Ralph Seagraves

His help in introducing Winston cigarette advertising into NASCAR and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) lead him to be inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2008.

[2] He attended a 1969 R. J. Reynolds meeting where they discussed how to promote their tobacco with the April 1970 Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act prohibiting television and radio advertisements.

[2] RJR created the Special Events Operations division to find creative ways to promote the tobacco, and placed Seagraves in charge in 1972.

[5] Seagraves hired apprentice T. Wayne Robertson to take a show car to local events such as shopping malls.

[4] Seagraves talked with RJR management and they agreed to increase to three show cars on display within 150 miles of the upcoming event to promote NASCAR and Reynolds.

[2] RJR sponsored racetracks to upgrade their facilities, notably NASCAR Winston Racing Series short tracks throughout the United States.