NASCAR Pioneer 'Wild' Bill Rafter Dies at 96 After Fearless Career That Helped Shape Northeast Racing

One of the toughest and most respected early figures in American stock car racing has passed away. “Wild” Bill Rafter, a pioneer of Northeast motorsports and a driver whose fearless reputation stretched back to the earliest days of NASCAR competition, has died at the age of 96. The Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame confirmed his passing Monday, prompting an outpouring of tributes from racing historians and longtime fans who remembered him as one of Western New York’s most iconic racers. Rafte