Marvin Panch (born May 28, 1926, in Menomonie, Wisconsin) is a former NASCAR driver. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ... NASCAR Nextel Cup logo NEXTEL Cup trophy, adopted in 2004 4-time champion Jeff Gordon poses with the Winston Cup trophy (used prior to 2004) The NASCAR Championship is the championship held in NASCARs top stock car racing series. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... The UAW-GM Quality 500 is a NASCAR race that is hosted annually at Lowes Motor Speedway in the United States. ... Lowes Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a superspeedway in Concord, North Carolina, a few miles north of Charlotte. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... The Coca-Cola 600 (formerly World 600) is a six hundred mile (966 km) stock car race held annually at Lowes Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) in Charlotte, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend. ... Lowes Motor Speedway (formerly Charlotte Motor Speedway) is a superspeedway in Concord, North Carolina, a few miles north of Charlotte. ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Menomonie is a city in western Wisconsin. ... The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ...

Early career

He started his racing career as a car owner in California. One week his driver didn't show up, and he raced the car to a third place finish. He won a championship and several races in six years.

NASCAR career

He attempted his first East Coast race at Darlington Raceway in 1953. 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 impressed 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 and dominating the entire race. Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. ... Lee Petty (left) pictured with (to his right, left to right) his son Richard, grandson Kyle, and great-grandson Adam, in 2000 before his death. ... Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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.

He was offered a ride by legendary 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. Henry Smokey Yunick (born May 25, 1923, somewhere around Maryville, Tennessee, died May 9, 2001 of leukemia) was a mechanic and car designer associated with motorsports in the United States. ... The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap, 500 mile (805 km) NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. ... This article concerns the automobile; for the Native American leader, see Chief Pontiac. ...

During the 1962 season he was offered a ride by legendary car owners the Wood Brothers. He accepted the ride in the Ford factory sponsored team. Panch had eight wins and 30 Top 3 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. Wood Brothers It is family owned and family run. ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in Leap years). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...

Panch was hired by Lee Petty to race for Petty Enterprises for the 1966 Charlotte 600 in a year old car. Panch won the race for his final career victory. Panch raced for Petty Enterprises until he announced his retirement after the National 500 at Charlotte in October 1966. Lee Petty (left) pictured with (to his right, left to right) his son Richard, grandson Kyle, and great-grandson Adam, in 2000 before his death. ... Petty Enterprises is a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman, North Carolina. ...

His wife Betty founded the Winston Cup Racing Wives Association.

Awards

Panch was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998. He inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 1987. NASCARs 50 Greatest Drivers is a list of NASCAR drivers. ...

External links

• Official website
• Career statistics at Racing-Reference.com