NASCAR: Lennie Pond dies at 75

Lennie Pond, image courtesy of Talladega SuperSpeedway

Former NASCAR racer Lennie Pond has died of complications of cancer, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. He was 75.

Virginia native Pond won the NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year title in 1973, edging Darrell Waltrip for the honor. Although a consistent finisher, he scored just one victory in NASCAR's top league, at Talladega in August of 1978, while driving for Ronnie Elder and Harry Ranier. In that race, Pond beat Donnie Allison by two car lengths when Allison’s windshield was hit by debris from a blown tire from Bill Elliott’s car on the last lap.

In all, Pond made 234 starts, claiming 39 top-five finishes, 88 top-10s, five poles, and a best championship finish of fifth in 1976.