Billy Rafter, an American stock car driver, died on March 2, 2026, at age 96.
Rafter, born William F. Rafter in Clarence Center, New York, was a champion stock car driver and a pioneer of the sport.
He began racing in 1948 at Buffalo’s Civic Stadium and was later hired by car dealer John Moran to drive a highly modified 1937 Ford coupe. He made 35 starts in the NASCAR Grand National Series, first competing in 1949, the inaugural year of the Cup division, and also raced extensively in the Late Model Sportsman and Modified divisions at tracks in the Northeast.
William F. Rafter (July 31, 1929 – March 2, 2026) was an American champion stock car driver from Clarence Center, New York and a pioneer of the sport.