Carol Dean Roper (December 26, 1938 – August 19, 2001)[1] was an American stock car driver from Fair Grove, Missouri.
Roper started 27th in the Evinrude Outboard Motors Pontiac, and was able to avoid problems to come home 15th, six laps down.
Roper would also run the first Talladega race, where oil pump problems left him 28th, and the Firecracker 400, finishing 21st.
[6] Roper made his final start at Daytona in 1986, finishing last in the field of 40 cars after a lap four crash.
By 2000, Roper was beginning to consider retirement, as ARCA was becoming more competitive, and small teams like the Mueller Brothers were having trouble keeping up.
89 Mueller Brother's Racing Ford slowed on lap 17 and began to bounce off the inside wall.
It was announced at the conclusion of the race that Roper had suffered a heart attack, resulting in the odd crash.
[6] Roper died less than one year after his son Tony was killed in a Truck Series Race at Texas Motor Speedway.