Tiny Lund

Dewayne Louis (Tiny) Lund’s auto racing career began in 1955. That was after he outgrew motorcycles and after he fought in the Korean War. A journeyman racer in the late 50’s Lund developed solid reputation as a driver but was unable to break into NASCAR’s big time. He got a big break in February, 1963 when he served as a substitute for his friend Marvin Panch, whose life he saved that month in the Daytona Continental sports car race. Panch persuaded his car owner Glen Wood to let Lund substitute for him in the Daytona 500 and Lund rewarded their faith by winning.

In 1968, Lund drove part-time for legendary car owner Bud Moore on the Grand National circuit, but was a full-time campaigner for Moore in Bill France’s new Grand American division. Lund won the inaugural Grand American championship and would repeat the feat in 1970 and ’71. Dotted in between those three championships were five Grand National victories and two Daytona Permatex 300 Sportsman Series victories.

For his heroic life-saving act of saving Marvin Panch’s life at Daytona, Lund was awarded the prestigeous Carnegie Medal of Honor. Lund was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1994 and named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.