Lennie Pond

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.

Lennie Pond
1985 racecar
Born	Lennie Wayne Pond (1940-08-11)August 11, 1940 Ettrick, Virginia, U.S.
Died	February 10, 2016(2016-02-10) (aged 75) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Cause of death	Cancer
Awards	1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
234 races run over 17 years
Best finish	5th (1976)
First race	1969 American 500 (Rockingham)
Last race	1989 Miller High Life 400 (Richmond)
First win	1978 Talladega 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles 1 88 5

Career

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.

His career totals include 234 career starts, one win, 39 top fives, 88 top tens, five poles, and a best championship finish of 5th 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 11th 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

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	NGNC	Pts	Ref
1969	Giachetti Brothers	44	Chevy	MGR	MGY	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	CAR	AUG	BRI	ATL	CLB	HCY	GPS	RCH	NWS	MAR	AWS	DAR	BLV	LGY	CLT	MGR	SMR	MCH	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 34	JFC	MGR	TWS	83rd	51	[3]
1970	Joe Phipps	65	Chevy	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	RCH	CAR	SVH	ATL 34	BRI	TAL	NWS	CLB	DAR	BLV	LGY	CLT	SMR	MAR	MCH	RSD	HCY	KPT	GPS	DAY	AST	TPN	TRN	BRI	SMR	NSV	ATL	CLB	ONA	MCH	TAL	BGS	SBO	DAR	HCY	RCH	DOV	NCF	NWS	CLT	MAR	MGR	CAR	LGY							NA	0	[4]

