Gary Balough

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Gary Balough

Balough at Nashville Speedway, 1980s
Born (1947-09-16) September 16, 1947
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
22 race(s) run over 6 year(s)
Best finish 40th (1981)
First race 1979 Daytona 500 (Daytona)
Last race 1992 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 0
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
4 race(s) run over 2 year(s)
Best finish 68th (1990)
First race 1982 Goody's 300 (Daytona)
Last race 1990 AC-Delco 200 (Rockingham)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 1 0

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]

He started an average of 21st place and finished an average of 25th while bringing home a career grand total of $90,900 ($151,212.59 in today's money).[1] Balough's only DNQ was at the 1991 Daytona 500.[1][2] He served a sentence of 45½ months in jail for drug trafficking; which basically ended his career along with his marriage.[1][2] 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 ($1,597,222.22 in today's money) for having their name appear on his car for 25 races.[2] Robert Yates created the motors that helped Balough become "on top of his game.[2]"

After his jail sentence expired, Balough still had access to his children and could still practice his hobby of fishing.[2] 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.[2] 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
  • 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

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Racing information for Gary Balough". Racing Reference. Retrieved 2012-04-23. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "History of Gary Balough". Stock Car Racing. Retrieved 2012-04-23. 
Achievements
Preceded by
Jody Ridley		 Snowball Derby Winner
1986 		Succeeded by
Butch Miller
Preceded by
Freddy Fryar		 Snowball Derby Winner
1980 		Succeeded by
Freddy Fryar


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