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Marvin Panch
American racing driver

Marvin Emil Panch (May 28, 1926 – December 31, 2015) was an American stock car racing driver. Winner of the 1961 Daytona 500 and 1966 World 600, he won seventeen NASCAR Grand National Series events during a 17-year career.

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Early career

Born in Menomonie, Wisconsin, Panch relocated to California at an early age.23 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.4 He won a championship and several races in six years, including five NASCAR races on the West Coast of the United States.5

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 1954.6 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.7

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.8

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.9

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.10 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.11 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 at Daytona, Panch tried to set a speed record in a Ford-powered Maserati but crashed. He was pulled to safety by fellow drivers Tiny Lund, Ernie Gahan and Bill Wimble, Firestone's Steve Petrasek, and mechanic Jerry Rayborn. His rescuers were awarded the Carnegie Medal for heroism. Hospitalized with second and third degree burns and serious injuries, Panch asked car owner Glenn Wood to hire Lund. Tiny won 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."12

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 1966.13

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 2002.14

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.15 On December 31, 2015, Panch was found unconscious in his car, and was later pronounced dead of natural causes.16

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
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253545556575859606162NGNCPtsRef
1951Marvin Panch56MercuryDABCLTNMOGARHBOASFNWSMARCANCLSCLBDSPGARGRSBAIHEIAWSMCFALSMSFFMSMORABSDARCLBCCSLANCLTDSPWILHBOTPNPGSMAROAK6NWSGAR16NMO36th371.517
FordHMS2JSPATL
1953Marvin Panch06DodgePBSDABHARNWSCLTRCHCCSLANCLBHCYMARPMSRSPLOUFFSLANTCSWILMCFPIFMORATLRVSLCFDAVHBOAWSPASHCYDAR28CCSLAN18BLFWILNWSMARATL60th21418
1954Beryl Jackson98DodgePBSDABJSPATLOSPOAK2NWSHBOCCSLANWILMARSHARSPCLTGARCLBLNDHCYMCFWGSPIFAWSSFSGRSMOROAK2CLTDAR3CCS17th193519
John FernandezSAN10
Chet Chiroso15PlymouthCOR9
Beryl Jackson98OldsCLT22LAN13MAS7MAR19NWS6
1955Marvin Panch56MercuryTCSPBSJSPDABOSPCLBHBONWSMGYLANCLTHCYASF2TUS16MARRCHNCFFORLINMCFFONAIRCLTPIFCLBAWSMORALSNYF14th281220
John HernandezSAN4CLTFORMASRSP
Julian Petty44ChevyDAR13MGY21LAN4RSPGPS
DePaolo Engineering98FordMAS2CLBMAR11LVPNWS23HBO11
1956Tom HarbisonOldsHCY9CLT10th468021
