ETTRICK, Va. -- NASCAR racing legend Lennie Pond, who born in Central Virginia, died from complications from cancer at VCU Medical Center Wednesday morning.
Pond, who is from from Ettrick, started racing in NASCAR in 1973 and won his first and only race in 1978 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.
Pond finished second at Richmond International Raceway, his home track, four times. Additionally, his final final race was at RIR in 1989.
Ronnie Elder, who went to high school with Pond, helped build his race car and was later part owner in Pond's car, remembered his friend as a folk hero of the day.
“Lennie was a little bit old to get into it. He was in his late 20s, early 30s,” Elder said. “But he was a fair, hardworking, hard driving individual."
Elder said everyone at the track though the world of the legend.
In fact, Elder said he received condolence calls from across the country, including a call from the president of the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
After his racing career ended, Elder said Pond worked at Heritage Chevrolet for two decades.
Pond was 75 years old.
