Dale Inman is a retired National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Grand National/Winston Cup crew chief from Level Cross, Randolph County, North Carolina.
Background
Inman grew up playing with his first cousins Richard and Maurice Petty. The Petty brothers were the son of Lee Petty, who finished in the Top 5 points in National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing"s stock car division every year from its formation in 1949 until 1959 and won the 1954, 1958, and 1959 championships.
Career
He is best known for being the crew chief of Richard Petty at Petty Enterprises during three decades. Inman spent most of his career working for Petty Enterprises. He also was the crew chief for Terry Labonte"s 1984 championship.
National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing.com contributor Rick Houston said that if the best crew chief was "settled on statistics and statistics alone, Dale Inman is the greatest crew chief of all time." He is credited for starting the main duties of the position including preparation, and driver-pit communication.
Inman has the most victories as a National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing crew chief mainly for Richard Petty. The teenage boys would attend some races and work on Lee"s car after school and on weekends.
Richard started racing in the late 1950s with Maurice and Inman as part of his pit crew, as they were too young to be his crew chief By this time Maurice and Inman had become National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing mechanics.
Maurice had been the mechanic and crew chief at the races.
Petty Enterprises had him start concentrating on engine building for the team, and Inman became the crew chief at the races. Petty described him as the sport"s first official crew chief All 27 victories were in the same car that they built in 1966.
He departed the team days after winning the 1981 Daytona 500.
While being interviewed after winning the race, he told Columbia Broadcasting System reporter Ned Jarrett that would soon be leaving the team Inman had been crew chief for 192 of Petty"s 193 victories.
That June, Osterlund sold the team to J. Doctorate. Stacy and Earnhardt quit Stacy"s team in August. He stayed with the team until he was hired by Billy Hagan to join Terry Labonte"s team
He returned to Petty Enterprises in 1986 to oversee the business side.
In an interview, he said, "This is my homecoming and this is where I belong. Damn, I am happy." He continued in his role helping Richard Petty until Petty retired in 1992. After his retirement, Inman helped Petty Enterprises drivers Rick Wilson, John Andretti, and Bobby Hamilton.
Inman retired from National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing in 1998.
He continued as a consultant for Petty Enterprises for a while afterward. Away from racing, Inman has helped the Victory Junction Gang Camp get started.
In 2008, he helped unveil the first artifact at the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Hall of Fame, which was the Plymouth Belvedere that Petty drove to 27 wins in 1967.