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Bill Wimble
American racing driver From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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William (Bill) Wimble (January 11, 1932 – April 24, 2016) was an American stock car racing driver and two-time champion of the NASCAR Sportsman Division (predecessor of currently Xfinity Series).
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Racing career
Bill Wimble began his racing career at the St. Lawrence Valley Speedway in 1951, and finished his first race in last position.[3] He was champion of the 1960 NASCAR Sportsman Division (predecessor of the Xfinity Series) and along with Dick Nephew was 1961 co-champion. Folklore has it the 1961 “tie” was a fabrication designed to cover-up a mistake by NASCAR officials.[4]
From 1958 to 1962, Wimble made four appearances in the NASCAR Grand National Series.[2] He otherwise spent the majority of his career racing in the Sportsman and Modified classes at the renowned tracks of the northeast including Airborne Park Speedway NY, Albany-Saratoga Speedway NY, Fonda Speedway NY, and Utica-Rome Speedway NY.[5]
Wimble won 14 track championships. He was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, the New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame and the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame.[4][6]
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Carnegie Hero
Wimble 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.[7]
That same year, Wimble was pulled from a burning wreck during a race in Syracuse, New York by fellow racer Ernie Gahan, who was also one of those responsible for saving Marvin Panch.[8]
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
Daytona 500
References
External links
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