Marvin Panch

Marvin Panch (May 28, 1926 – December 31, 2015) was an American stock car racing driver. Winner of the 1961 Daytona 500, he won seventeen NASCAR Grand National Series events during a 17-year career.

Marvin Panch
Born(1926-05-28)May 28, 1926
Menomonie, Wisconsin
DiedDecember 31, 2015(2015-12-31) (aged 89)
Port Orange, Florida
Achievements1961 Daytona 500 Winner
AwardsNamed one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998)
West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame inductee (2002)
National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame inductee (1987)
NASCAR Cup Series career
216 races run over 15 years
Best finish2nd (1957)
First race35th race of 1951 season (Oakland)
Last race1966 National 500 (Charlotte)
First win35th race of 1956 season (Montgomery)
Last win1966 World 600 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles
17 126 21

Early career

Born in Menomonie, Wisconsin, Panch relocated to California at an early age.[1][2] He started his racing career as a car owner in Oakland, California. One week, his driver did not show up, and he raced the car to a third-place finish.[1] He won a championship and several races in six years, including five NASCAR races on the West Coast of the United States.[3]

NASCAR career

He attempted his first East Coast race at Darlington Raceway in 1953. NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr. convinced him to come east for 1954.[3] Lee Petty invited Panch to race in the 1954 Darlington race, where he finished third. The finish impressed Tom Horbison, who hired Panch to race his car during the 1955 season. His 1955 finishes caught the attention of Pete DePaolo, who hired Panch to race in his factory Ford team. Panch won his first NASCAR race on July 20, 1956, at Montgomery Speedway after starting on the pole position and dominating the entire race.[1]

He won the two races in 1957 for DePaolo. He added another victory in April before Ford ended its factory support in the middle of the season. Panch joined the legendary Holman-Moody team for the rest of the season. He won three more events in the season, and finished second in the final points standings.[1]

The end of the Ford factory sponsorship hurt Panch's career. Over the next three seasons he was only able to race in 24 races.[1]

He was offered a ride by famed NASCAR mechanic Smokey Yunick in the 1961 Daytona 500. The car was a year old (1960) Pontiac. Panch took the offer, and won the 1961 Daytona 500 to put his career back on track.[1] During the 1962 season he was offered a ride by renowned car owners the Wood Brothers. He accepted the ride in the Ford factory sponsored team. Panch had eight wins and 30 top-three finishes in 69 races for the team. He stayed with the team from 1962 to March 27, 1966, when Ford had another dispute with NASCAR.[1] In 1965, A. J. Foyt finished the Atlanta 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a car Panch had started, taking it to victory. Panch received credit for the win.

In February 1963 Panch was involved in a fiery crash at Daytona, and was pulled to safety by fellow driver Tiny Lund. Lund was awarded the Carnegie Medal for heroism, and went on to win the 1963 Daytona 500 in the car that the injured Panch had been scheduled to drive. Lund said of Panch: "Marvin would have done the same for us."[4]

Panch was hired by Petty to race for Petty Enterprises for the 1966 World 600 in a year old car. Panch won the race for his final career victory, when Petty was his relief driver. Panch raced for Petty Enterprises until he announced his retirement after the National 500 at Charlotte in October 1966.[1]

Awards

Panch was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. He was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 1987, and the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in its first class in 2002.[3]

Personal life

His second wife Bettie founded the Women's Auxiliary of Motorsports. Panch is the father of four children: Pamela and Marvann, from his first marriage to Hester Herrald, and Richard (deceased) and Marvette, from his second marriage to Bettie Gong.

