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Remembering Ettrick’s Lennie Pond

Posted at 4:50 PM, Sep 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-09 16:50:39-04

(WTVR) - Dozens of family members and friends of former NASCAR Cup series driver Lennie Pond gathered in his old garage in the tri-cities to remember the life and career of one of the pioneers of the sport.

Pond was an Ettrick native and the 1973 Winston Cup series rookie of the year. He won only one race at that level, Talladega in 1978, but drove in all or parts of 17 different seasons at NASCAR's highest level.

Ronnie Elder and Lennie's brother Wright put together the event on the fall racing weekend at Richmond International Raceway to remember Pond and a different time in the sport. Elder co-owned the car that Pond drove for many of those years.

Pond won 5 poles in his career and had 88 top ten finishes. He finished in the top ten in series points twice. Those that came to his shop remember a sport that was very different from the one fans watch today.

"The cars are so much faster now" Elder said. "The fans aren't in the stands as much, part of that is because they don't get the youth involved as much as they used to. "