Tommy Gale (racing driver)

Tommy Gale
Born(1934-09-10)September 10, 1934
McKeesport, Pennsylvania, United States
DiedSeptember 30, 1999(1999-09-30) (aged 65)
NASCAR Cup Series career
246 races run over 17 years
Best finish15th – 1981
First race1968 American 500 (Rockingham)
Last race1986 Winston 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 4 0

Tommy Gale (September 10, 1934 – September 30, 1999) was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series race car driver from McKeesport, Pennsylvania who raced from 1968 to 1986. He ended up becoming one of the runners-up for the 1977 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award.

Career

Gale started as a NASCAR Cup Series rookie when he was 34 years old and competed until his retirement at the age of 51. Leading only three laps of his 60,655-lap spanning career, Gale managed to make $683,965 in total winnings ($1,901,148.62 when adjusted for inflation). While starting in 27th place on average, his average finishes were 22nd place after competing in a grueling 75,239.7 miles or 121,086.6 kilometres of top-level professional stock car racing.[1]

His only three DNQs came at the 1972 Miller High Life 500, the 1973 Daytona 500 and at the 1984 Talladega 500.[2]

Gale's strongest performances are on short oval tracks where he finished an average of 20th place. His weakness would be found on road courses; where a finish of 28th place would be expected out of Gale.[3] His primary vehicle throughout his career was the #64 Ford machine owned by fellow NASCAR driver Elmo Langley.[4]

Post-NASCAR career

After Tommy Gale retired from NASCAR, he decided to focus on his son and started a trucking business in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania; which is near his hometown of McKeesport.[5]

Motorsports 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 NGNC Pts Ref
1968 Lyle Stelter 56 Mercury MGR MGY RSD DAY BRI RCH ATL HCY GPS CLB NWS MAR AUG AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS DAY ISP OXF FDA TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB BGS AWS SBO LGY DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS AUG CLT CAR
30 		JFC N/A 0 [6]
1969 Don Culpepper 76 Ford MGR MGY RSD DAY DAY
12 		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 JFC MGR TWS 90th 39 [7]
1970 Walt Valerio 03 Ford RSD DAY
15 		DAY 52nd 271 [8]
Mercury DAY
31 		RCH CAR SVH ATL BRI TAL NWS CLB DAR BLV LGY CLT SMR MAR MCH
36 		RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY AST TPN TRN
10 		BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB ONA MCH TAL BGS SBO DAR HCY RCH DOV
27 		NCF NWS CLT MAR MGR CAR LGY
1971 Larry Jackson RSD DAY DAY
9 		DAY
21 		ONT RCH CAR HCY BRI ATL
22 		CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR DAR SBO TAL
37 		ASH KPT CLT DOV MCH
18 		RSD HOU GPS DAY BRI AST ISP TRN
24 		NSV ATL BGS ONA TAL
14 		CLB HCY DAR MAR CLT DOV
23 		CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS 41st 729 [9]
Richard Giachetti 44 Ford MCH
11

