John Soares (racing driver)

John Pershing Soares Sr. (November 7, 1918 – March 10, 2007) was an American stock car racing driver. He was a competitor in early NASCAR Grand National Series and NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Division seasons. He was an inductee of the inaugural West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame class in 2002.

In his early career, Soares raced roadsters and midgets.^[1] He was a two-time Bay Cities Racing Association hardtop champion. Soares competed in at least one Pacific Racing Association Hard Top Division race in 1951, finishing third. He also made is his NASCAR Grand National Series debut at Oakland Stadium, finishing ninth. He also competed at Marchbanks Speedway, finishing thirty-first, and at Carell Speedway, also finishing thirty-first after failing to start. In 1954 he competed in the Grand National Series again, running nine races including the Southern 500, where he finished sixth in a field of fifty cars. He also scored his lone victory in the series at Carrell Speedway in a combination race with the NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Model Division in its inaugural season. This win was the first for car No. 4 in what is now the NASCAR Cup Series.^[2] He competed full time in the Pacific Coast Late Model Division that year, scoring the aforementioned win at Carrell, a pole position, and six top tens, finishing fifth in the standings. In contesting the full Pacific Coast Late Model Division season, he competed in five NASCAR Short Track Division races that were combination races with the series. He competed in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman National Championship, ranked 264th in the standings. In 1955, Soares made his final Grand National Series Start, additionally being his final documented Pacific Coast Late Model Division start, finishing twentieth at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. In 1969, he was 18th in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman National Championship standings. Soares stepped away from oval track racing after a fiery midget car crash at West Capital Speedway and began promoting drag racing.^[3] He made his final NASCAR attempt in 1978, failing to qualify for the 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season opener at Riverside International Raceway.

In the 1960s, Soares began promoting Antioch Speedway and Petaluma Speedway.^[4] He continued promoting racetracks until 2002 and was inducted into Antioch's hall of fame.

Soares was married to Gladys Soares. Soares' son John Soares Jr. was also a NASCAR driver, although Soares initially pushed his son to do drag racing, building him a car.^[3] His other son Jim Soares worked in track preparation, racing photography, and as a track promoter.^[4]

Soares died from pneumonia on March 10, 2007.^[1]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

• John Soares driver statistics at Racing-Reference