Tommy Gale

Tommy Gale (September 10, 1934 – September 30, 1999) was an American NASCAR Winston Cup Series race car driver from McKeesport, Pennsylvania who raced from 1968 to 1986. He ended up becoming one of the runners-up for the 1977 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award.

Career Gale started as a NASCAR Cup Series rookie when he was 34 years old and competed until his retirement at the age of 51. Leading only three laps of his 60,655-lap spanning career, Gale managed to make $683,965 in total winnings ($ when adjusted for inflation). While starting in 27th place on average, his average finishes were 22nd place after competing in a grueling of top-level professional stock car racing.

Gale's only three DNQs came at the 1972 Miller High Life 500, the 1973 Daytona 500 and at the 1984 Talladega 500.

Gale's strongest performances are on short oval tracks where he finished an average of twentieth place. His weakness would be found on road courses; where a finish of 28th place would be expected out of Gale. His primary vehicle throughout his career was the No. 64 Ford machine owned by fellow NASCAR driver Elmo Langley.

Post-NASCAR career After Gale retired from NASCAR, he decided to focus on his son and started a trucking business in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania; which is near his hometown of McKeesport.

Motorsports 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 Pts Ref 1968 Lyle Stelter 56 Mercury MGR MGY RSD DAY BRI RCH ATL HCY GPS CLB NWS MAR AUG AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS DAY ISP OXF FDA TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB BGS AWS SBO LGY DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS AUG CLT CAR JFC N/A 0 1969 Don Culpepper 76 Ford MGR MGY RSD DAY DAY DAY CAR AUG BRI ATL CLB HCY GPS RCH NWS MAR AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT MGR SMR MCH KPT GPS NCF DAY DOV TPN TRN BLV BRI NSV SMR ATL MCH SBO BGS AWS DAR HCY RCH TAL CLB MAR NWS CLT SVH AUG CAR JFC MGR TWS 90th 39 1970 Walt Valerio 03 Ford RSD DAY DAY 52nd 271 Mercury DAY RCH CAR SVH ATL BRI TAL NWS CLB DAR BLV LGY CLT SMR MAR MCH RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY AST TPN TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB ONA MCH TAL BGS SBO DAR HCY RCH DOV NCF NWS CLT MAR MGR CAR LGY 1971 Larry Jackson RSD DAY DAY DAY ONT RCH CAR HCY BRI ATL CLB GPS SMR NWS MAR DAR SBO TAL ASH KPT CLT DOV MCH RSD HOU GPS DAY BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL BGS ONA TAL CLB HCY DAR MAR CLT DOV CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS 41st 729 Richard Giachetti 44 Ford MCH

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 1972 Frank Vasko 03 Mercury RSD DAY RCH ONT CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV TAL MCH NSV DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR TWS 41st 1298 Richard Giachetti 44 Ford MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL 1973 Frank Vasko 03 Mercury RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR 57th N/A Gale Racing TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR Chevy MCH DAY BRI 1975 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH 46th 437 Champion Racing 10 Ford DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI ATL ONT 1976 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 33rd 1005 Henley Gray 19 Chevy DAY NSV 1977 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL NWS DAR BRI MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 26th 1689 1978 RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT NSV RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 20th 2639 Bobby Wawak 74 Chevy ATL 1979 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY CAR RCH ATL NWS BRI DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL ONT 18th 2795 1980 RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR ATL ONT 18th 2885 Ulrich Racing 40 Chevy MCH 1981 Langley Racing 64 Ford RSD DAY CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR TAL NSV CLT TWS MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 15th 3140 Junior Miller 79 Olds RCH Ulrich Racing 40 Buick MAR DOV RSD 1982 Langley Racing 64 Ford DAY RCH BRI ATL CAR 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 21st 2698 Hylton Racing 48 Buick CLT 1983 Langley Racing 64 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV BRI CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 23rd 2507 Bud Reeder 02 Pontiac RCH DOV 1984 Langley Racing 64 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD 33rd 1426 1986 Langley Racing 64 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD N/A 0

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1970 Walt Valerio Mercury 29 31 1971 Larry Jackson Mercury 20 21 1972 Frank Vasco Mercury 26 11 1973 DNQ 1975 Langley Racing Ford 24 23 1976 DNQ 1977 DNQ 1978 38 25 1979 DNQ 1980 29 20 1981 28 17 1982 42 16 1983 25 27 1984 30 32