Ernie Gahan

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

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
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	55	Chevy	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

Year	Team	Manufacturer	Start	Finish
1961	John Koszela	Chevrolet	52	57
1962	Rocky Hinton	Ford	16	12

References

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

External links

Ernie Gahan driver statistics at Racing-Reference

[TT1-1] "NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Central". The Third Turn. Retrieved 2023-05-24.

[RR1-2] "Ernie Gahan-NASCAR Cup Series". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved May 24, 2023.

[DD1-3] 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.

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