Ernie Gahan

Ernest "Ernie" Gahan (October 12, 1926 – November 27, 2009) was an American stock car racing driver. He spent the majority of his career racing in the Modified division, and won the 1966 NASCAR Modified Championship.[1]

Ernie Gahan
BornErnest E. Gahan
October 12, 1926
Wakefield, Massachusetts
DiedNovember 27, 2009(2009-11-27) (aged 83)
Berwick, Maine
Achievements1966 NASCAR Modified Champion[1]
AwardsCarnegie Hero,
New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame, Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame
NASCAR Cup Series career
11 races run over 4 years
Best finish45th (1962)
First race1960 Martinsville Speedway
Last race1966 Oxford Plains Speedway[2]
WinsTop tensPoles
020

Racing career

Ernie Gahan started racing in 1947 at the Dover Speedway, NH, and regularly competed at the renowned tracks of the northeast including Cheshire Fairgrounds NH, Fonda Speedway NY, Stafford Motor Speedway CT, and Utica-Rome Speedway NY.[3] He made eleven appearances in the NASCAR Grand National Series between 1960 and 1966 with a best finish of 6th at the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds, SC.[2]

Gahan was inducted into the New England Auto Racers, the New York State Stock Car Association, and the Northeast Dirt Modified Halls of Fame.[3][4]

Carnegie Hero

Ernie Gahan along with four others rescued Marvin Panch from a burning race car at the Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 1963, and each received the prestigious Carnegie Medal for their heroism.[5][6] That same year, Gahan pulled fellow racer Bill Wimble from a burning wreck during a race in Syracuse, New York.[3]

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.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253NGNCPtsRef
1960Ernie Gahan55ChevyCLTCLBDAYDAYDAYCLTNWSPHOCLBMAR
15
HCYWILBGSGPSAWSDARPIFHBORCHHMSCLT
13
BGSDAYHEIMABMBSATLBIRNSVAWSPIFCLBSBOBGSDARHCYCSFGSPHBOMARNWSCLTRCHATL46th2080[7]
1961John KoszelaCLTJSPDAY
23
DAYDAY
57
PIF
6
AWSHMSATLGPSHBOBGSMAR
16
NWSCLBHCYRCHMARDARCLTCLTRSDASPCLTPIFBIRGPSBGSNOR
11
HASSTRDAYATLCLBMBSBRINSVBGSAWSRCHSBODARHCYRCHCSFATLMARNWSCLTBRIGPSHBO88th810[8]
1962Rocky Hinton84FordCONAWSDAY
9
DAYDAY
12
CONAWSSVHHBORCH
19
CLBNWSGPSMBSMARBGSBRIRCHHCYCONDARPIFCLTATLBGSAUGRCHSBODAYCLBASHGPSAUGSVHMBSBRICHTNSVHUNAWSSTRBGSPIFVALDARHCYRCHDTSAUGMARNWSCLTATL45th2092[9]
1966Joan Petre73FordAUGRSDDAYDAYDAYCARBRIATLHCYCLBGPSBGSNWSMARDARLGYMGRMONRCHCLTDTSASHPIFSMRAWSBLVGPSDAYODSBRROXF
19
FONISPBRISMRNSVATLCLBAWSBLVBGSDARHCYRCHHBOMARNWSCLTCAR111th112[10]
Daytona 500
YearTeamManufacturerStartFinish
1961John KoszelaChevrolet5257
1962Rocky HintonFord1612

References