Gary Balough (born September 16, 1947) is a retired American

stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...

driver who competed from 1962 to 2001. Balough has won more than 1000 races throughout his short-track career and has accumulated more than 20 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 1st, 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 Ralph Dale Earnhardt (; April 29, 1951February 18, 2001) was an American professional Stock car racing, stock car driver and racing team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Serie ...

and

Jody Ridley Murphy Jody Ridley (born May 19, 1942) is a former NASCAR driver. He won the 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award and one race at Dover International Speedway the next year, the only Cup victory for Donlavey Racing. His career sta ...

to win the race. Bob Rahilly of RahMoc Racing owned and built the cars and engines for both of these races. He 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 A drug is any chemical substance other than a nutrient or an essential dietary ingredient, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation, injection, smoking, ingestion, ...

; 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 Domino's Pizza, Inc., commonly referred to as Domino's, is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain founded in 1960 and led by CEO Russell Weiner. The corporation is Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware-domiciled and headquartered ...

'' 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 Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

. His first racing event after the end of his jail sentence was a 200-lap "All-Pro" race in

Summerville, South Carolina Summerville is a town in the U.S. state of South Carolina situated mostly in Dorchester County, South Carolina, Dorchester County, with small portions in Berkeley County, South Carolina, Berkeley and Charleston County, South Carolina, Charleston ...

where he earned the

pole position In a motorsports race, the pole position is usually the best and "statistically the most advantageous" starting position on the track. The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the ra ...

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 The Snowball Derby presented by Bayou Fox Hooters is a 300-lap late model, super late model stock car racing, stock car race held annually at the Five Flags Speedway, a half-mile paved oval track in Pensacola, Florida, Pensacola, Florida, United ...

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

=Daytona 500

Busch Series

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Balough, Gary 1947 births American drug traffickers American Speed Association drivers Living people NASCAR drivers Racing drivers from Miami Racing drivers from Fort Lauderdale, Florida Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame