Gary Balough (born September 16, 1947) is an American former stock car racing driver who competed from 1962 to 2001. Balough has won more than 1000 races throughout his short-track career and has accumulated more than twenty wins in the All-Pro division.
Racing career Throughout the 1970s, Balough expanded his racing across the entire East Coast. He moved from Late Models in the Southeast to Dirt Modifieds in the Northeast. Between 1976 and 1978, Gary won the prestigious Syracuse 200 for modifieds. Balough led one lap in his NASCAR Cup career, at the 1981 Talladega 500 where he came from 41st to first, only to suffer from an overheating engine and resulting DNF. In addition to his many short-track wins, Balough also won the 1981 Miller High Life 300 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Balough beat Dale Earnhardt and Jody Ridley to win the race. Bob Rahilly of RahMoc Racing owned and built the cars and engines for both of these races.
Balough started an average of 21st place and finished an average of 25th while bringing home a career total of $90,900 ($ when adjusted for inflation).
Personal life Balough served a sentence of 45½ months in jail for drug trafficking; which ended his career along with his marriage. A ride with Harry Ranier's team was in the works along with a sponsorship from Domino's Pizza that would have paid him $750,000 ($ when adjusted for inflation) for having their name appear on his car for 25 races. Balough used many car owners, engine builders and car builders to help Balough become on top of his game.
After his jail sentence expired, Balough still had access to his children and could still practice his hobby of fishing. 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.
Balough later wrote an autobiography and was also the subject of a documentary film.
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
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.)
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 Pts Ref 1979 Billie Harvey 87 Oldsmobile RSD DAY35 CAR RCH ATL NWS BRI DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY 16 NSV POC 35 TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL ONT 90th 116 1980 Chevy RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ATL 39 108th 46 Phil Howard 33 ONTDNQ 1981 RahMoc Enterprises 75 RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC 12 40th 656 Buick TAL25 MCH18 BRI DAR25 RCH10 DOV17 MAR NWS CLT24 CAR32 ATL34 RSD19 1982 Pontiac DAY11 38th 564 Buick RCH 32 BRI 23 ATL 7 CAR 12 DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT POC RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS CLT MAR CAR ATL RSD 1991 Ken Allen 34 Chevy DAYDNQ RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY 74th 89 Jim Rosenblum Racing 13 Buick POC40 TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS 27 Pontiac CLT 39 CAR PHO ATL 1992 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT40 DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 93rd 43
Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1979 Billie Harvey Oldsmobile 27 35 1982 RahMoc Enterprises Pontiac 31 11 1991 Ken Allen Chevrolet DNQ
Busch Series NASCAR Busch 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 Pts Ref 1982 RahMoc Enterprises 75 Pontiac DAY 4 RCH BRI MAR DAR HCY SBO CRW RCH LGY DOV HCY CLT ASH HCY SBO CAR CRW SBO HCY LGY IRP BRI HCY RCH MAR CLT HCY MAR 106th 160 1990 Roy Hill 4 Buick DAY RCH CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT DOV ROU VOL MYB OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR32 RCH DOV29 MAR CLTDNQ NHA CAR33 MAR 68th 207 1991 82 DAYDNQ RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV N/A N/A CLTDNQ NHA CAR MAR
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