Lennie Wayne Pond (August 11, 1940 – February 10, 2016) was an American NASCAR driver. He won NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 1973, and won his only race at Talladega Superspeedway in 1978 for Ronnie Elder and Harry Ranier. Pond set a then world record speed of 174.700 miles per hour (281.152 km/h) in winning the 500-mile race.

Lennie Pond
1985 racecar
BornLennie Wayne Pond
(1940-08-11)August 11, 1940
Ettrick, Virginia, U.S.
DiedFebruary 10, 2016(2016-02-10) (aged 75)
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Cause of deathCancer
Awards1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
234 races run over 17 years
Best finish5th (1976)
First race1969 American 500 (Rockingham)
Last race1989 Miller High Life 400 (Richmond)
First win1978 Talladega 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 88 5

Career

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Pond in the No. 54 racing against Dave Marcis in 1978

Lennie W. Pond grew up in the Village of Ettrick, Virginia, racing on his parents' farm, which Ettrick was home to Pond all his life. In the mid-1950s. Pond started racing modifieds on dirt tracks, then went to asphalt tracks, then to late-model tracks. In 1973, Pond started to run Winston Cup races; his last race with Winston Cup was in 1989 at Richmond International Raceway for Junie Donlavey. Pond got to run all three tracks here—dirt, asphalt and the new track.

His career totals include 234 career starts, one win, 39 top fives, 88 top tens, five poles, and a best championship finish of 5th in 1976. He beat out Darrell Waltrip for rookie of the year honors in 1973. Five years later, Pond won his first career race at Talladega Superspeedway.[1] Before retiring Pond raced his last race on September 10, 1989, at Richmond International Raceway in the Miller High Life 400 where he finished in 11th place.

Pond later became a car salesman at Heritage Chevrolet in Chester, Virginia.

Pond died February 10, 2016, from complications of cancer.[2]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

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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
1969 Giachetti Brothers 44 Chevy MGR MGY RSD DAY DAY 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
34
JFC MGR TWS 83rd 51 [3]
1970 Joe Phipps 65 Chevy RSD DAY DAY DAY RCH CAR SVH ATL
34
BRI TAL NWS CLB DAR BLV LGY CLT SMR MAR MCH RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY AST TPN TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB ONA MCH TAL BGS SBO DAR HCY RCH DOV NCF NWS CLT MAR MGR CAR LGY NA 0 [4]

