Gary Balough
| Gary Balough | |||||||
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| File:GaryBaloughNashville1980s.jpg
Balough at Nashville Speedway, 1980s
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| Born | September 16, 1947 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 22 races run over 6 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 40th (1981) | ||||||
| First race | 1979 Daytona 500 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 1992 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 4 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 68th (1990) | ||||||
| First race | 1982 Goody's 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 1990 AC-Delco 200 (Rockingham) | ||||||
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Gary Balough is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who has competed from 1979 to 1992.[1]
Career
Balough has only led one lap out of 4033 - the equivalent of 5,668.9 miles or 9,123.2 kilometres.[1]
The one lap that he led was at the 1981 Talladega 500 where he came from 41st to 1st, only to suffer a blown engine. In addition to his many short track wins Balough also won the 1981 Miller High Life 300 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt came in a close second. Bob Rahilly of RahMoc Racing built the engines for both of these races.[2]
He started an average of 21st place and finished an average of 25th while bringing home a career grand total of $90,900 ($153,281.93 when adjusted for inflation).[1] Balough's only DNQ was at the 1991 Daytona 500.[1][3] He served a sentence of 45½ months in jail for drug trafficking; which basically ended his career along with his marriage.[1][3] A ride with Harry Ranier's team was in the works along with a sponsorship from Domino's Pizza that would have paid him $750,000 ($1,619,080.15 when adjusted for inflation) for having their name appear on his car for 25 races.[3] Robert Yates created the motors that helped Balough become "on top of his game.[3]"
After his jail sentence expired, Balough still had access to his children and could still practice his hobby of fishing.[3] His first racing event after the end of his jail sentence was a 200-lap "All-Pro" race in Summerville, South Carolina where he earned the pole position and won the race.[3] Gary Balough has won more than 1000 races throughout his career and has accumulated more than 20 wins in the All Pro division.
List of achievements
- 1968 Florida’s Governor’s Cup 200 Winner
- 1976 Syracuse 200 Winner
- 1977 Syracuse 200 Winner
- 1978 Syracuse 200 Winner
- 1981 Miller High Life 300 Winner
- 1980 Snowball Derby Winner
- 1980 Syracuse 200 Winner
- 1984 All American 400 Winner
- 1984 World Crown 300 Winner
- 1986 All American 400 Winner
- 1986 All Pro Champion
- 1986 Snowball Derby Winner
References
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Snowball Derby Winner 1986 |
Succeeded by Butch Miller |
| Preceded by | Snowball Derby Winner 1980 |
Succeeded by Freddy Fryar |
