Sal Tovella

Sal Tovella (August 13, 1928 – March 10, 2019) was an American racecar driver who competed in USAC Stock Car. He also competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Convertible Series, and the ARCA Menards Series. His racing career spanned from the 1950s into the 1980s. After his own racing career, he founded the short-lived International Racing Association stock car series.

Early life Tovella was born August 13, 1928. Tovella grew up on the North Side of Chicago. in a June 21, 1952, 22-lap race in which he steered his 1949 model Ford car to victory before a reported 18,846 spectators. Tovella was long a fixture on the Soldier Field track. He won the track's own stock car title during its 1952 season. During the track's 1963 season, Tovella again took the track's title

The cars Tovella raced varied over his career, with Tovella, at different times, driving cars manufactured by several brands (including Ford, Chevrolet, Edsel, Plymouth, Tovella's final of six USAC victories came in 1980 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack.

In 2012, Tovella was inducted in the Illinois Stock Car Hall of Fame. The league served as a sanctioning body for races featuring USAC/ARCA-style stock cars, later living in Addison, Illinois. For most of his life, he operated a used car sales business, Sal's Auto Sales. The business was long located in Chicago on Milwaukee Avenue, but later relocated to Elmhurst, Illinois. His funeral was held at Russo's Hillside Chapels. He was entombed at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillsdale, Illinois. Year !! Rank !! Team !! Car !! Starts !! Wins !! Poles !! Podium finishes !! Top 5 finishes !! Top 10 finishes !! Laps led !! Average start !! Average finish !! DNFs !! Points !!

USAC Stock Car race statistics

USAC Stock Car race 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 Pts Ref 1956 1957 MKE37 MKE21 1958 information missing – – – – – – MKEDNQ – – 1959 1959 59 Chevy SKY SLM MKE12 TRH MKE7 WGR DUQ22 MKE26 information missing LAN WGR NSH LAN ATL ASP LAX LVG HOU 1960 1960 '60 Ford Chevy MKE30 TRH7 MKE12 MKE20 DUQ7 MKE20 information missing – – – 1961 '59 Ford DAY9 23 '61 Ford MKE9 MKE27 MKE33 MKE8 '61 Ford DAY7 IMS7 information missing – – IRP11 – CHI10 – – – IRP18 IMS6 DUQ14 DUQ31 – – 1962 83 1962 Ford MKE19 MKE19 MKE8 DUQ5 1962 Ford MKE7 Ford IMS6 information missing CAN2 IMS17 IND8 IMS22 MSF5 1963 8 '63 Ford IRP8 MKE6 MKE8 Tom Hawkinson 8 '63 Ford MKE4 '63 Ford MKE12 LAN13 IMS5 Ford IRP9 information missing IMS11 IMS11 MDW4 SPR9 DUQ23 IND8 1964 1965 1966 5 '65 Plymouth LAN3 MKE MKE MKE LNG5 MKE '65 Plymouth IND MID Plymouth CAN4 CAN1 missing information IND SPR DUQ 1967 4 '67 Dodge IRP27 MKE7 MKE39 MKE12 MKE14 '67 Dodge Charger DUQ14 '65 Dodge CHI4 CHI4 CHI3 Dodge CAN9 CAN12 54 '67 Ford IND10 information missing CHI2 CHI2 CHI16 SPR30 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 54 '72 Chevrolet Chevelle KNX20 MKE7 23 Chevy SPR10 Cabrera Racing 20 '74 Dodge IND11 DUQ21 MKE8 1975 8 Plymouth MKE10 MKE1 MKE3 DUQ3 SPR3 IND6 MKE5 TTN1 1976 8 Plymouth Satellite TWS6 I7010 MAR7 MKE2 MCH5 TWS5 MKE2 MKE5 SPR10 DUQ19 MKE5 TWS6 1977 8 Plymouth Volare ONT24 IND8 TWS4 MKE17 MCH8 MKE1 TWS2 SPR3 DUQ2 MKE24 1978 8 Plymouth Volare MKE2 MKE3 MKE5 MKE4 IMS7 Dodge Aspen ONT12 Dodge Magnum SPR1 DUQ5 Dodge TWS16 MCH35 1979 8 Plymouth Volare IMS22 MKE22 MKE4 MKE23 MKE4 IMS3 OZK10 Dodge Diplomat TWS33 ONT9 IMS7 DUQ5 Dodge Mirada TWS35 1980 3 Plymouth Volare TTN4 MKE2 MKE3 IMS14 DUQ1 IRP7 MKE3 IMS19 Dodge Mirada SPR7 IMS11 1981 6 Plymouth Volare CAP9 TRI5 WIN3 SPR9 MKE11 MKE2ELD15 Dodge Mirada SPR4 DUQ2 DSM7

NASCAR Cup Series career statistics NASCAR Cup Series season statistics

NASCAR Convertible Division career statistics NASCAR Convertible Division season statistics + NASCAR Convertible Division season results

ARCA Menards Series career statistics ARCA Menards Series season statistics + ARCA Menards Series season results n/a Plymouth IMSDNQ FRS Test Tube Volare MCH10 1981 Test Tube 06 Chevy DAY34 DSP FRS FRS BFS TAL FRS COR