Background
Orr was born in Robbinsville, North Carolina. Originally, Orr and his father Beacher had planned to advance to the Busch Series, Grand National Division (now Xfinity Series).
Orr was born in Robbinsville, North Carolina. Originally, Orr and his father Beacher had planned to advance to the Busch Series, Grand National Division (now Xfinity Series).
A graduate of Robbinsville High School, Orr was a resident of Palm Coast, Florida and started his racing career at Volusia County Speedway in the late 1980s. But when National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing announced plans to change the second-tier engine formula from the six-cylinder engines used in the class to a limited-compression (95:1) eight-cylinder engine, they purchased a Ford Thunderbird during the 1993-1994 off-season, he acquired an engine from Ernie Elliott and the chassis from Robert Yates Racing in hopes of competing in the 1994 Winston Cup Series. Orr"s Number. 37 was one of seven cars to exceed 190 miles per hour at one test session that winter.
However, before he could run a single race, Orr was killed in practice before the 1994 Daytona 500.
During practice for second round Daytona 500 qualifying on February 14, 1994, Orr was making what was a mock qualifying run when he spun entering turn two. His car lifted up and slammed heavily into the outside retaining wall and catch fence with the roof at over 175 mph.
The caution light was found pierced into the roof of the car. Although there were efforts to save him, Orr had instantly died of massive chest and head injuries.
lieutenant was later found that a mounting stud, a part that holds the shock absorber to the car, had broken, rendering the car uncontrollable.
Orr"s death came three days after that of Neil Bonnett on the same track. In 2001, Orr gained attention again after the death of Dale Earnhardt when his autopsy photos as well as those of Bonnett and popular star Lisa Lopes were displayed on the internet. Earnhardt"s widow Teresa testified before Congress to ensure Earnhardt"s autopsy photos would not be published in a similar fashion.