Lennie Pond

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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
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

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.

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.

Pond's career totals include 234 career starts, one win, 39 top-fives, 88 top-tens, five poles, and a best championship finish of fifth 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 eleventh 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

References

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