Bobby Wawak

Robert Laurence Wawak^[1] (September 4, 1939 – April 17, 2004) was an American NASCAR driver from Villa Park, Illinois. He made 141 Grand National/Winston Cup Series starts, with fourteen top-10 finishes.^[2]

Bobby Wawak
Wawak's No. 74 at Pocono Raceway in 1985
Born	Robert Laurence Wawak (1939-09-04)September 4, 1939 Villa Park, Illinois
Died	April 17, 2004(2004-04-17) (aged 64)
NASCAR Cup Series career
141 races run over 17 years
Best finish	22nd (1976)
First race	1965 Southern 500 (Darlington)
Last race	1987 AC Delco 500 (Rockingham)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 14 0
Statistics current as of December 17, 2012.

Racing career

Local racing

He began drag racing as a teenager. He raced in his first stock car race at around 1958 at Mance Park Speedway in Hodgkins, Illinois.^[3] He raced regularly at the O'Hare Stadium in Schiller Park, Illinois. He competed in both the cadet (sportsman) and late model divisions.^[3]

In 1974 he was the late model stock car champion at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Indiana. He competed at the track in 1973 and 1974, winning 14 features at that half mile asphalt track in his 1971 Ford Torino. He won 21 total races (including preliminary events) in 1974.^[3]

National touring series

USAC

Wawak competed on the USAC stock car circuit in 1965. He made six races with a sixth-place finish in one event during his rookie season. He finished 18th in the final USAC standings that year. Wawak did not return to USAC racing until 1969 and would compete on a limited basis into the early 1970s.^[3]

NASCAR

Wawak made occasional NASCAR starts before 1976, except for making 14 NASCAR starts in 1967. His first start was in the 1965 Southern 500 at Darlington Speedway.^[3] He started 27th, and finished 36th with engine problems.^[3]

His most successful year was 1976, when he finished 22nd in the points.^[2] His highest career finish was a sixth-place finish in the final race of the season at Ontario.

The fuel line on his car came loose on the third lap of the 1977 Daytona 500, and the fire came into the car's cockpit. Wawak jumped from the car while it was still moving (and slammed into the inside wall moments later), held up his burnt hands, and ran to the infield care center.^[3] "It was like sitting in front of a blow torch," Wawak said later.^[3] He made six more starts that year.

He continued racing in NASCAR, and made 96 more NASCAR starts. His career ended when he crashed in the first qualifier for the 1988 Daytona 500, Wawak suffering a fractured vertebra and detached retinas.^[3] Randy LaJoie raced in one race in his car in 1988, and Mike Potter raced three races in 1990.

After his NASCAR career ended, he helped Hendrick Motorsports with their show cars.^[3]

In media

He appeared in NASCAR Thunder 2004 as an unlockable driver in a car numbered 36.

Death

At age 64, Wawak died on April 17, 2004.^[3] He was survived by his wife Stevi, daughters, Jaclin Wawak and Robin Wawak Pemberton and grandchildren, Lauri Trotter and River Pemberton, in addition to two brothers, Allen Wawak and Richard Wawak; three sisters, Carole Tarvash, Joyce Annanie, and Marilyn Zmich.

