NASCAR veteran Morgan Shepherd has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The diagnosis was revealed from a statement posted to Shepherd’s website on Monday. Shepherd, 79, is in the early stages of the nervous system disorder.
“As we come to a close of 2020, it truly has been a challenging year to many, and for Morgan Shepherd, it is no different. Morgan was in a battle of a different sorts in the challenging 2020 year. After a long year of health issues, Morgan has been diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson’s Disease,” the statement from Shepherd Racing Ventures said.
“We all have had challenges to overcome and Morgan has always wanted to be an encourager, defying his age in physical and mental ability. Morgan’s charity work with the physically challenged has inspired him in the toughest times and currently continues in his diagnosis.
“In true Shepherd fashion, he is determined to look into 2021 and make plans for another year of NASCAR racing, as a car owner.”
Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 season was the first in 52 years, more than half a century where the 79-year-old failed to make a start in one of NASCAR’s national series (Cup, Xfinity or NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series).
Shepherd Racing Ventures fielded an entry for driver Landon Cassill in four of the first five Xfinity Series races this season before the season was put on hiatus in March at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway because of COVID-19.
Despite an increased starting field and a guaranteed starting position for the remaining Xfinity Series races in 2020, the No. 89 team did not return to the track at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in May when racing resumed.
Cassill has received praise from within the industry for exceptional qualifying runs aboard the underfunded racecar – including a ninth-place starting position in Sept. 2019 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway.
During a lengthy racing career from 1970 to 2019, Shepherd won four NASCAR Cup Series races and hoists 15 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and has tallied 1,027 starts between the three NASCAR national series.
He finished a career-high fifth in the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings in 1990 driving for Bud Moore Engineering.
His last race of record was in the fall of 2019 for the Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sept. 7.
The Ferguson, N.C. native made history when he became the oldest driver to compete in a Cup Series race in 2014 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway at age 72 driving for Circle Sport Racing. His final Cup Series start of his career, however, was overshadowed by an accident with frontrunner Joey Logano.
Despite the pandemic, Shepherd’s website said he was still preparing for the 34th year of the Morgan Shepherd charity trip to the PARC Workshop in Stuart, Va., an organization that provides handicapped adults job and daily living skills.
On the trip, gift bags, which contain donated items, are distributed to workshop participants and low-income families.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
