Wikipedia

Bill Wimble

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).

Bill Wimble
BornWilliam R. Wimble
January 11, 1932
Lisbon, NY
DiedApril 24, 2016(2016-04-24) (aged 84)
Hillsborough, FL, U.S.
Retired1968
Motorsports career
Debut season1951
Car number33
Championships14
Championship titles
1960, 1961 NASCAR National Sportsman Champion[1]
Awards
Carnegie Hero
NASCAR Cup Series career
4 races run over 2 years
Best finish48th (1962)
First race1958 (Reading, PA)
Last race1962 Daytona 500 (Daytona)[2]
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0

Racing career

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Bill Wimble 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.[3]

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.[4]

Wimble won 14 track championships. He was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame, the New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame and the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame.[5]

Carnegie Hero

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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.[6]

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 Punch.[7]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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

Grand National Series

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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
1958 Lyle Sokoll 400 Ford FAY DAB CON FAY WIL HBO FAY CLB PIF ATL CLT MAR ODS OBS GPS GBF STR NWS BGS TRN RSD CLB NBS REF
18 		LIN HCY AWS RSP MCC SLS TOR BUF 114th 120.5 [8]
Chevy MCF
18 		BEL BRR CLB NSV AWS BGS MBS DAR CLT BIR CSF GAF RCH HBO SAS MAR NWS ATL
1962 Dave McCredy 32 Pontiac CON AWS DAY
17 		DAY DAY
11 		CON AWS SVH HBO RCH 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 48th 1944 [9]
Daytona 500
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Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1962 Dave McCredy Pontiac 36 11

References

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  1. ^ "Wimble a true legend at Fonda". The Daily Gazette. 14 August 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Bill Wimble-NASCAR Cup Series". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  3. ^ "NASCAR tie honored at Dick Nephew night". Press Republican. 27 August 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  4. ^ "Bill Wimble Career Results". The Third Turn. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  5. ^ "EMPA Hall of Fame-Bill Wimble". Eastern Motorsports Press Association. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "William R. Wimble". Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  7. ^ Whaley, Mike (December 3, 2009). "Gahan was a NASCAR pioneer". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  8. ^ "Bill Wimble – 1958 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  9. ^ "Bill Wimble – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
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