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Bobby Wawak
Wawak's No. 74 at Pocono Raceway in 1985
BornRobert Laurence Wawak
(1939-09-04)September 4, 1939
Villa Park, Illinois
DiedApril 17, 2004(2004-04-17) (aged 64)
NASCAR Cup Series career
141 races run over 17 years
Best finish22nd ( 1976)
First race 1965 Southern 500 ( Darlington)
Last race 1987 AC Delco 500 ( Rockingham)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 14 0
Statistics current as of December 17, 2012.

Robert Laurence Wawak [1] (September 4, 1939 – April 17, 2004) was an American NASCAR driver from Villa Park, Illinois. He made 141 Grand National/ Winston Cup Series starts, with fourteen top-10 finishes. [2]

Racing career

Local racing

He began drag racing as a teenager. He raced in his first stock car race at around 1958 at Mance Park Speedway in Hodgkins, Illinois. [3] He raced regularly at the O'Hare Stadium in Schiller Park, Illinois. He competed in both the cadet (sportsman) and late model divisions. [3]

In 1974 he was the late model stock car champion at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Indiana. He competed at the track in 1973 and 1974, winning 14 features at that half mile asphalt track in his 1971 Ford Torino. He won 21 total races (including preliminary events) in 1974. [3]

National touring series

USAC

Wawak competed on the USAC stock car circuit in 1965. He made six races with a sixth-place finish in one event during his rookie season. He finished 18th in the final USAC standings that year. Wawak did not return to USAC racing until 1969 and would compete on a limited basis into the early 1970s. [3]

NASCAR

Wawak made occasional NASCAR starts before 1976, except for making 14 NASCAR starts in 1967. His first start was in the 1965 Southern 500 at Darlington Speedway. [3] He started 27th, and finished 36th with engine problems. [3]

His most successful year was 1976, when he finished 22nd in the points. [2] His highest career finish was a sixth-place finish in the final race of the season at Ontario.

The fuel line on his car came loose on the third lap of the 1977 Daytona 500, and the fire came into the car's cockpit. Wawak jumped from the car while it was still moving (and slammed into the inside wall moments later), held up his burnt hands, and ran to the infield care center. [3] "It was like sitting in front of a blow torch," Wawak said later. [3] He made six more starts that year.

He continued racing in NASCAR, and made 96 more NASCAR starts. His career ended when he crashed in the first qualifier for the 1988 Daytona 500, Wawak suffering a fractured vertebra and detached retinas. [3] Randy LaJoie raced in one race in his car in 1988, and Mike Potter raced three races in 1990.

After his NASCAR career ended, he helped Hendrick Motorsports with their show cars. [3]

In media

He appeared in NASCAR Thunder 2004 as an unlockable driver in a car numbered 36.

Death

At age 64, Wawak died on April 17, 2004. [3] He was survived by his wife Stevi, daughters, Jaclin Wawak and Robin Wawak Pemberton and grandchildren, Lauri Trotter and River Pemberton, in addition to two brothers, Allen Wawak and Richard Wawak; three sisters, Carole Tarvash, Joyce Annanie, and Marilyn Zmich.

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 NGNC Pts Ref
1965 Wawak Racing 4 Mercury RSD DAY DAY DAY 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
36 		HCY LIN ODS RCH MAR NWS CLT HBO CAR DTS 117th 116 [4]
1967 Wawak Racing 92 Plymouth AUG RSD DAY DAY DAY AWS BRI GPS BGS ATL CLB HCY NWS MAR SVH RCH DAR BLV LGY CLT
13 		ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR
25 		GPS MGY DAY
24 		OXF
10 		FDA
27 		ISP
22 		BRI ATL
10 		BGS CLB SVH DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR
31 		NWS
30 		CLT
7 		CAR
43 		AWS 31st 9078 [5]
Dodge TRN
17 		SMR
23 		NSV
21
1968 77 Plymouth MGR MGY RSD
DNQ 		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 NA - [6]
1969 73 Dodge MGR MGY RSD DAY DAY DAY CAR AUG BRI ATL CLB HCY GPS RCH NWS MAR AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT MGR SMR MCH
31 		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 80th 60 [7]
1971 Wawak Racing 75 Dodge RSD DAY DAY DAY ONT
20 		RCH CAR
19 		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 MCH TAL
DNQ 		CLB HCY DAR MAR CLT DOV CAR MGR RCH NWS TWS 76th 93 [8]