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup 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 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 Frank Vasko 03 Mercury RSD DAY
11 		RCH ONT
DNQ 		CAR ATL
27 		BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV TAL
28 		MCH NSV DAR
16 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
23 		CAR
39 		TWS 41st 1298 [10]
Richard Giachetti 44 Ford MCH
DNQ 		RSD TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL
1973 Frank Vasko 03 Mercury RSD DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR 57th N/A [11]
Gale Racing TAL
13 		NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD ATL
37 		TAL
48 		NSV DAR
36 		RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR
Chevy MCH
25 		DAY BRI
1975 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY
23 		RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH 46th 437 [12]
Champion Racing 10 Ford DAY
18 		NSV POC
28 		TAL MCH DAR
22 		DOV
35 		NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI ATL ONT
1976 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY
DNQ 		CAR
15 		RCH BRI ATL
35 		NWS DAR
22 		MAR TAL
18 		NSV DOV
37 		CLT RSD MCH
21 		POC
34 		TAL
40 		MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV
25 		MAR NWS CLT CAR
24 		ATL ONT
17 		33rd 1005 [13]
Henley Gray 19 Chevy DAY
29 		NSV
1977 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR
21 		ATL
22 		NWS DAR
21 		BRI MAR
23 		TAL
15 		NSV DOV
18 		CLT
37 		RSD MCH
23 		DAY
38 		NSV POC
25 		TAL
14 		MCH
32 		BRI DAR
18 		RCH
24 		DOV
26 		MAR NWS CLT
21 		CAR
15 		ATL ONT
22 		26th 1689 [14]
1978 RSD DAY
25 		RCH
23 		CAR
14 		ATL
22 		BRI
22 		DAR
21 		NWS
27 		MAR
17 		TAL
16 		DOV
18 		CLT
24 		NSV RSD MCH
21 		DAY
15 		NSV POC
16 		TAL
20 		MCH
16 		BRI
21 		DAR
13 		RCH
24 		DOV
17 		MAR
27 		NWS
17 		CLT
31 		CAR
18 		ATL
DNQ 		ONT
17 		20th 2639 [15]
Bobby Wawak 74 Chevy ATL
31
1979 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY
DNQ 		CAR
13 		RCH
22 		ATL
21 		NWS
20 		BRI
18 		DAR
34 		MAR
16 		TAL
7 		NSV
13 		DOV
19 		CLT
20 		TWS
20 		RSD MCH
33 		DAY
27 		NSV
28 		POC
19 		TAL
36 		MCH
14 		BRI
15 		DAR
21 		RCH
24 		DOV
15 		MAR
22 		CLT
21 		NWS
27 		CAR
12 		ATL
22 		ONT
34 		18th 2795 [16]
1980 RSD DAY
20 		RCH
21 		CAR
26 		ATL
18 		BRI
17 		DAR
15 		NWS
29 		MAR
29 		TAL
16 		NSV
15 		DOV
12 		CLT
33 		TWS
25 		RSD DAY
28 		NSV
18 		POC
19 		TAL
29 		MCH
22 		BRI
13 		DAR
31 		RCH
19 		DOV
36 		NWS
20 		MAR
11 		CLT
22 		CAR
20 		ATL
15 		ONT
16 		18th 2885 [17]
Ulrich Racing 40 Chevy MCH
19
1981 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY
17 		CAR
19 		ATL
18 		BRI
15 		NWS
19 		DAR
18 		TAL
11 		NSV
17 		CLT
17 		TWS
12 		MCH
36 		DAY
19 		NSV
21 		POC
31 		TAL
18 		MCH
21 		BRI
15 		DAR
29 		RCH
17 		DOV
24 		MAR
13 		NWS
14 		CLT
22 		CAR
13 		ATL
22 		RSD
26 		15th 3140 [18]
Junior Miller 79 Olds RCH
18
Ulrich Racing 40 Buick MAR
18 		DOV
14 		RSD
30
1982 Langley Racing 64 Ford DAY
16 		RCH
21 		BRI
17 		ATL
37 		CAR
12 		DAR
11 		NWS
DNQ 		MAR TAL
16 		NSV
16 		DOV
13 		CLT
DNQ 		POC
18 		RSD
Wth 		MCH
18 		DAY
 NSV
18 		POC
23 		TAL
29 		MCH
20 		BRI
19 		DAR
25 		RCH
21 		DOV
14 		NWS
19 		CLT
36 		MAR
17 		CAR
16 		ATL
26 		RSD 21st 2698 [19]
Hylton Racing 48 Buick CLT
23
1983 Langley Racing 64 Ford DAY
27 		RCH
DNQ 		CAR
21 		ATL
23 		DAR
14 		NWS
19 		MAR
22 		TAL
13 		NSV
28 		DOV
27 		BRI
20 		CLT
35 		RSD POC
25 		MCH
26 		DAY
23 		NSV
28 		POC
24 		TAL
39 		MCH
28 		BRI
23 		DAR
29 		RCH
30 		MAR
19 		NWS
24 		CLT
31 		CAR
10 		ATL
19 		RSD 23rd 2507 [20]
Bud Reeder 02 Pontiac RCH
32 		DOV
28
1984 Langley Racing 64 Ford DAY
32 		RCH CAR
30 		ATL
24 		BRI
20 		NWS
23 		DAR
18 		MAR TAL
19 		NSV
27 		DOV
23 		CLT
25 		RSD POC
27 		MCH
33 		DAY
24 		NSV POC
36 		TAL
DNQ 		MCH BRI
11 		DAR
22 		RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD 33rd 1426 [21]
1986 Langley Racing 64 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL
25 		DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD N/A 0 [22]
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1970 Walt Valerio Mercury 29 31
1971 Larry Jackson Mercury 20 21
1972 Frank Vasco Mercury 26 11
1973 DNQ
1975 Langley Racing Ford 24 23
1976 DNQ
1977 DNQ
1978 38 25
1979 DNQ
1980 29 20
1981 28 17
1982 42 16
1983 25 27
1984 30 32

References

  1. ^ Career statistics about Tommy Gale at Racing Reference
  2. ^ Tommy Gale's NASCAR Winston Cup Series DNQ List at Racing Reference
  3. ^ NASCAR statistics on Tommy Gale at Driver Averages
  4. ^ Complete NASCAR career statistics on Tommy Gale at Fantasy Racing Cheat Sheet
  5. ^ Gale won respect... not races at The Pittsburgh Press (Google News Archive Search)
  6. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  7. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  8. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  9. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  10. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  11. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  12. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  13. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  14. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  15. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  16. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  17. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  18. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  19. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  20. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  21. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  22. ^ "Tommy Gale – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 6, 2023.