FordWSS2PBS13ASF4MGY1OKLROA22*OBSSANNORPIFMYBPORCSH3CLT4NWP21CLT3CCF3MAR2HCYWIL6
DodgeDAB72PBS25WILATLNWSLANRCHCLB
9FordCON15GPSHCYHBOMARLINCLTPOREURNYFMERMASCLTMCFPORAWSLAN34PORCLBHBO
99RSP7PIF3CSFCHICCF
DePaolo Engineering8FordDAR3
195798WSS1*CON1*TIC3DAB5WIL19HBO11AWS16NWS4LAN17CLT2PIF1GBF19PORCCF3RCH3MAR8POREURLIN4LCS4ASP2nd995622
12CON16
Marvin Panch98FordNWP2CLB3CPSPIF19JACRSP8CLT1HCY12LCS3LIN1OBS4MYB13DAR3NYFAWS7CSFSCFLAN34CLB6CCF2CLT18NBR4CON4NWS7GBF21
Herb Thomas92PontiacMAS1PORNOR16GLN14KPC
Fireball Roberts22FordMAR16
1958John Whitford98FordFAYDAB14CONFAYWIL3HBO2FAYCLB31PIFATL4CLT17MAR5ODSOBSGPSGBFSTRNWSBGSTRN23RSDCLB19NBSREFLINHCYAWSRSPMCCSLSTORBUFMCFBELBRRCLBNSVAWSBGSMBSDAR5CLTBIRCSFGAFRCHHBOSASMAR31NWSATL18th342423
1959Tom VernonFAYDAYDAY17HBOCONATLDAR29HCYRCHCSFHBOMAR38AWSNWSCON66th35224
Don Angel3FordWIL22BGSCLBNWSREFHCYMARTRNCLTNSVASPPIFGPSATLCLBWILRCHBGSAWSDAYHEICLTMBSCLTNSVAWSBGSGPSCLB
1960Tom Vernon98FordCLT22CLBDAY26DAYDAY46CLTNWSPHOCLBMARHCYWILBGSGPSAWS26th526825
W.J. Ridgeway77FordDAR10PIFHBORCHHMSCLT17BGSDAY14HEIMABMBSATL17BIRNSVAWS33PIFCLBSBOBGSDAR11HCYCSFGSPHBOMARNWSCLT48RCHATL38
1961Smokey Yunick20PontiacCLTJSPDAYDAY2DAY1PIFAWSHMSCLT43PIFBIRGPSBGSNORHASSTRDAY4ATLCLBMBSBRINSVBGSAWSRCHSBOCLT26BRIGPSHBO18th939226
John Masoni3PontiacATL6*GPSHBOBGSMARNWSCLBHCYRCHMARDAR6CLTCLTRSDASP
Petty Enterprises42PlymouthDAR31HCYRCHCSF
Owens Racing6PontiacATL10MARNWS
1962Bob Osiecki90DodgeCONAWSDAYDAY20DAY44CONAWSSVHHBO9th1513827
20FordRCH17CLB
Wood Brothers Racing21FordNWS32GPSMBSMAR6BGSBRI26RCHHCYCON13DAR2PIFCLT8ATL8BGSAUGRCHSBODAY3CLBASHGPSAUGSVHMBSBRI11CHTNSVHUNAWSSTRBGSPIFVALDAR3HCYRCHDTSAUGMAR33NWS2CLT15ATL3
1963BIRGGSTHSRSDDAYDAYDAYPIFAWSHBOATLHCYBRIAUGRCHGPSSBOBGSMARNWSCLBTHSDARODSRCHCLT7BIRATL3DAY3MBSSVHDTSBGSASHOBS6BRR3BRI4GPSNSVCLBAWSPIFBGSONA9DAR2HCYRCHMAR2DTSNWS1THSCLT3SBOHBO13th1715628
121RSD3
196421CONAUG9JSPSVHRSD2DAY4DAYDAY4RCH6BRI5GPS3BGS1*ATL14AWS1*HBO17PIF2CLB2NWS3MAR2SVH2DAR11LGY2HCY13SBO2CLT29GPS11ASH3ATL29CONNSVCHTBIRVALPIFDAY27ODSOBSBRI7NSVMBSAWSDTSONACLBBGSSTRDARHCYRCHODSHBOMAR4SVHNWS1CLT31HARAUGJAC10th2148029
Holman-Moody06FordBRR4ISP
Bondy Long71FordGLN24LIN
1965Wood Brothers Racing21FordRSD3DAYDAY3DAY6*PIFASWRCHHBOATL1*GPSNWS5MAR2CLBBRI4DAR11LGYBGSHCYCLT33CCFASHHARNSVBIRATL1GPSMBSVALDAY12ODSOBS3*ISP1*GLN1*BRI35NSVCCFAWSSMRPIFAUGCLBDTSBLVBGSDAR37HCYLINODSRCHMAR5NWS6CLT35HBOCAR3DTS5th2279830
1966AUGRSD30DAY4DAYDAY26CAR17BRI18ATL16HCYCLBGPSBGSNWSMARDARLGYMGRMONRCH17th1530831
Petty Enterprises42PlymouthCLT1DTSASHPIFSMRAWSBLVGPSATL28CLBAWSBLVBGSDAR4HCYRCHHBOMARNWSCLT6CAR
Friedkin Enterprises04PlymouthDAY7ODS
22FordBRR3OXF21FONISP18BRISMRNSV
Daytona 500
YearTeamManufacturerStartFinish
1959Tom VernonFord417
19605146
1961Smokey YunickPontiac41
1962Bob OsieckiDodge3744
1964Wood Brothers RacingFord94
196566
1966726

