Bay Darnell

Wilbur Darnell (February 4, 1931 – February 28, 2023) was an American racing driver from Lake Bluff, Illinois.

USAC Stock Car Darnell began racing in USAC Stock Car in 1962. He became the second driver to land in Lake Lloyd at the Daytona International Speedway during a rare appearance in an ARCA stock car. He went into the infield lake during a February 8, 1964 qualifying race for the ARCA 250. In 1974, Darnell had his first USAC win at the Indiana State Fairgrounds after racing for 13 seasons. He led the final five laps at the one mile dirt oval. Darnell finished third in points that season. In 1954, he started 17th at the only NASCAR race Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Illinois. His car overheated and he retired at the 18th lap of the race finishing last in the 23 car field. He made his second start in 1964, starting 23rd for Holman Moody at Atlanta International Raceway. In a race of high attrition, he completed 205 of 334 laps before ending with push rod failure to finish 13th in the 39-car field. His final NASCAR start was in 1967 when he raced in his own car at Atlanta. He started 39th and finished 32nd in the 44-car field.

Indy Car Darnell raced in three Indy Car races. Later that season, he raced at his home race at the Milwaukee Mile. He was involved in a wreck on the second lap and finished 23rd. He also built USAC stock cars and in 1977 the St. Petersburg Times called him a "master car builder" who "builds and maintains his own equipment which is considered among the best."

Bay Darnell died in Waukegan, Illinois on February 28, 2023, at the age of 92.

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.) Grand National Series 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 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 Pts Ref 1954 69 Ford PBS DAB JSP ATL OSP OAK NWS HBO CCS LAN WIL MAR SHA RSP CLT GAR CLB LND HCY MCF WGS PIF AWS SFS23 GRS MOR OAK CLT SAN COR DAR CCS CLT LAN MAS MAR NWS NA – 1964 Holman-Moody 66 Ford CON AUG JSP SVH RSD DAY DAY DAY RCH BRI GPS BGS ATL13 AWS HBO PIF CLB NWS MAR SVH DAR LGY HCY SBO CLT GPS ASH ATL CON NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF DAY ODS OBS BRR ISP GLN LIN BRI NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA CLB BGS STR DAR HCY RCH ODS HBO MAR SVH NWS CLT HAR AUG JAC NA – 1965 Jack Watts Ford RSD DAY DAY DAYDNQ PIF AWS RCH HBO ATL GPS NWS MAR CLB BRI DAR LGY BGS HCY CLT CCF ASH HAR NSV BIR ATL GPS MBS VAL DAY ODS OBS ISP GLN BRI NSV CCF AWS SMR PIF AUG CLB DTS BLV BGS DAR HCY LIN ODS RCH MAR NWS CLT HBO CAR DTS NA – 1967 Bay Darnell Racing 66 Plymouth AUG RSD DAY DAY DAY AWS BRI GPS BGS ATL32 CLB HCY NWS MAR SVH RCH DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS MGY DAY TRN OXF FDA ISP BRI SMR NSV ATL BGS CLB SVH DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS CLT CAR AWS 118th 100

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1965 Jack Watts Ford DNQ