Tommy Gale (racing driver) explained

Tommy Gale
Birth Date:10 September 1934
Birth Place:McKeesport, Pennsylvania, United States
Total Cup Races:246
Years In Cup:17
Best Cup Pos:15th – 1981
First Cup Race:1968 American 500 (Rockingham)
Last Cup Race:1986 Winston 500 (Talladega)
Cup Wins:0
Cup Top Tens:4
Cup Poles: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 $683,965 in total winnings ($ when adjusted for inflation). While starting in 27th place on average, his average finishes were 22nd place after competing in a grueling 75239.7miles 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
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354PtsRef
1968Lyle Stelter56MercuryMGRMGYRSDDAYBRIRCHATLHCYGPSCLBNWSMARAUGAWSDARBLVLGYCLTASHMGRSMRBIRCARGPSDAYISPOXFFDATRNBRISMRNSVATLCLBBGSAWSSBOLGYDARHCYRCHBLVHBOMARNWSAUGCLTCAR
JFCN/A0[6]
1969Don Culpepper76FordMGRMGYRSDDAYDAY
DAYCARAUGBRIATLCLBHCYGPSRCHNWSMARAWSDARBLVLGYCLTMGRSMRMCHKPTGPSNCFDAYDOVTPNTRNBLVBRINSVSMRATLMCHSBOBGSAWSDARHCYRCHTALCLBMARNWSCLTSVHAUGCARJFCMGRTWS90th39[7]
1970Walt Valerio03FordRSDDAY
DAY52nd271[8]
MercuryDAY
RCHCARSVHATLBRITALNWSCLBDARBLVLGYCLTSMRMARMCH
RSDHCYKPTGPSDAYASTTPNTRN
BRISMRNSVATLCLBONAMCHTALBGSSBODARHCYRCHDOV
NCFNWSCLTMARMGRCARLGY
1971Larry JacksonRSDDAYDAY
DAY
ONTRCHCARHCYBRIATL
CLBGPSSMRNWSMARDARSBOTAL
ASHKPTCLTDOVMCH
RSDHOUGPSDAYBRIASTISPTRN
NSVATLBGSONATAL
CLBHCYDARMARCLTDOV
CARMGRRCHNWSTWS41st729[9]
Richard Giachetti44FordMCH