References

  1. "Marvin Panch Obituary (2016) - Daytona Beach, FL - Daytona Beach News-Journal". Legacy. Retrieved January 4, 2023. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/news-journalonline/name/marvin-panch-obituary?pid=177167520 ↩

  2. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20151231203905/http://www.broncospitstop.com/rssnews.php?nid=NASCAR-Driver-Wisconsin-Native ↩

  3. 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. 978-0-313-38709-8 ↩

  4. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20151231203905/http://www.broncospitstop.com/rssnews.php?nid=NASCAR-Driver-Wisconsin-Native ↩

  5. Biography at the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, written 2002, Retrieved November 8, 2007 http://www.stockcarreunion.com/inductees.html ↩

  6. Biography at the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, written 2002, Retrieved November 8, 2007 http://www.stockcarreunion.com/inductees.html ↩

  7. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20151231203905/http://www.broncospitstop.com/rssnews.php?nid=NASCAR-Driver-Wisconsin-Native ↩

  8. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20151231203905/http://www.broncospitstop.com/rssnews.php?nid=NASCAR-Driver-Wisconsin-Native ↩

  9. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20151231203905/http://www.broncospitstop.com/rssnews.php?nid=NASCAR-Driver-Wisconsin-Native ↩

  10. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20151231203905/http://www.broncospitstop.com/rssnews.php?nid=NASCAR-Driver-Wisconsin-Native ↩

  11. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20151231203905/http://www.broncospitstop.com/rssnews.php?nid=NASCAR-Driver-Wisconsin-Native ↩

  12. Staff. "MARVIN PANCH PASSES AWAY AT 89". nascar.com. Retrieved 6 January 2016. http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2015/12/31/marvin-panch-passes-away-at-89.html ↩

  13. 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20151231203905/http://www.broncospitstop.com/rssnews.php?nid=NASCAR-Driver-Wisconsin-Native ↩

  14. Biography at the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, written 2002, Retrieved November 8, 2007 http://www.stockcarreunion.com/inductees.html ↩

  15. Kelly, Godwin (December 31, 2015). "Local NASCAR racing legend Marvin Panch dies at age 89". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Retrieved December 31, 2015. http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20151231/SPORTS/151239929/101001?Title=Local-NASCAR-racing-legend-Marvin-Panch-dies-at-age-89 ↩

  16. Kelly, Godwin (December 31, 2015). "Local NASCAR racing legend Marvin Panch dies at age 89". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Retrieved December 31, 2015. http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20151231/SPORTS/151239929/101001?Title=Local-NASCAR-racing-legend-Marvin-Panch-dies-at-age-89 ↩

  17. "Marvin Panch – 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1951/W ↩

  18. "Marvin Panch – 1953 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1953/W ↩

  19. "Marvin Panch – 1954 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1954/W ↩

  20. "Marvin Panch – 1955 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1955/W ↩

  21. "Marvin Panch – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1956/W ↩

  22. "Marvin Panch – 1957 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1957/W ↩

  23. "Marvin Panch – 1958 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1958/W ↩

  24. "Marvin Panch – 1959 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1959/W ↩

  25. "Marvin Panch – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1960/W ↩

  26. "Marvin Panch – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1961/W ↩

  27. "Marvin Panch – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1962/W ↩

  28. "Marvin Panch – 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1963/W ↩

  29. "Marvin Panch – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1964/W ↩

  30. "Marvin Panch – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1965/W ↩

  31. "Marvin Panch – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 20, 2017. http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/panchma01/1966/W ↩