Professional Race Car Driver. He was an American professional race car driver. Unlike many of today's drivers, he started driving race cars at the age of 21 after a friend allowed him to test drive his sprint car. At the beginning of his career in racing sprint cars, when the fans did not know his name, he startled the crowd by pulling the car up alongside the catch fence, climbing on top of the wing. In 1977, Richmond was both Rookie of the Year and the Supermodified champion at Sandusky Speedway in Ohio. He followed with the USAC Sprint Car championship in 1979. In 1980, he ran the Indianapolis 500. He was leading the race when he ran out of gas, but still garnered Rookie of the Year honors. One of the spectators impressed by his ability was Dr. Joseph Mattioli, owner of Pocono International Speedway. He was asked by Mattioli if he would be interested in driving a stock car at that track. Richmond accepted the offer and Winston Cup became the primary focus of his racing career. In 1981 he drove at various times for DK Ulrich, Kennie Childers, and Bob Rogers. After starting off the 1982 season without a car, he signed on with JD Stacy. That combination resulted in two wins that year with both of them in Riverside, California. With his financial future in doubt, he switched to the Blue Max team for the 1983 season. Richmond drove for that team until the end of the 1985 season and scored two more wins: Pocono in 1983 and North Wilkesboro in 1984. After going winless in 1985, he moved onto a team owned by Rick Hendrick. There he was paired with legendary crew chief, Harry Hyde. These two men had a hot streak almost unparalleled in the modern era of stock car racing. In a 12-race stretch from the World 600 in May to the Fall race at the Richmond Fairgrounds, he won six races and placed second four times. The late season rally allowed him to make a charge at the points title and though he won the season finale at Riverside, Richmond finished third in the points. At this point, his health declined. He was treated that winter at the Cleveland Clinic for what was at first diagnosed as pneumonia, but later learn he had the HIV virus, which would eventually develop into AIDS. This illness forced him to miss the early part of the 1987, but he made a storybook return to NASCAR racing that June at Pocono, winning the event. A week later he won the Father's Day event at Riverside, and dedicated the win to his father, Al. That was to be the last win of his career. Health issues forced him to retire from racing shortly thereafter and he died from the complications of AIDS at 34 years old.