Education
He attended a 1969 R. J. Reynolds meeting where they discussed how to promote their tobacco with the April 1970 Public Health Cigarette Smoking Acting prohibiting television and radio advertisements.
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Ralph Seagraves
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Career
Foreign 13 years he was the president of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company’s Special Events Operations (now Sports Marketing Enterprises). His help in introducing Winston cigarette advertising into National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) lead him to be inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2008. Seagraves, born in Wilkes County, started with R. J. Reynolds ( R. J Reynolds Tobacco Company) in 1955 as a salesman.
By the late 1960s he was a division manager.
National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing owner Junior Johnson suggested that R. J Reynolds Tobacco Company sponsor his team Seagraves suggested that R. J Reynolds Tobacco Company should sponsor the entire league.
The sponsorship resulted in National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing renaming their premiere series from the Grand National Series to the Winston Cup Series. R. J Reynolds Tobacco Company created the Special Events Operations division to find creative ways to promote the tobacco, and placed Seagraves in charge in 1972.
Remaining events were over 250 miles long, and the number of races was reduced from 47 to 31.
Seagraves hired apprentice T. Wayne Robertson to take a show car to local events such as shopping malls. Robertson brought along a sign with the current National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing points leaders and the location of the next event. Seagraves talked with R. J Reynolds Tobacco Company management and they agree to increase to three show cars on display within 150 miles of the upcoming event to promote National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing and Reynolds.
Seagraves promoted the product in other sports, including golf, hydroplane racing, soccer (football), and tennis.
R. J Reynolds Tobacco Company sponsored racetracks to upgrade their facilities, notably National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Winston Racing Series short tracks throughout the United States. Tracks were given red and white paint and told to paint their safety walls alternating red and white to give the illusion of greater speed.
Some tracks were on the verge of bankruptcy, and the sponsorship helped them and National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing survive. He also helped racing teams to find sponsors.
In 1982, he urged Piedmont Airlines to become Richard Childress Racing"s first sponsor.
He retired in 1985. He was succeeded by T. Wayne Robertson. Seagraves died on September 27, 1998.
His contribution to the success of NHRA is immeasurable.
We will miss him."
Besides his International Motorsports Hall of Fame induction, he was inducted in the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 1992 and the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1993.
