Near Floyd in Floyd County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Birthplace of Curtis Morton Turner
(1924-1970)
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 17, 2023
1. Birthplace of Curtis Morton Turner Marker
Curtis Turner, stock car racer, was born here and honed his driving skills hauling moonshine in these mountains. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, he became a pioneering NASCAR driver. He is credited with 360 career wins both in and out of NASCAR, including 38 of 79 starts in the NASCAR Convertible Division and 17 in NASCAR's premier series. Turner co-founded Charlotte Motor Speedway, was the first driver featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, operated a successful timber business, and piloted his own aircraft. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2016.
Erected 2017 by Virginia Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number KG-26.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Roads & Vehicles • Sports. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.
Location. 36° 56.196′ N, 80° 12.455′ W. Marker is near Floyd, Virginia, in Floyd County. It is on Smartsview Road Southeast (Virginia
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest Virginia and in the Blue Ridge Highlands. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Jacksonville Presbyterian Church (approx. 6.4 miles away); Nannie Harmon Howard House (approx. 6.4 miles away); Former Site of an African-American School (approx. 6.4 miles away); Robley Evans (approx. 6.4 miles away); Last Cavalry Raid (approx. 6.4 miles away); Floyd County War Memorial
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 17, 2023
2. Birthplace of Curtis Morton Turner Marker
Also see . . .
1. Curtis Turner, King of Convertibles. NASCAR Hall of Fame website entry:
Over parts of four seasons Virginia native Curtis Turner won nearly half the NASCAR Convertible Division races he entered. (Submitted on July 15, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
2. The Golden Era of NASCAR: Curtis Turner. YouTube video (56m 29s)
Documentary about the legendary driver, who drove with "total reckless abandon." (Submitted on July 15, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
via YouTube, unknown
3. Curtis Morton Turner
Credits. This page was last revised on April 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 14, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 890 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 14, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3. submitted on June 5, 2024, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.
