RACING CAREER
Built on the short tracks.
Mader’s career began in Southern short-track competition and carried him into ARCA and NASCAR racing.
THE FOUNDATION
Short-track success
Dave Mader III established his reputation in late model and regional stock car competition. In 1978 he won the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway, finishing ahead of Mark Martin. He followed that achievement with four straight NASCAR All-American Challenge Series championships, from 1985 through 1988.
NATIONAL COMPETITION
ARCA and NASCAR
Mader competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, the Busch Series, and the Craftsman Truck Series. In ARCA competition, he won the 1991 Michigan ARCA 200. His racing continued well beyond that period, with later ARCA appearances including a runner-up finish at Talladega in 2021.
BEYOND THE DRIVER'S SEAT
Experience in the garage
Alongside driving, Mader built race cars and worked with racing teams as a crew chief. His contributions to motorsports were recognized with induction into the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2012.