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 NWCC Pts Ref
1976 Gwinn-Wawak 36 Chevy RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL
DNQ 		NWS DAR MAR TAL
29 		NSV DOV
26 		MCH
26 		DAY
14 		NSV
10 		POC
14 		TAL
24 		MCH
10 		BRI
9 		DAR
10 		RCH
10 		DOV
22 		MAR
25 		NWS
8 		CLT
10 		CAR
33 		ATL
10 		ONT
6 		22nd 2062 [9]
26 CLT
26 		RSD
1977 36 RSD
18 		DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR ATL NWS DAR BRI MAR
30 		TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD 45th 522 [10]
32 DAY
42
Wawak Racing 74 Chevy MCH
18 		DAY NSV POC TAL MCH
15 		BRI CAR
11 		ATL
29 		ONT
Gray Racing 19 Chevy DAR
22 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
1978 Wawak Racing 74 Chevy RSD DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR ATL BRI
29 		DAR NWS MAR
12 		TAL DOV
28 		CLT
DNQ 		NSV
13 		RSD MCH DAY NSV BRI
28 		DAR
37 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT ONT
DNQ 		38th 680 [11]
Greg Heller 85 Ford POC
34 		TAL MCH
Richard Childress Racing 31 Chevy CAR
27 		ATL
1979 Wawak Racing 74 Olds RSD DAY
21 		CAR RCH ATL NWS 46th 376 [12]
Chevy BRI
29 		DAR
28 		MAR TAL NSV
14 		DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL ONT
1980 RSD DAY RCH
10 		CAR
17 		ATL BRI
31 		DAR
13 		NWS
16 		MAR
31 		NSV
18 		DOV
29 		RCH
27 		DOV NWS
11 		MAR CLT CAR ATL ONT 25th 1742 [13]
Dodge TAL
30
Buick CLT
25 		TWS
24 		RSD
22 		MCH
29 		DAY NSV
23 		POC TAL
24 		MCH
33 		BRI DAR
39
1981 94 RSD DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR
14 		NWS
30 		DAR
24 		MAR
19 		TAL
10 		NSV
18 		DOV CLT
31 		TWS
26 		RSD MCH
33 		DAY NSV POC TAL
19 		MCH
31 		BRI DAR
24 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
36 		CAR ATL
DNQ 		RSD 31st 1212 [14]
Pontiac ATL
42 		BRI
1982 Buick DAY
32 		RCH BRI
DNQ 		ATL CAR
28 		CLT
20 		POC
14 		RSD MCH DAY NSV POC
19 		TAL
26 		MCH BRI CLT
DNQ 		MAR CAR
13 		31st 1002 [15]
Chevy DAR
21 		NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV DAR
21 		RCH DOV NWS ATL
17 		RSD
1983 Buick DAY
DNQ 		36th 825 [16]
74 RCH
DNQ 		CAR
16 		ATL
18 		DAR
16 		NWS
DNQ 		MAR TAL
DNQ 		NSV DOV BRI MCH
37 		POC
27 		MCH
DNQ 		BRI
DNQ
Chevy CLT
18 		RSD POC DAY
27 		NSV TAL
34 		DAR
21 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
1984 DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD 47th 307 [17]
Jimmy Means Racing 52 Pontiac POC
28
Wawak Racing 74 Buick MCH
DNQ 		DAY NSV POC
32 		TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT
22 		NWS CAR
28 		ATL RSD
1985 Chevy DAY
13 		RCH ATL
DNQ 		BRI DAR
34 		NWS MAR TAL
32 		DOV CLT RSD POC
23 		DAY
37 		32nd 1226 [18]
Buick CAR
27 		MCH
27 		POC
25 		MCH
27 		BRI
DNQ 		DAR RCH DOV
17 		MAR
16 		NWS
20 		CLT CAR
34 		ATL RSD
Gray Racing 54 Chevy TAL
21
1986 Wawak Racing 74 Chevy DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR
38 		ATL
23 		BRI CLT
DNQ 		RSD POC MCH
24 		DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV
33 		MAR NWS CLT
DNQ 		CAR
29 		ATL RSD 43rd 480 [19]
Buick DAR
19 		NWS MAR TAL DOV
1987 Chevy DAY
DNQ 		CAR
27 		RCH
32 		ATL
DNQ 		CLT
19 		DOV POC
24 		RSD MCH
DNQ 		DAY
DNQ 		POC TAL GLN MCH
32 		BRI DAR
23 		RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
DNQ 		CAR
36 		RSD ATL 39th 638 [20]
77 DAR
29 		NWS BRI MAR TAL
1988 57 DAY
DNQ 		RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL NA - [21]
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1977 Gwinn-Wawak Chevrolet DNQ
17 42
1978 Wawak Racing Chevrolet DNQ
1979 Olds 30 21
1981 Wawak Racing Buick DNQ
1982 28 32
1983 DNQ
1984 Chevrolet DNQ
1985 26 13
1986 DNQ
1987 DNQ
1988 DNQ

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series

( key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Permatex SuperCar 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 APSC Pts Ref
1981 94 Olds DAY
16 		DSP FRS FRS BFS TAL FRS COR NA 0 [22]
1983 Wawak Racing 74 Buick DAY NSV TAL
17 		LPR LPR ISF IRP SSP FRS BFS WIN LPR POC TAL MCS FRS MIL DSF ZAN SND NA 0 [23]
1986 Churchill Motorsports 11 Chevy ATL DAY ATL TAL SIR SSP FRS KIL CSP TAL BLN ISF DSF TOL MCS ATL
22 		119th - [24]
1987 Wawak Racing 77 Chevy DAY ATL TAL
4 		DEL ACS TOL ROC POC FRS KIL 60th - [25]
74 TAL
29 		FRS ISF INF DSF SLM
Bryan Waters 77 Chevy ATL
3
1988 Wawak Racing 74 Chevy DAY
22 		ATL TAL
DNQ 		FRS PCS ROC POC WIN KIL ACS SLM POC TAL DEL FRS ISF DSF SLM ATL 132nd - [26]

References

  1. ^ "Robert Wawak Obituary (2004) - Midland, NC". Legacy. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Driver's statistics at racing-reference, Retrieved September 13, 2007
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Bobby Wawak" Archived July 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine; Stan Kalwasinski; ChicagolandAutoRacing.com; Retrieved September 13, 2007
  4. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  5. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  6. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  7. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  8. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  9. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  10. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  11. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  12. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  13. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  14. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  15. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  16. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  17. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  18. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1985 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  19. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  20. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  21. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  22. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1981 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  23. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1983 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  24. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1986 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  25. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1987 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  26. ^ "Bobby Wawak – 1988 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
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