Winston Cup Series

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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
1973 Elder-Ranier 54 Chevy RSD DAY
DNQ
RCH
7
CAR
20
BRI
6
ATL NWS
7
DAR
36
MAR
19
TAL
46
NSV CLT
38
DOV
20
TWS
24
RSD MCH
37
DAY
20
BRI
4
ATL
6
TAL
47
NSV
23
DAR
37
RCH
28
DOV
9
NWS
6
MAR
30
CLT
6
CAR
9
23rd 4013.85 [5]
1974 RSD DAY
23
RCH
4
CAR
9
BRI
26
ATL
10
DAR
21
NWS
5
MAR
5
TAL
5
NSV
11
DOV
6
CLT
20
RSD MCH
26
DAY
7
BRI NSV ATL
5
POC
30
TAL MCH DAR
13
RCH
10
DOV
32
NWS MAR
12
CLT
6
CAR
11
ONT 18th 723.25 [6]
1975 RSD DAY
19
RCH
2
CAR
23
BRI ATL
10
NWS
5
DAR
27
MAR
25
TAL
26
NSV DOV
33
CLT
36
RSD MCH DAY
38
NSV POC TAL
32
MCH DAR
21
DOV
20
NWS
5
MAR
24
CLT
22
RCH
2*
CAR
4
BRI
2
ATL
6
ONT
6
21st 2540 [7]
1976 RSD
6
DAY
4
CAR
30
RCH
23
BRI
22
ATL
4
NWS
6
DAR
4
MAR
22
TAL
11
NSV
6
DOV
8
CLT
8
RSD
25
MCH
7
DAY
32
NSV
4
POC
5
TAL
5
MCH
25
BRI
8
DAR
5
RCH
6
DOV
34
MAR
29
NWS
5
CLT
7
CAR
2
ATL
24
ONT
2
5th 3930 [8]
1977 RSD DAY RCH CAR
34
ATL
9
NWS DAR
31
BRI MAR
4
TAL NSV DOV
7
CLT
4
RSD MCH DAY
33
NSV POC TAL
5
MCH BRI DAR
28
RCH
5
DOV
30
MAR
25
NWS CLT
30
CAR
36
ATL ONT 30th 1193 [9]
1978 Ranier Racing RSD
DNQ
RCH
2*
CAR
5
ATL
5
BRI
5
NWS
4
MAR
18
TAL
21
DOV
3
NSV
2
RSD
7
DAY
5
NSV
26
POC DAR
26
RCH
12
MAR
5
NWS
7
CLT
6
CAR
7
ATL
39
ONT
6
7th 3794 [10]
Olds DAY
10
DAR
3
CLT
33
MCH
25
TAL
1
MCH
8
BRI
26
DOV
7
1979 Al Rudd Auto 54 Chevy RSD DAY
30
CAR RCH
14
ATL NWS BRI 29th 1415 [11]
Gray Racing 19 Chevy DAR
11
MCH
31
BRI DAR
25
RCH
25
DOV
23
MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL ONT
Kennie Childers Racing 12 Chevy MAR
29
DOV
9
CLT
9
TWS
31
RSD MCH
11
Olds TAL
38
NSV DAY
28
NSV POC
34
TAL
1980 RahMoc Enterprises 75 Buick RSD DAY
9
RCH CAR 30th 1558 [12]
Chevy ATL
23
BRI
Testa Racing 68 Chevy DAR
6
NWS MAR DAR
40
RCH
3
DOV
8
NWS
28
MAR
28
CLT
34
CAR
29
ATL
7
ONT
29
Olds TAL
4
NSV DOV TAL
28
MCH BRI
8
Kennie Childers Racing 12 Chevy CLT
41
TWS RSD MCH
Ulrich Racing 40 Buick DAY
11
NSV POC
1981 Testa Racing 68 Buick RSD DAY
27
RCH
11
CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV 34th 1100 [13]
Gordon Racing 24 Buick CLT
11
TWS RSD MCH
Lennie Pond 68 Buick DAY
11
NSV POC TAL
24
MCH BRI
14
DAR
17
RCH
27
DOV
16
MAR
25
NWS
23
CLT CAR
36
ATL RSD
1982 Gordon Racing 24 Buick DAY RCH
24
BRI ATL CAR DAR
10
NWS
26
MAR
22
TAL
31
NSV DOV CLT
31
POC RSD MCH DAY
16
NSV
27
POC TAL
36
MCH BRI DAR
40
RCH DOV NWS 33rd 756 [14]
Hylton Motorsports 48 Chevy CLT
20
MAR CAR
9
ATL
12
RSD
1983 Tom Beck 51 Buick DAY
12
RCH DAY
10
NSV POC TAL RCH
28
DOV MAR NWS CLT 34th 887 [15]
Hylton Motorsports 48 Pontiac CAR
31
ATL DAR
Buick NWS
12
Chevy MAR
14
TAL
19
NSV DOV BRI CLT RSD POC MCH
Jimmy Means Racing 52 Chevy MCH
22
BRI
Billy Matthews Racing 42 Buick DAR
39
CAR
8
ATL RSD
1984 Morgan-McClure Motorsports 4 Chevy DAY
13
RCH
20
CAR
25
ATL
39
BRI NWS 38th 923 [16]
Testa Racing 78 Buick DAR
38
MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR
Marcis Auto Racing 71 Olds RCH
17
DOV
12
MAR
9
CLT
25
NWS
12
CAR
10
ATL
37
RSD
1985 Hylton Motorsports 48 Chevy DAY
19
RCH
13
CAR
14
ATL
31
BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV 33rd 1107 [17]
Hamby Motorsports 17 Chevy CLT
30
RSD POC
17
MCH
18
DAY
19
POC
13
TAL
19
MCH BRI DAR CLT
39
CAR ATL RSD
Hylton Motorsports 49 Chevy RCH
25
DOV MAR NWS
1988 Hamby Motorsports 22 Chevy DAY RCH
22
CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR NA 0 [18]
Gray Racing 54 Chevy RCH
DNQ
DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL
1989 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAY CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH
11
DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL 64th 130 [19]
Daytona 500
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Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1973 Elder-Ranier Chevrolet DNQ
1974 21 23
1975 7 19
1976 11 4
1978 Ranier Racing Oldsmobile 28 10
1979 Al Rudd Auto Chevrolet 40 30
1980 RahMoc Enterprises Buick 12 9
1981 Testa Racing Buick 32 27
1983 Tom Beck Buick 39 12
1984 Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet 24 13
1985 Hylton Motorsports Chevrolet 27 19

References

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  1. ^ Caraviello, David (April 30, 2014). "TOP 10 SHOCKERS AT TALLADEGA". NASCAR. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  2. ^ Hallman, Randy (February 10, 2016). "Former racing star Lennie Pond dies at 75". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  3. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  4. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  5. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  6. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  7. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  8. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  9. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  10. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  11. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  12. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  13. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  14. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  15. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  16. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  17. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  18. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  19. ^ "Lennie Pond – 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
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