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	54	55	NGNC	Pts	Ref
1965	Wawak Racing	4	Mercury	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	PIF	AWS	RCH	HBO	ATL	GPS	NWS	MAR	CLB	BRI	DAR	LGY	BGS	HCY	CLT	CCF	ASH	HAR	NSV	BIR	ATL	GPS	MBS	VAL	DAY	ODS	OBS	ISP	GLN	BRI	NSV	CCF	AWS	SMR	PIF	AUG	CLB	DTS	BLV	BGS	DAR 36	HCY	LIN	ODS	RCH	MAR	NWS	CLT	HBO	CAR	DTS	117th	116	[4]
1967	Wawak Racing	92	Plymouth	AUG	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	AWS	BRI	GPS	BGS	ATL	CLB	HCY	NWS	MAR	SVH	RCH	DAR	BLV	LGY	CLT 13	ASH	MGR	SMR	BIR	CAR 25	GPS	MGY	DAY 24		OXF 10	FDA 27	ISP 22	BRI			ATL 10	BGS	CLB	SVH	DAR	HCY	RCH	BLV	HBO	MAR 31	NWS 30	CLT 7	CAR 43	AWS							31st	9078	[5]
			Dodge																													TRN 17					SMR 23	NSV 21
1968		77	Plymouth	MGR	MGY	RSD DNQ	DAY	BRI	RCH	ATL	HCY	GPS	CLB	NWS	MAR	AUG	AWS	DAR	BLV	LGY	CLT	ASH	MGR	SMR	BIR	CAR	GPS	DAY	ISP	OXF	FDA	TRN	BRI	SMR	NSV	ATL	CLB	BGS	AWS	SBO	LGY	DAR	HCY	RCH	BLV	HBO	MAR	NWS	AUG	CLT	CAR	JFC							NA	-	[6]
1969		73	Dodge	MGR	MGY	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	CAR	AUG	BRI	ATL	CLB	HCY	GPS	RCH	NWS	MAR	AWS	DAR	BLV	LGY	CLT	MGR	SMR	MCH 31	KPT	GPS	NCF	DAY	DOV	TPN	TRN	BLV	BRI	NSV	SMR	ATL	MCH	SBO	BGS	AWS	DAR	HCY	RCH	TAL	CLB	MAR	NWS	CLT	SVH	AUG	CAR	JFC	MGR	TWS		80th	60	[7]
1971	Wawak Racing	75	Dodge	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	ONT 20	RCH	CAR 19	HCY	BRI	ATL	CLB	GPS	SMR	NWS	MAR	DAR	SBO	TAL	ASH	KPT	CLT	DOV	MCH	RSD	HOU	GPS	DAY	BRI	AST	ISP	TRN	NSV	ATL	BGS	ONA	MCH	TAL DNQ	CLB	HCY	DAR	MAR	CLT	DOV	CAR	MGR	RCH	NWS	TWS								76th	93	[8]

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup 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	NWCC	Pts	Ref
1976	Gwinn-Wawak	36	Chevy	RSD	DAY	CAR	RCH	BRI	ATL DNQ	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL 29	NSV	DOV 26			MCH 26	DAY 14	NSV 10	POC 14	TAL 24	MCH 10	BRI 9	DAR 10	RCH 10	DOV 22	MAR 25	NWS 8	CLT 10	CAR 33	ATL 10	ONT 6		22nd	2062	[9]
		26														CLT 26	RSD
1977		36		RSD 18	DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	NWS	DAR	BRI	MAR 30	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	RSD																		45th	522	[10]
		32			DAY 42
	Wawak Racing	74	Chevy															MCH 18	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH 15	BRI							CAR 11	ATL 29	ONT
	Gray Racing	19	Chevy																						DAR 22	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT
1978	Wawak Racing	74	Chevy	RSD	DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	BRI 29	DAR	NWS	MAR 12	TAL	DOV 28	CLT DNQ	NSV 13	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV				BRI 28	DAR 37	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT			ONT DNQ		38th	680	[11]
	Greg Heller	85	Ford																		POC 34	TAL	MCH
	Richard Childress Racing	31	Chevy																												CAR 27	ATL
1979	Wawak Racing	74	Olds	RSD	DAY 21	CAR	RCH	ATL	NWS																										46th	376	[12]
			Chevy							BRI 29	DAR 28	MAR	TAL	NSV 14	DOV	CLT	TWS	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	ATL	ONT
1980				RSD	DAY	RCH 10	CAR 17	ATL	BRI 31	DAR 13	NWS 16	MAR 31		NSV 18	DOV 29												RCH 27	DOV	NWS 11	MAR	CLT	CAR	ATL	ONT	25th	1742	[13]
			Dodge										TAL 30
			Buick													CLT 25	TWS 24	RSD 22	MCH 29	DAY	NSV 23	POC	TAL 24	MCH 33	BRI	DAR 39
1981		94		RSD	DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR 14			NWS 30	DAR 24	MAR 19	TAL 10	NSV 18	DOV	CLT 31	TWS 26	RSD	MCH 33	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL 19	MCH 31	BRI	DAR 24	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT 36	CAR	ATL DNQ	RSD	31st	1212	[14]
			Pontiac					ATL 42	BRI
1982			Buick	DAY 32	RCH	BRI DNQ	ATL	CAR 28							CLT 20	POC 14	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC 19	TAL 26	MCH	BRI					CLT DNQ	MAR	CAR 13				31st	1002	[15]
			Chevy						DAR 21	NWS	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV											DAR 21	RCH	DOV	NWS				ATL 17	RSD
1983			Buick	DAY DNQ																															36th	825	[16]
		74			RCH DNQ	CAR 16	ATL 18	DAR 16	NWS DNQ	MAR	TAL DNQ	NSV	DOV	BRI				MCH 37			POC 27		MCH DNQ	BRI DNQ
			Chevy												CLT 18	RSD	POC		DAY 27	NSV		TAL 34			DAR 21	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	RSD
1984				DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	BRI	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	RSD																			47th	307	[17]
	Jimmy Means Racing	52	Pontiac														POC 28
	Wawak Racing	74	Buick															MCH DNQ	DAY	NSV	POC 32	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT 22	NWS	CAR 28	ATL	RSD
1985			Chevy	DAY 13	RCH		ATL DNQ	BRI	DAR 34	NWS	MAR	TAL 32	DOV	CLT	RSD	POC 23		DAY 37																	32nd	1226	[18]
			Buick			CAR 27											MCH 27		POC 25		MCH 27	BRI DNQ	DAR	RCH	DOV 17	MAR 16	NWS 20	CLT	CAR 34	ATL	RSD
	Gray Racing	54	Chevy																	TAL 21
1986	Wawak Racing	74	Chevy	DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR 38	ATL 23	BRI						CLT DNQ	RSD	POC	MCH 24	DAY	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV 33	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ	CAR 29	ATL	RSD			43rd	480	[19]
			Buick						DAR 19	NWS	MAR	TAL	DOV
1987			Chevy	DAY DNQ	CAR 27	RCH 32	ATL DNQ						CLT 19	DOV	POC 24	RSD	MCH DNQ	DAY DNQ	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH 32	BRI	DAR 23	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ	CAR 36	RSD	ATL			39th	638	[20]
		77						DAR 29	NWS	BRI	MAR	TAL
1988		57		DAY DNQ	RCH	CAR	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	CLT	DOV	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	PHO	ATL			NA	-	[21]