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
1973	Elder-Ranier	54	Chevy	RSD	DAY DNQ	RCH 7	CAR 20	BRI 6	ATL	NWS 7	DAR 36	MAR 19	TAL 46	NSV	CLT 38	DOV 20	TWS 24	RSD	MCH 37	DAY 20	BRI 4	ATL 6	TAL 47	NSV 23	DAR 37	RCH 28	DOV 9	NWS 6	MAR 30	CLT 6	CAR 9				23rd	4013.85	[5]
1974				RSD	DAY 23	RCH 4	CAR 9	BRI 26	ATL 10	DAR 21	NWS 5	MAR 5	TAL 5	NSV 11	DOV 6	CLT 20	RSD	MCH 26	DAY 7	BRI	NSV	ATL 5	POC 30	TAL	MCH	DAR 13	RCH 10	DOV 32	NWS	MAR 12	CLT 6	CAR 11	ONT		18th	723.25	[6]
1975				RSD	DAY 19	RCH 2	CAR 23	BRI	ATL 10	NWS 5	DAR 27	MAR 25	TAL 26	NSV	DOV 33	CLT 36	RSD	MCH	DAY 38	NSV	POC	TAL 32	MCH	DAR 21	DOV 20	NWS 5	MAR 24	CLT 22	RCH 2*	CAR 4	BRI 2	ATL 6	ONT 6		21st	2540	[7]
1976				RSD 6	DAY 4	CAR 30	RCH 23	BRI 22	ATL 4	NWS 6	DAR 4	MAR 22	TAL 11	NSV 6	DOV 8	CLT 8	RSD 25	MCH 7	DAY 32	NSV 4	POC 5	TAL 5	MCH 25	BRI 8	DAR 5	RCH 6	DOV 34	MAR 29	NWS 5	CLT 7	CAR 2	ATL 24	ONT 2		5th	3930	[8]
1977				RSD	DAY	RCH	CAR 34	ATL 9	NWS	DAR 31	BRI	MAR 4	TAL	NSV	DOV 7	CLT 4	RSD	MCH	DAY 33	NSV	POC	TAL 5	MCH	BRI	DAR 28	RCH 5	DOV 30	MAR 25	NWS	CLT 30	CAR 36	ATL	ONT		30th	1193	[9]
1978	Ranier Racing			RSD DNQ		RCH 2*	CAR 5	ATL 5	BRI 5		NWS 4	MAR 18	TAL 21	DOV 3		NSV 2	RSD 7		DAY 5	NSV 26	POC				DAR 26	RCH 12		MAR 5	NWS 7	CLT 6	CAR 7	ATL 39	ONT 6		7th	3794	[10]
			Olds		DAY 10					DAR 3					CLT 33			MCH 25				TAL 1	MCH 8	BRI 26			DOV 7
1979	Al Rudd Auto	54	Chevy	RSD	DAY 30	CAR	RCH 14	ATL	NWS	BRI																									29th	1415	[11]
	Gray Racing	19	Chevy								DAR 11													MCH 31	BRI	DAR 25	RCH 25	DOV 23	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	ATL	ONT
	Kennie Childers Racing	12	Chevy									MAR 29			DOV 9	CLT 9	TWS 31	RSD	MCH 11
			Olds										TAL 38	NSV						DAY 28	NSV	POC 34	TAL
1980	RahMoc Enterprises	75	Buick	RSD	DAY 9	RCH	CAR																												30th	1558	[12]
			Chevy					ATL 23	BRI
	Testa Racing	68	Chevy							DAR 6	NWS	MAR														DAR 40	RCH 3	DOV 8	NWS 28	MAR 28	CLT 34	CAR 29	ATL 7	ONT 29
			Olds										TAL 4	NSV	DOV								TAL 28	MCH	BRI 8
	Kennie Childers Racing	12	Chevy													CLT 41	TWS	RSD	MCH
	Ulrich Racing	40	Buick																	DAY 11	NSV	POC
1981	Testa Racing	68	Buick	RSD	DAY 27	RCH 11	CAR	ATL	BRI	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV																				34th	1100	[13]
	Gordon Racing	24	Buick													CLT 11	TWS	RSD	MCH
	Lennie Pond	68	Buick																	DAY 11	NSV	POC	TAL 24	MCH	BRI 14	DAR 17	RCH 27	DOV 16	MAR 25	NWS 23	CLT	CAR 36	ATL	RSD
1982	Gordon Racing	24	Buick	DAY	RCH 24	BRI	ATL	CAR	DAR 10	NWS 26	MAR 22	TAL 31	NSV	DOV	CLT 31	POC	RSD	MCH	DAY 16	NSV 27	POC	TAL 36	MCH	BRI	DAR 40	RCH	DOV	NWS							33rd	756	[14]
	Hylton Motorsports	48	Chevy																										CLT 20	MAR	CAR 9	ATL 12	RSD
1983	Tom Beck	51	Buick	DAY 12	RCH														DAY 10	NSV	POC	TAL				RCH 28	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT					34th	887	[15]
	Hylton Motorsports	48	Pontiac			CAR 31	ATL	DAR
			Buick						NWS 12
			Chevy							MAR 14	TAL 19	NSV	DOV	BRI	CLT	RSD	POC	MCH
	Jimmy Means Racing	52	Chevy																				MCH 22	BRI
	Billy Matthews Racing	42	Buick																						DAR 39						CAR 8	ATL	RSD
1984	Morgan-McClure Motorsports	4	Chevy	DAY 13	RCH 20	CAR 25	ATL 39	BRI	NWS																										38th	923	[16]
	Testa Racing	78	Buick							DAR 38	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV	CLT	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR
	Marcis Auto Racing	71	Olds																							RCH 17	DOV 12	MAR 9	CLT 25	NWS 12	CAR 10	ATL 37	RSD
1985	Hylton Motorsports	48	Chevy	DAY 19	RCH 13	CAR 14	ATL 31	BRI	DAR	NWS	MAR	TAL	DOV																						33rd	1107	[17]
	Hamby Motorsports	17	Chevy											CLT 30	RSD	POC 17	MCH 18	DAY 19	POC 13	TAL 19	MCH	BRI	DAR					CLT 39	CAR	ATL	RSD
	Hylton Motorsports	49	Chevy																					RCH 25	DOV	MAR	NWS
1988	Hamby Motorsports	22	Chevy	DAY	RCH 22	CAR	ATL	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	CLT	DOV	RSD	POC	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR											NA	0	[18]
	Gray Racing	54	Chevy																						RCH DNQ	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	PHO	ATL
1989	Donlavey Racing	90	Ford	DAY	CAR	ATL	RCH	DAR	BRI	NWS	MAR	TAL	CLT	DOV	SON	POC	MCH	DAY	POC	TAL	GLN	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH 11	DOV	MAR	CLT	NWS	CAR	PHO	ATL			64th	130	[19]

Daytona 500

Year	Team	Manufacturer	Start	Finish
1973	Elder-Ranier	Chevrolet	DNQ
1974			21	23
1975			7	19
1976			11	4
1978	Ranier Racing	Oldsmobile	28	10
1979	Al Rudd Auto	Chevrolet	40	30
1980	RahMoc Enterprises	Buick	12	9
1981	Testa Racing	Buick	32	27
1983	Tom Beck	Buick	39	12
1984	Morgan-McClure Motorsports	Chevrolet	24	13
1985	Hylton Motorsports	Chevrolet	27	19

References

1. Caraviello, David (April 30, 2014). "TOP 10 SHOCKERS AT TALLADEGA". NASCAR. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
2. Hallman, Randy (February 10, 2016). "Former racing star Lennie Pond dies at 75". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
3. "Lennie Pond – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
4. "Lennie Pond – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
5. "Lennie Pond – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
6. "Lennie Pond – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
7. "Lennie Pond – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
8. "Lennie Pond – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
9. "Lennie Pond – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
10. "Lennie Pond – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
11. "Lennie Pond – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
12. "Lennie Pond – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
13. "Lennie Pond – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
14. "Lennie Pond – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
15. "Lennie Pond – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
16. "Lennie Pond – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
17. "Lennie Pond – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
18. "Lennie Pond – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
19. "Lennie Pond – 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2016.

External links

• Pond Interview with John Sealy
• Heritage Chevrolet, Chester, Virginia
• Lennie Pond driver statistics at Racing-Reference