Lennie Wayne Pond (August 11, 1940 – February 10, 2016) was an American NASCAR driver. He won NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 1973, and won his only race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1978 for Ronnie Elder and Harry Ranier. Pond set a then world record speed of 174.700 miles per hour (281.152 km/h) in winning the 500-mile race.
Lennie Pond | |||||||
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Born | Lennie Wayne Pond August 11, 1940 Ettrick, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||
Died | February 10, 2016 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. | (aged 75)||||||
Cause of death | Cancer | ||||||
Awards | 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
234 races run over 17 years | |||||||
Best finish | 5th (1976) | ||||||
First race | 1969 American 500 (Rockingham) | ||||||
Last race | 1989 Miller High Life 400 (Richmond) | ||||||
First win | 1978 Talladega 500 (Talladega) | ||||||
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Career
editLennie W. Pond grew up in the Village of Ettrick, Virginia, racing on his parents' farm, which Ettrick was home to Pond all his life. In the mid-1950s. Pond started racing modifieds on dirt tracks, then went to asphalt tracks, then to late-model tracks. In 1973, Pond started to run Winston Cup races; his last race with Winston Cup was in 1989 at Richmond International Raceway for Junie Donlavey. Pond got to run all three tracks here—dirt, asphalt and the new track.
His career totals include 234 career starts, one win, 39 top fives, 88 top tens, five poles, and a best championship finish of 5th in 1976. He beat out Darrell Waltrip for rookie of the year honors in 1973. Five years later, Pond won his first career race at Talladega Superspeedway.[1] Before retiring Pond raced his last race on September 10, 1989, at Richmond International Raceway in the Miller High Life 400 where he finished in 11th place.
Pond later became a car salesman at Heritage Chevrolet in Chester, Virginia.
Pond died February 10, 2016, from complications of cancer.[2]
Motorsports career results
editNASCAR
edit(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Grand National Series
editNASCAR Grand National Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | NGNC | Pts | Ref | |||||||
1969 | Giachetti Brothers | 44 | Chevy | MGR | MGY | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | CAR | AUG | BRI | ATL | CLB | HCY | GPS | RCH | NWS | MAR | AWS | DAR | BLV | LGY | CLT | MGR | SMR | MCH | KPT | GPS | NCF | DAY | DOV | TPN | TRN | BLV | BRI | NSV | SMR | ATL | MCH | SBO | BGS | AWS | DAR | HCY | RCH | TAL | CLB | MAR | NWS | CLT | SVH | AUG | CAR 34 |
JFC | MGR | TWS | 83rd | 51 | [3] | |||||||
1970 | Joe Phipps | 65 | Chevy | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | RCH | CAR | SVH | ATL 34 |
BRI | TAL | NWS | CLB | DAR | BLV | LGY | CLT | SMR | MAR | MCH | RSD | HCY | KPT | GPS | DAY | AST | TPN | TRN | BRI | SMR | NSV | ATL | CLB | ONA | MCH | TAL | BGS | SBO | DAR | HCY | RCH | DOV | NCF | NWS | CLT | MAR | MGR | CAR | LGY | NA | 0 | [4] |
Winston Cup Series
editDaytona 500
editYear | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | Elder-Ranier | Chevrolet | DNQ | |
1974 | 21 | 23 | ||
1975 | 7 | 19 | ||
1976 | 11 | 4 | ||
1978 | Ranier Racing | Oldsmobile | 28 | 10 |
1979 | Al Rudd Auto | Chevrolet | 40 | 30 |
1980 | RahMoc Enterprises | Buick | 12 | 9 |
1981 | Testa Racing | Buick | 32 | 27 |
1983 | Tom Beck | Buick | 39 | 12 |
1984 | Morgan-McClure Motorsports | Chevrolet | 24 | 13 |
1985 | Hylton Motorsports | Chevrolet | 27 | 19 |
References
edit- ^ Caraviello, David (April 30, 2014). "TOP 10 SHOCKERS AT TALLADEGA". NASCAR. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
- ^ Hallman, Randy (February 10, 2016). "Former racing star Lennie Pond dies at 75". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ "Lennie Pond – 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
External links
edit- Pond Interview with John Sealy
- Heritage Chevrolet, Chester, Virginia
- Lennie Pond driver statistics at Racing-Reference