When NASCAR launched in 1947 it offered a sanctioned path for drivers who had gained experience transporting illegal liquor. The sport's Hall of Fame even displays a still constructed by Junior Johnson and awards a trophy modeled on similar equipment. Although moonshine running feels like ancient history one driver with those origins remained active deep into modern times.

Morgan Shepherd earned the nickname Last of the Moonshiners and still entered Xfinity events in 2019. At 77 years old he ended the season 62nd in points with 29 tallies. Shepherd learned the trade from his father Jesse Clay Shepherd and as a teenager he and a friend ran their own still.

By the 1960s demand had slowed so Shepherd tried earning extra money at the local track with one of his moonshine cars. The move succeeded and he turned professional. His first Cup start arrived in 1970 and before retirement he entered more than 1000 national series races a mark matched by only seven other drivers.

Is that age typical for NASCAR competitors?

Indeed it stands out. NASCAR sets no strict age limit and Herschel McGriff raced regionally until 90 yet concerns about older drivers persist today. Shepherd faced scrutiny after a 2014 crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when he was 72 prompting questions about safety for everyone on track.

NASCAR maintained that passing the physical and qualifying the car kept a driver eligible. Shepherd had already shifted to start-and-park tactics common for smaller teams that qualify then withdraw early to collect modest payouts. He finally stepped away after a 2020 Parkinson's diagnosis that impaired movement control. He had hoped to return as an owner in 2021 but instead focused on his Victory In Jesus Racing Ministries. Shepherd remains one of the few ministers with four Cup wins 15 Xfinity victories and 57 Truck series starts.