American racing driver (1918?2009)
Frank "Rebel" Mundy
(June 18, 1918 in
Atlanta, Georgia
, as
Francisco Eduardo Menendez
? May 15, 2009)
[1]
was an American stock car racer. He competed in the
American Automobile Association
(AAA) stock cars, winning the 1955 national championship, before the
series
changed to
United States Auto Club
(USAC) sanction.
[2]
He also raced in
NASCAR
's Grand National (now
NASCAR Cup Series
) and won three races under that sanction.
Mundy attempted to qualify for the
1954 Indianapolis 500
but did not make the field.
Career
[
edit
]
Before starting a racing career, Mundy was a
daredevil
who performed at the
1939 New York World's Fair
.
[3]
During
World War II
, he served as a personal driver for
General George S. Patton
, where he would gain valuable driving experience for NASCAR.
[2]
NASCAR
[
edit
]
In 1948, he moved to
Daytona Beach, Florida
to pursue a career in
motorcycle racing
. While at a gas station owned by
Bill France Sr.
, he befriended France and was later invited to a 1947 meeting at the
Streamline Hotel
to form NASCAR; Mundy helped hold the
flash
for the photographer while taking a group photo.
[3]
Mundy started at the pole position only to find himself finishing the race in 82nd place at the
1951 running
of the
Southern 500
. His career average start would eventually become 11th while his career average finish would become 17th place.
[1]
Mundy would race 3,583 laps in his career ? the equivalent of 3,184.6 miles (5,125.1 km).
[1]
Out of the 3583 laps that he completed in his career, Mundy would only lead 458 (12%) of them.
[1]
His career spanned
1949
to
1956
.
[1]
One of his accomplishments was winning the 1955 running of the
Southern Illinois 100
.
[2]
Frequently seen in rides owned by
Carl Kiekhaefer
, Mundy's seven-year career would involve him racing in classic races like the
1956 Southern 500
where he finished in 38th place out of 70 competitors. He would also be seen racing at
Lakeview Speedway
in
Mobile
,
Alabama
.
AAA/USAC Stock Cars
[
edit
]
In 1952, Mundy began racing in
American Automobile Association
(AAA) and
USAC Stock Car
after disassociating with NASCAR following an argument with France; he did not return to NASCAR until 1955.
[4]
[5]
He won the 1955 AAA national stock car championship.
[6]
Studebaker
and
Oldsmobile
were Mundy's preferred manufacturers for NASCAR rides.
Personal life
[
edit
]
Mundy was born Francisco Eduardo Menendez in Atlanta, where he grew up in an orphanage; he adopted the Frank Mundy name when he began racing.
[4]
After his racing career ended, Mundy worked for
Penske Racing
as a pit crew member.
[7]
[8]
His widow Mae Mundy would survive him after his death in 2009.
[2]
Motorsports career results
[
edit
]
NASCAR
[
edit
]
(
key
) (
Bold
? Pole position awarded by qualifying time.
Italics
? Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * ? Most laps led.
)
Grand National Series
[
edit
]
Indy 500 results
[
edit
]
Year
|
Car
|
Start
|
Qual
|
Rank
|
Finish
|
Laps
|
Led
|
Retired
|
1954
|
41
|
DNQ
|
N/A
|
11
|
N/A
|
0
|
0
|
Did not qualify
|
Totals
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Starts
|
0
|
Poles
|
0
|
Front Row
|
0
|
Wins
|
0
|
Top 5
|
0
|
Top 10
|
0
|
Retired
|
0
|
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
"Racing Reference"
. Retrieved
26 March
2010
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Legends of NASCAR"
. Retrieved
26 March
2010
.
- ^
a
b
Spencer, Reid (September 30, 2015).
"NASCAR Celebrates Latino Contributions"
.
WPTZ
.
Chip Ganassi Racing
. Retrieved
January 17,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
Badie, Rick (May 17, 2009).
"Frank Mundy, NASCAR pioneer, dies at 90"
.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
. Retrieved
January 17,
2020
.
- ^
"Frank Mundy Joins Field For 150-Miler"
.
The Arizona Republic
. January 18, 1956
. Retrieved
January 17,
2020
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
Romano, Chris (December 24, 2009).
"For Auld Lang Syne, 2009"
. Speed Style magazine. Archived from
the original
on 29 November 2010
. Retrieved
26 March
2010
.
- ^
"Frank Mundy"
.
- ^
"Penske Profile - Tim Lombardi"
.
Team Penske
. April 10, 2015
. Retrieved
January 17,
2020
.
- ^
"Frank Mundy ? 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Results"
.
Racing-Reference
. Retrieved
July 15,
2016
.
- ^
"Frank Mundy ? 1950 NASCAR Grand National Results"
.
Racing-Reference
. Retrieved
August 6,
2017
.
- ^
"Frank Mundy ? 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results"
.
Racing-Reference
. Retrieved
October 26,
2017
.
- ^
"Frank Mundy ? 1952 NASCAR Grand National Results"
.
Racing-Reference
. Retrieved
October 26,
2017
.
- ^
"Frank Mundy ? 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results"
.
Racing-Reference
. Retrieved
October 26,
2017
.