Daytona 500

Year	Team	Manufacturer	Start	Finish
1977	Gwinn-Wawak	Chevrolet	DNQ
			17	42
1978	Wawak Racing	Chevrolet	DNQ
1979		Olds	30	21
1981	Wawak Racing	Buick	DNQ
1982			28	32
1983			DNQ
1984		Chevrolet	DNQ
1985			26	13
1986			DNQ
1987			DNQ
1988			DNQ

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series

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

ARCA Permatex SuperCar 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	APSC	Pts	Ref
1981		94	Olds	DAY 16	DSP	FRS	FRS	BFS	TAL	FRS	COR													NA	0	[22]
1983	Wawak Racing	74	Buick	DAY	NSV	TAL 17	LPR	LPR	ISF	IRP	SSP	FRS	BFS	WIN	LPR	POC	TAL	MCS	FRS	MIL	DSF	ZAN	SND	NA	0	[23]
1986	Churchill Motorsports	11	Chevy	ATL	DAY	ATL	TAL	SIR	SSP	FRS	KIL	CSP	TAL	BLN	ISF	DSF	TOL	MCS	ATL 22					119th	-	[24]
1987	Wawak Racing	77	Chevy	DAY	ATL	TAL 4	DEL	ACS	TOL	ROC	POC	FRS	KIL											60th	-	[25]
		74												TAL 29	FRS	ISF	INF	DSF	SLM
	Bryan Waters	77	Chevy																	ATL 3
1988	Wawak Racing	74	Chevy	DAY 22	ATL	TAL DNQ	FRS	PCS	ROC	POC	WIN	KIL	ACS	SLM	POC	TAL	DEL	FRS	ISF	DSF	SLM	ATL		132nd	-	[26]

References

1. "Robert Wawak Obituary (2004) - Midland, NC". Legacy. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
2. Driver's statistics at racing-reference, Retrieved September 13, 2007
3. "Bobby Wawak" Archived July 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine; Stan Kalwasinski; ChicagolandAutoRacing.com; Retrieved September 13, 2007
4. "Bobby Wawak – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
5. "Bobby Wawak – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
6. "Bobby Wawak – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
7. "Bobby Wawak – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
8. "Bobby Wawak – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
9. "Bobby Wawak – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
10. "Bobby Wawak – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
11. "Bobby Wawak – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
12. "Bobby Wawak – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
13. "Bobby Wawak – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
14. "Bobby Wawak – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
15. "Bobby Wawak – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
16. "Bobby Wawak – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
17. "Bobby Wawak – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
18. "Bobby Wawak – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
19. "Bobby Wawak – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
20. "Bobby Wawak – 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
21. "Bobby Wawak – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
22. "Bobby Wawak – 1981 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
23. "Bobby Wawak – 1983 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
24. "Bobby Wawak – 1986 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
25. "Bobby Wawak – 1987 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
26. "Bobby Wawak – 1988 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.