Dirt track legend killed a road crash, when his wife lost control of their car off the highway, crashing into a tree. She survived with only minor injuries. Stokes was the son of a carpenter and Wally picked up the trade himself to some degree before taking up racing properly. Just before his death Stokes had taken the fifteen lap record at the Fairfield, Illinois track. Stokes and his wife were returning from what would prove his last race, the Springfield 100 dirt oval race, where he finished in thirteenth place.

Biography last updated 25 Aug 2017