Following his Daytona 500 win, Panch purchased property in Port Orange, Florida, relocating there after the end of his career.[5] On December 31, 2015, Panch was found unconscious in his car, and was later pronounced dead of natural causes.[5]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series
NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 NGNC Pts Ref
1951 Marvin Panch 56 Mercury DAB CLT NMO GAR HBO ASF NWS MAR CAN CLS CLB DSP GAR GRS BAI HEI AWS MCF ALS MSF FMS MOR ABS DAR CLB CCS LAN CLT DSP WIL HBO TPN PGS MAR OAK
6		 NWS GAR
16		 NMO 36th 371.5 [6]
Ford HMS
2		 JSP ATL
1953 Marvin Panch 06 Dodge PBS DAB HAR NWS CLT RCH CCS LAN CLB HCY MAR PMS RSP LOU FFS LAN TCS WIL MCF PIF MOR ATL RVS LCF DAV HBO AWS PAS HCY DAR
28		 CCS LAN
18		 BLF WIL NWS MAR ATL 60th 214 [7]
1954 Beryl Jackson 98 Dodge PBS DAB JSP ATL OSP OAK
2		 NWS HBO CCS LAN WIL MAR SHA RSP CLT GAR CLB LND HCY MCF WGS PIF AWS SFS GRS MOR OAK
2		 CLT DAR
3		 CCS 17th 1935 [8]
John Fernandez SAN
10
Chet Chiroso 15 Plymouth COR
9
Beryl Jackson 98 Olds CLT
22		 LAN
13		 MAS
7		 MAR
19		 NWS
6
1955 Marvin Panch 56 Mercury TCS PBS JSP DAB OSP CLB HBO NWS MGY LAN CLT HCY ASF
2		 TUS
16		 MAR RCH NCF FOR LIN MCF FON AIR CLT PIF CLB AWS MOR ALS NYF 14th 2812 [9]
John Hernandez SAN
4		 CLT FOR MAS RSP
Julian Petty 44 Chevy DAR
13		 MGY
21		 LAN
4		 RSP GPS
DePaolo Engineering 98 Ford MAS
2		 CLB MAR
11		 LVP NWS
23		 HBO
11
1956 Tom Harbison Olds HCY
9		 CLT 10th 4680 [10]
Ford WSS
2		 PBS
13		 ASF
4		 MGY
1		 OKL ROA
22*		 OBS SAN NOR PIF MYB POR CSH
3		 CLT
4		 NWP
21		 CLT
3		 CCF
3		 MAR
2		 HCY WIL
6
Dodge DAB
72		 PBS
25		 WIL ATL NWS LAN RCH CLB
9 Ford CON
15		 GPS HCY HBO MAR LIN CLT POR EUR NYF MER MAS CLT MCF POR AWS LAN
34		 POR CLB HBO
99 RSP
7		 PIF
3		 CSF CHI CCF
DePaolo Engineering 8 Ford DAR
3
1957 98 WSS
1*		 CON
1*		 TIC
3		 DAB
5		 WIL
19		 HBO
11		 AWS
16		 NWS
4		 LAN
17		 CLT
2		 PIF
1		 GBF
19		 POR CCF
3		 RCH
3		 MAR
8		 POR EUR LIN
4		 LCS
4		 ASP 2nd 9956 [11]
12 CON
16
Marvin Panch 98 Ford NWP
2		 CLB
3		 CPS PIF
19		 JAC RSP
8		 CLT
1		 HCY
12		 LCS
3		 LIN
1		 OBS
4		 MYB
13		 DAR
3		 NYF AWS
7		 CSF SCF LAN
34		 CLB
6		 CCF
2		 CLT
18		 NBR
4		 CON
4		 NWS
7		 GBF
21
Herb Thomas 92 Pontiac MAS
1		 POR NOR
16		 GLN
14		 KPC
Fireball Roberts 22 Ford MAR
16
1958 John Whitford 98 Ford FAY DAB
14		 CON FAY WIL
3		 HBO
2		 FAY CLB
31		 PIF ATL
4		 CLT
17		 MAR
5		 ODS OBS GPS GBF STR NWS BGS TRN
23		 RSD CLB
19		 NBS REF LIN HCY AWS RSP MCC SLS TOR BUF MCF BEL BRR CLB NSV AWS BGS MBS DAR
5		 CLT BIR CSF GAF RCH HBO SAS MAR
31		 NWS ATL 18th 3424 [12]
1959 Tom Vernon FAY DAY DAY
17		 HBO CON ATL DAR
29		 HCY RCH CSF HBO MAR
38		 AWS NWS CON 66th 352 [13]
Don Angel 3 Ford WIL
22		 BGS CLB NWS REF HCY MAR TRN CLT NSV ASP PIF GPS ATL CLB WIL RCH BGS AWS DAY HEI CLT MBS CLT NSV AWS BGS GPS CLB
1960 Tom Vernon 98 Ford CLT
22		 CLB DAY
26		 DAY DAY
46		 CLT NWS PHO CLB MAR HCY WIL BGS GPS AWS 26th 5268 [14]
W.J. Ridgeway 77 Ford DAR
10		 PIF HBO RCH HMS CLT
17		 BGS DAY
14		 HEI MAB MBS ATL
17		 BIR NSV AWS
33		 PIF CLB SBO BGS DAR
11		 HCY CSF GSP HBO MAR NWS CLT
48		 RCH ATL
38
1961 Smokey Yunick 20 Pontiac CLT JSP DAY DAY
2		 DAY
1		 PIF AWS HMS CLT
43		 PIF BIR GPS BGS NOR HAS STR DAY
4		 ATL CLB MBS BRI NSV BGS AWS RCH SBO CLT
26		 BRI GPS HBO 18th 9392 [15]
John Masoni 3 Pontiac ATL
6*		 GPS HBO BGS MAR NWS CLB HCY RCH MAR DAR
6		 CLT CLT RSD ASP
Petty Enterprises 42 Plymouth DAR
31		 HCY RCH CSF
Owens Racing 6 Pontiac ATL
10		 MAR NWS
1962 Bob Osiecki 90 Dodge CON AWS DAY DAY
20		 DAY
44		 CON AWS SVH HBO 9th 15138 [16]
20 Ford RCH
17		 CLB
Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford NWS
32		 GPS MBS MAR
6		 BGS BRI
26		 RCH HCY CON
13		 DAR
2		 PIF CLT
8		 ATL
8		 BGS AUG RCH SBO DAY
3		 CLB ASH GPS AUG SVH MBS BRI
11		 CHT NSV HUN AWS STR BGS PIF VAL DAR
3		 HCY RCH DTS AUG MAR
33		 NWS
