Will Cagle
{{Short description| American racing driver (1938–2025)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name = Will Cagle
| image =
| birth_name = Candler William Cagle
| birth_date = {{birth date|1938|3|24|mf=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|2|5|1938|3|24|mf=y}}
| death_place =
| current series = Modified racing
| first year = 1953
| car number = 24
| championships = 26
| wins = 415+
| last finish = 1985
| titles = 1976, 1978, 1979 Mr. Dirt Champion
1969 All Star Stock Car Racing League Champion
1966 Langhorne National Open
| awards=
| updated=
}}
Candler William Cagle (March 24, 1938 – February 5, 2025) was an American driver of modified stock cars. He won over 415 feature events and 26 championships at east coast venues stretching from Florida to Canada.{{cite web |title=EMPA Hall of Fame – Will Cagle |url=https://empamedia.com/halloffameWill%20Cagle.html |access-date=2023-12-02 |publisher=Eastern Motorsports Press Association}}
Racing career
Will Cagle began racing in his native Tampa, Florida, in 1953, at the age of 15, and relocated to the Northeast in 1959 for the numerous racing venues and higher purses.{{cite news |date=February 27, 1959 |title=Cagle after racing win |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MS8jAAAAIBAJ&dq=will+cagle+race+car&pg=PA10&article_id=6393,5627882 |access-date=December 2, 2023 |newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune |location=FL |page=18 |via=Google Books}} Some of his more notable races and winning streaks came at the Albany-Saratoga Speedway New York, Canandaigua Speedway New York, Langhorne Speedway Pennsylvania, Nazareth Speedway Pennsylvania, and Orange County Fair Speedway New York.{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Rodney |date=November 1, 1971 |title=Pit Stops |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=35BGAAAAIBAJ&dq=will+cagle+race+car&pg=PA16&article_id=1267,156867 |access-date=December 3, 2023 |newspaper=The Evening News |location=Newburgh NY |page=10B |via=Google Books}}{{cite news |date=July 27, 1977 |title=Cagle cops seventh win |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/new-york/glens-falls/glens-falls-post-star/1977/07-27/page-20/ |accessdate=December 3, 2023 |work=The Post-Star |publisher= |location=Glens Falls NY |page=20 |via=NewspaperArchive}}{{cite news |date=October 8, 1983 |title=Bunting, Cagle top Nazareth qualifiers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P_oxAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22will+cagle%22+race&pg=PA53&article_id=2206,6215678 |access-date=December 3, 2023 |newspaper=Reading Eagle |location=PA |page=9 |via=Google Books}}{{cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Dick |date=October 23, 1997 |title=Legend prepares to pack bags for Florida |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/new-york/syracuse/syracuse-herald-journal/1997/10-23/page-55/ |accessdate=December 3, 2023 |work=Syracuse Herald-Journal |publisher= |location=NY |page=55 |via=NewspaperArchive}}
In 1973 Cagle won 17 of 21 features for his first of six track championships at the Weedsport Speedway, but in 1985 the track became the site of a career ending leg injury when his car's drive shaft broke. The next year, he became general manager at Orange County, and later promoted Florida's East Bay Raceway and USA International Speedway.
Cagle was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified, New York State Stock Car Association and Eastern Motorsports Press Association Halls of Fame.{{cite news |last=Skibiniski |first=Tom |date=March 18, 1992 |title=Monroe County Stars included in racing hall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/138470330/ |access-date=May 14, 2023 |newspaper=The Democrat and Chronicle |location=Rochester NY |page=37 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |date=November 17, 2008 |title=Three drivers and promoter elected to NYSSCA Hall of Fame |url=https://www.saratogian.com/2008/11/17/three-drivers-and-promoter-elected-to-nyssca-hall-of-fame/ |access-date=December 2, 2023 |newspaper=The Saratogian |location=Saratoga Springs NY}}
Personal life
Cagle suffered a head injury after a fall at his home on January 27, 2025, and died from complications on February 5, at the age of 86.{{cite news |last=Krause |first=Earl |date=February 5, 2025 |title=Modified legend Will Cagle, 86, passes away |url=https://aarn.com/2025/02/05/modified-legend-will-cagle-86-passes-away/ |accessdate=February 6, 2025 |newspaper=Area Auto Racing News}}