling to Michigan and visiting the plant without an appointment: by the end of the visit Hudson virtually assured Teague of corporate support and cars: the relationship was formalized shortly after the visit. During the 1951 and 1952 seasons Teague was a member of the Hudson Motors team and driving what he called the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Teague was also instrumental in helping Hudson tune the I6 powered Hudson Hornet to its maximum stock capability. When combined with the cars light weight and low center of gravity, the Hornet allowed Teague and the other Hudson drivers to dominate stock car racing from 1951 through 1954, consistently beating out other drivers in cars powered by larger, more modern engines. Yunick and Teague won 27 of 34 events in major stock car events . He was also became the inspiration for Doc Hudson in the film Cars.
Marshall Teague beside the Fabulous Hudson Hornet with his daughter at the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1952
However, he left NASCAR in 1953 following a dispute with NASCAR founder William France Sr. and went to the AAA and USAC.
He died while attempting a closed course speed record in a reconfigured Indy car at the newly opened Daytona International Speedway on February 11, 1959, eleven days before the first Daytona 500. The test session was in preparation for the April debut of the United States Auto Club championship with Indy-style roadsters. ,
* Shared drive with Duane Carter, Jimmy Jackson and Tony Bettenhausen
** Shared drive with Gene Hartley
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Marshall Teague participated in 3 World Championship races but scored no World Championship points.