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
YearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031PtsRef
1972Frank Vasko03MercuryRSDDAY
RCHONT
CARATL
BRIDARNWSMARTALCLTDOVTAL
MCHNSVDAR
RCHDOVMARNWSCLT
CAR
TWS41st1298[10]
Richard Giachetti44FordMCH
RSDTWSDAYBRITRNATL
1973Frank Vasko03MercuryRSDDAY
RCHCARBRIATLNWSDARMAR57thN/A[11]
Gale RacingTAL
NSVCLTDOVTWSRSDATL
TAL
NSVDAR
RCHDOVNWSMARCLTCAR
ChevyMCH
DAYBRI
1975Langley Racing64FordRSDDAY
RCHCARBRIATLNWSDARMARTALNSVDOVCLTRSDMCH46th437[12]
Champion Racing10FordDAY
NSVPOC
TALMCHDAR
DOV
NWSMARCLTRCHCARBRIATLONT
1976Langley Racing64FordRSDDAY
CAR
RCHBRIATL
NWSDAR
MARTAL
NSVDOV
CLTRSDMCH
POC
TAL
MCHBRIDARRCHDOV
MARNWSCLTCAR
ATLONT
33rd1005[13]
Henley Gray19ChevyDAY
NSV
1977Langley Racing64FordRSDDAY
RCHCAR
ATL
NWSDAR
BRIMAR
TAL
NSVDOV
CLT
RSDMCH
DAY
NSVPOC
TAL
MCH
BRIDAR
RCH
DOV
MARNWSCLT
CAR
ATLONT
26th1689[14]
1978RSDDAY
RCH
CAR
ATL
BRI
DAR
NWS
MAR
TAL
DOV
CLT
NSVRSDMCH
DAY
NSVPOC
TAL
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR
NWS
CLT
CAR
ATL
ONT
20th2639[15]
Bobby Wawak74ChevyATL
1979Langley Racing64FordRSDDAY
CAR
RCH
ATL
NWS
BRI
DAR
MAR
TAL
NSV
DOV
CLT
TWS
RSDMCH
DAY
NSV
POC
TAL
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR
CLT
NWS
CAR
ATL
ONT
18th2795[16]
1980RSDDAY
RCH
CAR
ATL
BRI
DAR
NWS
MAR
TAL
NSV
DOV
CLT
TWS
RSDDAY
NSV
POC
TAL
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
NWS
MAR
CLT
CAR
ATL
ONT
18th2885[17]
Ulrich Racing40ChevyMCH
1981Langley Racing64FordRSDDAY
CAR
ATL
BRI
NWS
DAR
TAL
NSV
CLT
TWS
MCH
DAY
NSV
POC
TAL
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
MAR
NWS
CLT
CAR
ATL
RSD
15th3140[18]
Junior Miller79OldsRCH
Ulrich Racing40BuickMAR
DOV
RSD
1982Langley Racing64FordDAY
RCH
BRI
ATL
CAR
DAR
NWS
MARTAL
NSV
DOV
CLT
POC
RSD
MCH
DAY
NSV
POC
TAL
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
DOV
NWS
CLT
MAR
CAR
ATL
RSD21st2698[19]
Hylton Racing48BuickCLT
1983Langley Racing64FordDAY
RCH
CAR
ATL
DAR
NWS
MAR
TAL
NSV
DOV
BRI
CLT
RSDPOC
MCH
DAY
NSV
POC
TAL
MCH
BRI
DAR
RCH
MAR
NWS
CLT
CAR
ATL
RSD23rd2507[20]
Bud Reeder02PontiacRCH
DOV
1984Langley Racing64FordDAY
RCHCAR
ATL
BRI
NWS
DAR
MARTAL
NSV
DOV
CLT
RSDPOC
MCH
DAY
NSVPOC
TAL
MCHBRI
DAR
RCHDOVMARCLTNWSCARATLRSD33rd1426[21]
1986Langley Racing64FordDAYRCHCARATLBRIDARNWSMARTAL
DOVCLTRSDPOCMCHDAYPOCTALGLNMCHBRIDARRCHDOVMARNWSCLTCARATLRSDN/A0[22]
Daytona 500
YearTeamManufacturerStartFinish
1970Walt ValerioMercury29align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"31
1971Larry JacksonMercury20align=center style="background:#CFCFFF;"21
1972Frank VascoMercury26align=center style="background:#DFFFDF;"11
1973align=center colspan=2 style="background:#FFCFCF;"DNQ
1975Langley RacingFord24align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"23
1976align=center colspan=2 style="background:#FFCFCF;"DNQ
1977align=center colspan=2 style="background:#FFCFCF;"DNQ
197838align=center style="background:#CFCFFF;"25
1979align=center colspan=2 style="background:#FFCFCF;"DNQ
198029align=center style="background:#DFFFDF;"20
198128align=center style="background:#DFFFDF;"17
198242align=center style="background:#DFFFDF;"16
198325align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"27
198430align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"32

Notes and References

  1. http://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Tommy_Gale Career statistics about Tommy Gale
  2. http://www.racing-reference.info/show_dnq?id=galeto01&yr=0&series=W Tommy Gale's NASCAR Winston Cup Series DNQ List
  3. http://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_stats/driver.php?drv_id=402 NASCAR statistics on Tommy Gale
  4. http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/drivers/tommy-gale/2721 Complete NASCAR career statistics on Tommy Gale
  5. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19870713&id=pZMcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q2MEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4283,7322479 Gale won respect... not races
  6. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  7. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  8. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  9. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  10. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  11. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  12. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  13. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  14. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  15. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  16. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  17. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  18. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  19. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  20. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  21. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.
  22. Web site: Tommy Gale – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. May 6, 2023.

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