Greatest American Heroes
Former Champions And WWII Veterans Gahan And Byron To Be Honored
For those individuals who bravely served their country during World War II and went on to propel America into a booming post-war era, Tom Brokaw famously coined the term ‘The Greatest Generation.’ This weekend NASCAR will honor a pair of Modified champions who served nobly before their names were ever etched in the racing history books.
As part of a season-long celebration of 60 years of Modified champions, NASCAR will honor legends Red Byron and Ernie Gahan at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, Conn., this Sunday prior to the Tech-Net Spring Sizzler. But before the pair had achieved anything of note on a racetrack, they had already accomplished so much wearing the Stars and Stripes.
A racer from the age of 17, the Alabama native Byron excelled early in his career at Talladega. But when war broke out, Byron answered the call and found himself flying in a B-24 in the United States Army Air Force. Byron’s extensive service saw him fly 57 missions before his plane was shot down over the Aleutian Islands during his 58th run. Byron suffered extensive damage to his left leg from flack, an injury initially thought to put an end to his racing career. Following an arduous 27 months in military hospitals during which he went through numerous operations on his leg, Byron was eventually able to return to the driver’s seat with his leg in a stirrup that was bolted to the clutch.
In his first competitive event following the war, Byron took the checkered flag in a stock car race in Orlando, Fla. Byron went on to become the ultimate racing pioneer. He won the first NASCAR-sanctioned race on the beach-road course in Dayton on Feb. 15, 1948 and later that year captured the first NASCAR championship in the Modified Division. A year later Byron captured the first NASCAR Strictly Stock (now know as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) title.
Although his racing career can be quantified in wins and championships, the impact he made during his many missions in World War II should never be forgotten.
Though his path in life is somewhat different than Byron’s, Gahan earned the right to be labeled a member of America’s greatest generation as well. Fourteen years Byron’s junior, New Hampshire native Gahan volunteered for the U.S. Army after he turned 18 and served in Europe from 1945-47. Gahan was involved in military operations at the tail end of the war and served with the occupational forces for the remainder of his deployment, helping to establish peace in the devastated region.
Upon returning to the United States, Gahan picked up racing as a hobby and turned it into a way of life that lasted nearly three decades. Running throughout the eastern seaboard, Gahan would go on to compile more than 300 feature wins and the 1966 NASCAR Modified championship.
Gahan’s exploits in a race car no doubt thrilled thousands of fans throughout the years, but his effort toward stabilizing and improving war-torn communities in France and Germany during the years immediately following history’s greatest conflict deserves equal applause.
A legend at Stafford where he dominated in the 1960s, Gahan will be in attendance on Sunday to participate in the pre-race ceremonies while the late Byron will be honored in memoriam.
Souces: Jason Cunningham/NASCAR WMT PR