Driving Great Marvin Panch Dies at 89.

[cosworth151]

Marvin "Pancho" Panch has died at the age of 89. He was found unresponsive in his car on Thursday morning, according to a report in the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Panch raced in 216 NASCAR Grand National Series (now NASCAR Cup) races from 1951 to 1966. In 1961, he gave Pontiac it's first Daytona 500 win. He famously drove for the Wood Brothers from 1962 to 1966, bringing 8 wins & 30 podiums to the legendary Ford team.

A famous story about Panch involves the 1963 Daytona Continental sports car race, the forerunner of today's 24 Hours of Daytona. The Wood Brothers managed to stuff a Ford 427 c.i.d. V8 into a Maserati Tipo 151. It was way too much engine for the car. It was an absolute monster to drive. It ended up upside down and on fire with Panch trapped inside. NASCAR drive Tiny Lund ran over and pulled Panch from the flaming wreck. Lund was at the track trying to find a car for the following week's Daytona 500. Pancho's injuries prevented him from driving in the 500. The Woods offered the ride to Lund in gratitude for his bravery. Tiny went on to win that year's Daytona 500.

Below are pix of Panch in the Wood Brothers 1963 Ford Galaxie at Daytona & with the Tipo 151.

R.I.P., Marvin. You were one of the best.

http://autoweek.com/article/nascar/nascar-great-marvin-panch-dies-age-89