Ernie Gahan

American racing driver

Ernie Gahan

Born| Ernest E. Gahan
October 12, 1926
Wakefield, Massachusetts
Died| November 27, 2009(2009-11-27) (aged 83)
Berwick, Maine
Retired| 1976
Modified racing career
Debut season| 1947
Car number| 50
Wins| 300+
Championship titles
1966 NASCAR National Modified Champion[1]
Awards
Carnegie Hero

NASCAR driver

NASCAR Cup Series career
11 races run over 4 years
Best finish| 45th (1962)
First race| 1960 Martinsville Speedway
Last race| 1966 Oxford Plains Speedway[2]
| Wins | Top tens | Poles

|
|

0 | 2 | 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

### NASCAR

[edit]

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

#### Grand National Series

[edit]

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  | NGNC | Pts  | Ref
1960 | Ernie Gahan  | 55  | Chevy | CLT | CLB | DAY | DAY | DAY | CLT | NWS | PHO | CLB | MAR
15 | HCY | WIL | BGS | GPS | AWS | DAR | PIF | HBO | RCH | HMS | CLT
13 | BGS | DAY | HEI | MAB | MBS | ATL | BIR | NSV | AWS | PIF | CLB | SBO | BGS | DAR | HCY | CSF | GSP | HBO | MAR | NWS | CLT | RCH | ATL |  | 46th  | 2080  | [7]
1961 | John Koszela  | CLT | JSP | DAY
23 | DAY | DAY
57 | PIF
6 | AWS | HMS | ATL | GPS | HBO | BGS | MAR
16 | NWS | CLB | HCY | RCH | MAR | DAR | CLT | CLT | RSD | ASP | CLT | PIF | BIR | GPS | BGS | NOR
11 | HAS | STR | DAY | ATL | CLB | MBS | BRI | NSV | BGS | AWS | RCH | SBO | DAR | HCY | RCH | CSF | ATL | MAR | NWS | CLT | BRI | GPS | HBO |  | 88th  | 810  | [8]
1962 | Rocky Hinton  | 84  | Ford | CON | AWS | DAY
9 | DAY | DAY
12 | CON | AWS | SVH | HBO | RCH
19 | CLB | NWS | GPS | MBS | MAR | BGS | BRI | RCH | HCY | CON | DAR | PIF | CLT | ATL | BGS | AUG | RCH | SBO | DAY | CLB | ASH | GPS | AUG | SVH | MBS | BRI | CHT | NSV | HUN | AWS | STR | BGS | PIF | VAL | DAR | HCY | RCH | DTS | AUG | MAR | NWS | CLT | ATL | 45th  | 2092  | [9]
1966 | Joan Petre  | 73  | Ford | AUG | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | CAR | BRI | ATL | HCY | CLB | GPS | BGS | NWS | MAR | DAR | LGY | MGR | MON | RCH | CLT | DTS | ASH | PIF | SMR | AWS | BLV | GPS | DAY | ODS | BRR | OXF
19 | FON | ISP | BRI | SMR | NSV | ATL | CLB | AWS | BLV | BGS | DAR | HCY | RCH | HBO | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR |  | 111th  | 112  | [10]

##### Daytona 500

[edit]

Year  | Team  | Manufacturer  | Start  | Finish

|
|
|
|

1961 | John Koszela  | Chevrolet | 52  | 57
1962 | Rocky Hinton  | Ford | 16  | 12

## References

[edit]

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

## External links

[edit]

* Ernie Gahan driver statistics at Racing-Reference

*[Best finish]: Best finish in the championship