Tommy Gale (racing driver)

Tommy Gale
Born (1934-09-10)September 10, 1934
McKeesport, Pennsylvania, United States
Died September 30, 1999(1999-09-30) (aged 65)
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career
246 races run over 17 years
Best finish 15th – 1981
First race 1968 American 500 (Rockingham)
Last race 1986 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 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 ($1,479,017.21 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 starting a trucking business in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania; which is near his hometown of McKeesport.[5]

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)


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