ORLANDO, Fla. – David Rogers, the 1994 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champion and a fan favorite in the short track ranks, died Sunday morning from complications related to his year-long fight with cancer.
Rogers was 64 years old.
Known predominately for his prowess behind the wheel of an asphalt late model, Rogers was a six-time NASCAR Whelen All American Series Florida state champion, including a run of four titles in five years between 2013 and 2017.
He won track championships at New Smyrna Speedway, Volusia Speedway Park and Orlando Speedworld, and Rogers also conquered New Smyrna’s World Series of Asphalt Racing four times, winning the week-long mini-series title in 1987, ’99, ’01 and ’09.
When it came to individual big races at New Smyrna, there was nothing that Rogers couldn’t win, either. He conquered the Florida Governor’s Cup, Orange Blossom 100, Red Eye 100 and Pete Orr Memorial at the half-mile paved oval during his legendary career.
However, Rogers’ legacy was perhaps most cemented at the biggest late model race in the land, the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla.
Rogers was the all-time starts leader for the super late model classic, surpassing Red Farmer for top honors in that category this past December when he made his 33rd career Snowball Derby start thanks to the Derby Dedication Award and a special provisional.
That recognition came after Rogers was diagnosed with lymphoma following a stomach surgery in December of 2018, and he spent 10 months working to beat cancer and receive a clean bill of health so that he could return to the seat of his TM Ranch No. 11.
Rogers did just that, though his record-setting Snowball Derby start was cut short by a crash that eliminated him after 79 of the 319 laps run during the race.
Most recently, Rogers raced in five of the seven super late model events during the World Series of Asphalt Racing at New Smyrna. His final race behind the wheel was Feb. 12.
Rogers went in for a scheduled checkup on Feb. 26 before being readmitted to the hospital on Saturday night, prior to his passing Sunday morning.
Amid all the accolades he received during his decades in the sport, Rogers was always quick to note that it wasn’t the wins that drove him to compete at a high level in racing.
Rather, it was Rogers’ love for the sport itself that pushed him further and further.
“When I got bit by the racing bug, it bit me hard, and I guess I have a racing tapeworm that I’ll never get rid of,” he noted last year while out of the seat recovering from his cancer treatments.
A beloved figure by drivers and fans alike in the pit area, Rogers’ nickname in short track racing was “The Gentle Giant,” much like another renowned racer who died of cancer back in 2015 – recently-inducted NASCAR Hall of Famer Buddy Baker.
Details on services for David Rogers will be announced in the coming days.