# Ernie Gahan

Ernest "Ernie" Gahan (October 12, 1926 – November 27, 2009) was an American stock car racing driver. He spent the majority of his career racing in the Modified division, and won the 1966 NASCAR Modified Championship.

## Racing career

Ernie Gahan started racing in 1947 at the Dover Speedway, NH, and regularly competed at the renowned tracks of the northeast including Cheshire Fairgrounds NH, Fonda Speedway NY, Stafford Motor Speedway CT, and Utica-Rome Speedway NY. He made eleven appearances in the NASCAR Grand National Series between 1960 and 1966 with a best finish of 6th at the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds, SC.
Gahan was inducted into the New England Auto Racers, the New York State Stock Car Association, and the Northeast Dirt Modified Halls of Fame.

## Carnegie Hero

Ernie Gahan along with four others rescued Marvin Panch from a burning race car at the Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 1963, and each received the prestigious Carnegie Medal for their heroism. That same year, Gahan pulled fellow racer Bill Wimble from a burning wreck during a race in Syracuse, New York.

## 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 | NGNC | Pts |
| 1960 | Ernie Gahan | 55 | Chevy | CLT | CLB | DAY | DAY | DAY | CLT | NWS | PHO | CLB | MAR 15 | HCY | WIL | BGS | GPS | AWS | DAR | PIF | HBO | RCH | HMS | CLT 13 | BGS | DAY | HEI | MAB | MBS | ATL | BIR | NSV | AWS | PIF | CLB | SBO | BGS | DAR | HCY | CSF | GSP | HBO | MAR | NWS | CLT | RCH | ATL | | | | | | | | | | 46th | 2080 |
| 1961 | John Koszela | 55 | Chevy | CLT | JSP | DAY 23 | DAY | DAY 57 | PIF 6 | AWS | HMS | ATL | GPS | HBO | BGS | MAR 16 | NWS | CLB | HCY | RCH | MAR | DAR | CLT | CLT | RSD | ASP | CLT | PIF | BIR | GPS | BGS | NOR 11 | HAS | STR | DAY | ATL | CLB | MBS | BRI | NSV | BGS | AWS | RCH | SBO | DAR | HCY | RCH | CSF | ATL | MAR | NWS | CLT | BRI | GPS | HBO | | 88th | 810 |
| 1962 | Rocky Hinton | 84 | Ford | CON | AWS | DAY 9 | DAY | DAY 12 | CON | AWS | SVH | HBO | RCH 19 | CLB | NWS | GPS | MBS | MAR | BGS | BRI | RCH | HCY | CON | DAR | PIF | CLT | ATL | BGS | AUG | RCH | SBO | DAY | CLB | ASH | GPS | AUG | SVH | MBS | BRI | CHT | NSV | HUN | AWS | STR | BGS | PIF | VAL | DAR | HCY | RCH | DTS | AUG | MAR | NWS | CLT | ATL | 45th | 2092 |
| 1966 | Joan Petre | 73 | Ford | AUG | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | CAR | BRI | ATL | HCY | CLB | GPS | BGS | NWS | MAR | DAR | LGY | MGR | MON | RCH | CLT | DTS | ASH | PIF | SMR | AWS | BLV | GPS | DAY | ODS | BRR | OXF 19 | FON | ISP | BRI | SMR | NSV | ATL | CLB | AWS | BLV | BGS | DAR | HCY | RCH | HBO | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | | | | | 111th | 112 |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 1961 | John Koszela | Chevrolet | 52 | 57 |
| 1962 | Rocky Hinton | Ford | 16 | 12 |