Tom Higgins

The NATIONAL Association FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING begins its second half-century as the fastestgrowing major spectator sport in the United States. Nearly six million people attended NASCAR Winston Cup Series races in 1998 and more than 150 illion watched the action on television. NASCAR also sanctions twelve other touring series as well as races at more than 130 tracks throughout the nation.

Tom HIGGINS has written about NASCAR races for more than four decades. A native of North Carolina, Higgins began his writing career in 1958 and joined the staff of the Charlotte Observer in 1964, where he was the first writer from a daily newspaper to cover the NASCAR Winston Cup Series on a full-time beat. Higgins' articles and columns were syndicated nationally by Knight-Ridder Newspapers, and his writing and production work appeared in radio and television features about the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

In addition to his writing awards from the National Motorsports Press Association, Higgins was presented with the NASCAR Award of Excellence for lifetime achievement in 1996.

Since retiring from the Charlotte Observer in 1997, Higgins has written columns for NASCAR Winston Cup Scene and NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated, and contributed historic features for the ESPN2 and RPM2NIGHT coverage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing. An avid golfer and fisherman, Higgins is the father of two and grandfather of six.