2		 CLT
15		 ATL
3
1963 BIR GGS THS RSD DAY DAY DAY PIF AWS HBO ATL HCY BRI AUG RCH GPS SBO BGS MAR NWS CLB THS DAR ODS RCH CLT
7		 BIR ATL
3		 DAY
3		 MBS SVH DTS BGS ASH OBS
6		 BRR
3		 BRI
4		 GPS NSV CLB AWS PIF BGS ONA
9		 DAR
2		 HCY RCH MAR
2		 DTS NWS
1		 THS CLT
3		 SBO HBO 13th 17156 [17]
121 RSD
3
1964 21 CON AUG
9		 JSP SVH RSD
2		 DAY
4		 DAY DAY
4		 RCH
6		 BRI
5		 GPS
3		 BGS
1*		 ATL
14		 AWS
1*		 HBO
17		 PIF
2		 CLB
2		 NWS
3		 MAR
2		 SVH
2		 DAR
11		 LGY
2		 HCY
13		 SBO
2		 CLT
29		 GPS
11		 ASH
3		 ATL
29		 CON NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF DAY
27		 ODS OBS BRI
7		 NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA CLB BGS STR DAR HCY RCH ODS HBO MAR
4		 SVH NWS
1		 CLT
31		 HAR AUG JAC 10th 21480 [18]
Holman-Moody 06 Ford BRR
4		 ISP
Bondy Long 71 Ford GLN
24		 LIN
1965 Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford RSD
3		 DAY DAY
3		 DAY
6*		 PIF ASW RCH HBO ATL
1*		 GPS NWS
5		 MAR
2		 CLB BRI
4		 DAR
11		 LGY BGS HCY CLT
33		 CCF ASH HAR NSV BIR ATL
1		 GPS MBS VAL DAY
12		 ODS OBS
3*		 ISP
1*		 GLN
1*		 BRI
35		 NSV CCF AWS SMR PIF AUG CLB DTS BLV BGS DAR
37		 HCY LIN ODS RCH MAR
5		 NWS
6		 CLT
35		 HBO CAR
3		 DTS 5th 22798 [19]
1966 AUG RSD
30		 DAY
4		 DAY DAY
26		 CAR
17		 BRI
18		 ATL
16		 HCY CLB GPS BGS NWS MAR DAR LGY MGR MON RCH 17th 15308 [20]
Petty Enterprises 42 Plymouth CLT
1		 DTS ASH PIF SMR AWS BLV GPS ATL
28		 CLB AWS BLV BGS DAR
4		 HCY RCH HBO MAR NWS CLT
6		 CAR
Friedkin Enterprises 04 Plymouth DAY
7		 ODS
22 Ford BRR
3		 OXF
21		 FON ISP
18		 BRI SMR NSV
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1959 Tom Vernon Ford 4 17
1960 51 46
1961 Smokey Yunick Pontiac 4 1
1962 Bob Osiecki Dodge 37 44
1964 Wood Brothers Racing Ford 9 4
1965 6 6
1966 7 26
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References
  1. Gorecki, James J. (March 9, 2009). "NASCAR Driver Wisconsin Native". Dunn County News. Menomonie, WI. Archived from the original on 2015-12-31. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  2. Lew Freedman (2013). Encyclopedia of Stock Car Racing. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 549. ISBN 978-0-313-38709-8. Retrieved 2015-12-31.
  3. Biography at the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, written 2002, Retrieved November 8, 2007
  4. Staff. "MARVIN PANCH PASSES AWAY AT 89". nascar.com. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  5. Kelly, Godwin (December 31, 2015). "Local NASCAR racing legend Marvin Panch dies at age 89". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  6. "Marvin Panch – 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  7. "Marvin Panch – 1953 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  8. "Marvin Panch – 1954 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  9. "Marvin Panch – 1955 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  10. "Marvin Panch – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  11. "Marvin Panch – 1957 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  12. "Marvin Panch – 1958 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  13. "Marvin Panch – 1959 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  14. "Marvin Panch – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  15. "Marvin Panch – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  16. "Marvin Panch – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  17. "Marvin Panch – 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  18. "Marvin Panch – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  19. "Marvin Panch – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  20. "Marvin Panch – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
Achievements
Preceded by
Junior Johnson		 Daytona 500 Winner
1961		 Succeeded by
Fireball Roberts
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