William Ralph Seagraves was an American executive. For 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

Winston (cigarette)

Winston cigarettes are manufactured by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company or its newer incarnation as RJR Nabisco and/or its affiliates.The brand was introduced in 1954, and became the best-selling brand of cigarettes in the United States...

 cigarette advertising into NASCAR

NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 and National Hot Rod Association

National Hot Rod Association

The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...

 (NHRA) lead him to be inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame

International Motorsports Hall of Fame

The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...

 in 2008.

Career

Seagraves, born in Wilkes County, started with R. J. Reynolds (RJR) in 1955 as a salesman. By the late 1960s he was a division manager. He attended a 1969 R. J. Reynolds meeting where they discussed how to promote their tobacco with the April 1970 Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act

Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act

The Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act is a United States federal law, passed in 1970, designed to limit the practice of smoking. It required a stronger health warning on cigarette packages, saying "Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined that Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health"...

 prohibiting television and radio advertisements. NASCAR owner Junior Johnson

Junior Johnson

Robert Glenn Johnson, Jr. , better known as Junior Johnson, is a retired moonshiner in the rural South who became one of the early superstars of NASCAR in the 1950s and 1960s. He won 50 NASCAR races in his career before retiring in 1966...

 suggested that RJR sponsor his team. Seagraves suggested that RJR should sponsor the entire league. The sponsorship resulted in NASCAR renaming their premiere series from the Grand National Series to the Winston Cup Series. RJR created the Special Events Operations division to find creative ways to promote the tobacco, and placed Seagraves in charge in 1972. After signing the deal, Reynolds had NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. change the schedule to remove the most of the shortest tracks from the schedule so it could concentrate its marketing on larger crowds at larger tracks. 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 NASCAR points leaders and the location of the next event. Seagraves talked with RJR management and they agree to increase to three show cars on display within 150 miles of the upcoming event to promote NASCAR and Reynolds.

Seagraves promoted the product in other sports, including golf, hydroplane racing

Hydroplane racing

Hydroplane racing is a sport involving racing hydroplanes on lakes and rivers. It is a popular spectator sport in several countries.-International Professional Outboard Hydroplane Racing:...

, soccer (football), and tennis. RJR sponsored racetracks to upgrade their facilities, notably NASCAR 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 NASCAR survive. He also helped racing teams to find sponsors. In 1982, he urged Piedmont Airlines

Piedmont Airlines

Piedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...

 to become Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing

RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...

's first sponsor. He retired in 1985. He was succeeded by T. Wayne Robertson.

Death

Seagraves died on September 27, 1998. He was survived by his wife Ardette and son Colbert. Upon his death, NHRA president Dallas Gardner said "Ralph was certainly the patriarch of motorsports' sponsorships, but Ralph's real legacy is that he always considered R.J. Reynolds as a partner in building motorsports, not (just) a sponsor. His contribution to the success of NHRA is immeasurable. We will miss him."

Career awards

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.