Tom Cotter’s latest Barn Find Hunter uncovers the legacy of 92-year-old racer Red Farmer and his enduring Alabama roots.
Tom Cotter, best known as the host of Barn Find Hunter, has built a career around discovering forgotten cars and the stories behind them. But in his latest episode, he shifts focus from dusty garages to the enduring legacy of one of America’s most respected grassroots racers: Charles “Red” Farmer.
At 92—soon to be 93—Farmer remains a fixture in the racing world. With more than 750 victories amassed over 77 years, his career stretches across multiple series and countless short tracks nationwide. Farmer was a founding member of the famed “Alabama Gang” alongside Bobby and Donnie Allison, carving out a reputation in the 1950s and 1960s when southern dirt tracks became fertile ground for aspiring stock car drivers.
Farmer began racing in 1948 at Opa-locka Speedway in Florida, not far from today’s Miami Grand Prix circuit. He and the Allisons eventually settled in Hueytown, Alabama, near the Talladega Superspeedway. Fittingly, Farmer has spent decades racing at the adjacent Talladega Short Track, where he even turned laps earlier this year.
Guided by Birmingham race historian Dale Sale, Cotter retraces Farmer’s history, visiting shops and storied garages that hold everything from vintage Corvettes to battered Plymouths. In one shop, Cotter and his team uncover remnants of Farmer’s racing past, including the twisted roll cage that saved his life in a brutal 1975 Daytona crash.
Farmer may not have claimed many top-tier NASCAR finishes—just three top-10s in 36 Cup Series starts—but his influence runs deeper. Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2022, he remains a symbol of dedication, resilience, and respect within the sport.
Cotter’s episode doesn’t end with a rare car unearthed from a barn. Instead, it reveals a legacy of grit and determination from a racer who refuses to step away from the track.
