| Marvin Panch began his career in racing as a car | | | | career back on track. He was soon hired by the |
| owner in California. In 1949 when his driver didn't | | | | Woods Brothers to drive their Ford. "We had a lot of |
| show up for a race, Marvin hopped in the car and | | | | success together", said Panch. |
| drove it to a third place finish. He decided he could do | | | | "We won some races and always finished up good |
| his own driving and got his first big win that same | | | | when we didn't win. It was like having money in the |
| year at Balboa Stadium, a dirt track in San Diego. He | | | | bank." |
| continued his racing in California for the next six | | | | In 1966, due to a rules dispute, Ford Motor Company |
| years. During that time, he won many races and one | | | | again pulled out of NASCAR, leaving Panch without a |
| championship. | | | | ride--but not for long. He soon found himself in |
| In 1953, Marvin decided to try the East Coast racing | | | | another Petty car and won the 1966 Charlotte 600, |
| scene and traveled to Darlington. He finished 28th and | | | | his 17th and last career victory. He retired that |
| his driving skills caught the eye of Lee Petty. He got | | | | October. |
| an invitation to come back the following year to drive | | | | Marvin Panch was inducted into the National |
| a Petty car. This time he finished 3rd. By 1956 Marvin | | | | Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 1987 |
| Panch had won his first Grand National in | | | | and was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest |
| Montgomery, Alabama where he won the pole and | | | | Drivers in 1988. Throughout his career in racing, he |
| dominated the whole 100-mile event. Marvin had been | | | | drove for some of the top car builders such as |
| driving for the Ford factory team but in 1957 Ford | | | | Smokey Yunick, the Woods Brothers, Ray Fox |
| pulled out of racing and Marvin's career took a | | | | Holman-Moody and Petty Enterprises. "I feel that I |
| nose-dive. | | | | cornered the market when it comes to driving for |
| He only competed in 24 races in the next three | | | | some of the best car builders in the business. I rate |
| seasons. In 1961 he was offered a ride in a Pontiac | | | | them all very highly," said Panch. |
| to run the Daytona 500 which he won, putting his | | | | |