Pam Dudding Contributing writer
Bobby Scruggs was a NASCAR Official for almost 40 years. Many believe that he lost his 13-year battle with cancer much too soon on January 22, 2005.
His motto was, “Never give up, go over, go under, go around or go through, but never give up.”
His legacy continues through fundraising to offer scholarships to students seeking a career in some area of the Motorsports or Automotive Industry, as well as interns for Motor Racing Outreach (MRO) and Wake Forest University Research Center.
Jackie Scruggs-Taylor, Bobby’s wife, said that, “this is something I feel he would appreciate very much and enjoy the students and their accomplishments.”
One hundred and eight scholarships have been awarded to students in 26 high schools in Southwest Virginia. There have also been 14 interns for the MRO Children’s Ministry. The high school students for 2018-2019, who received $1,500 scholarships were:
- Cameron Fisher, Craig County, attending Va. Western Community College then Ohio Technical College in Motorsports
- Maggie C. Huffman, Craig County, attending Va. Western Community College to study radiology
- Joseph T. Craiger, Bassett, attending Patrick Henry Community College to study Motorsports
- Devyn T. Haynes, Bassett, attending Patrick Henry Community College to study Motorsports
- Lauren A. Overfelt, Salem, attending Va. Tech to study engineering. Overfelt is the 2019 Champion of the Junior Dragster Division at the Radford Motor Mile Speedway.
- Cami Parsons, daughter of Phil Parsons, was the MRO intern for 2019, and is currently a sophomore and cheerleader at the University of North Carolina. She was a child of MRO and wanted to give back.
The Scruggs’ Legacy continues through students as they receive assistance to go into the world and motorsports. “The NASCAR family has been very supportive, and we are working to continue assisting students in the future,” Scruggs-Taylor said. “He always told the drivers and officials, ‘If today had not gone well, tomorrow would be a better day.’”
“Bobby was always helping people and they truly loved him,” she added.
Applications for the 2019-2020 Scholarships can be found at bsmfoundation.org. The due date is March 15, 2020. All students are encouraged to apply.
