Ernie Gahan Explained

Birth Name:Ernest E. Gahan
Birth Date:October 12, 1926
Birth Place:Wakefield, Massachusetts
Death Place:Berwick, Maine
Achievements:1966 NASCAR Modified Champion[1]
Awards:Carnegie Hero,
New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame, Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame
Total Cup Races:11
Years In Cup:4
Best Cup Pos:45th (1962)
First Cup Race:1960 Martinsville Speedway
Last Cup Race:1966 Oxford Plains Speedway[2]
Cup Wins:0
Cup Top Tens:2
Cup Poles:0

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]

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.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253PtsRef
1960Ernie Gahan55ChevyCLTCLBDAYDAYDAYNWSPHOCLBMAR
15		HCYWILBGSGPSAWSDARPIFHBORCHHMSCLT
13		BGSDAYHEIMABMBSATLBIRNSVAWSPIFCLBSBOBGSDARHCYCSFGSPHBOMARNWSCLTRCHATL46th2080[7]
1961John KoszelaCLTJSPDAY
23		DAY
57		PIF
6		AWSHMSATLGPSHBOBGSMAR
16		NWSCLBHCYRCHMARDARCLTCLTRSDASPCLTPIFBIRGPSBGSNOR
11		HASSTRDAYATLCLBMBSBRINSVBGSAWSRCHSBOHCYRCHCSFATLMARNWSCLTBRIGPSHBO88th 810[8]
1962Rocky Hinton84FordCONAWSDAY
DAY
CONAWSSVHHBORCH
CLBNWSGPSMBSMARBGSBRIRCHHCYCONDARPIFCLTATLBGSAUGRCHSBODAYCLBASHGPSAUGSVHMBSBRICHTNSVHUNAWSSTRBGSPIFVALDARHCYRCHDTSAUGMARNWSCLTATL45th2092[9]
1966Joan Petre73FordAUGRSDDAYDAYDAYCARBRIATLHCYCLBGPSBGSNWSMARDARLGYMGRMONRCHCLTDTSASHPIFSMRAWSBLVGPSDAYODSBRROXF
19		FONISPBRISMRNSVATLCLBAWSBLVBGSDARHCYRCHHBOMARNWSCLTCAR111th112[10]
Daytona 500
YearTeamManufacturerStartFinish
1961John KoszelaChevrolet52align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"57
1962Rocky HintonFord16align=center style="background:#DFFFDF;"12

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Central. The Third Turn. 2023-05-24.
  2. Web site: Ernie Gahan-NASCAR Cup Series. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 24, 2023.
  3. News: Whaley. Mike. Gahan was a NASCAR pioneer . Foster's Daily Democrat. December 3, 2009. May 24, 2023.
  4. News: Boggie. Tom. Gahan, Holiday honored . The Daily Gazette. April 21, 1995. 5. Google Books. May 24, 2023.
  5. Web site: Ernest E. Gahan. Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. May 24, 2023.
  6. News: Race driver given Carnegie bronze medal for bravery. The Dispatch . November 12, 1963 . 1 . Google Books. May 24, 2023.
  7. Web site: Ernie Gahan – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results. Racing-Reference. July 9, 2023.
  8. Web site: Ernie Gahan – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results. Racing-Reference. July 9, 2023.
  9. Web site: Ernie Gahan – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results. Racing-Reference. July 9, 2023.
  10. Web site: Ernie Gahan – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results. Racing-Reference. July 9, 2023.

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