Frank Mundy

Frank "Rebel" Mundy
Official headshot of Frank Mundy (1950s)
Born Francisco Eduardo Menendez
(1918-06-18)June 18, 1918
Atlanta, Georgia
Died May 15, 2009(2009-05-15) (aged 90)
Cause of death Complications of a fall[1]
Achievements 1955 AAA Stock Car national champion
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career
52 races run over 5 years
Best finish 5th - 1951 Grand National season
First race 1949 Race No. 1 (Charlotte)
Last race 1956 Old Dominion 400 (Martinsville Speedway)
First win 1951 untitled race (Columbia Speedway)
Last win 1951 untitled race (Lakeview Speedway)
Wins Top tens Poles
3 24 4

Frank "Rebel" Mundy (born June 18, 1918 in Atlanta, Georgia as Francisco Eduardo Menendez – died May 15, 2009)[2] 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.[3] He also raced in NASCAR's Grand National (now Monster Energy 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

NASCAR

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.[2] Mundy would race 3,583 laps in his career – the equivalent of 3,184.6 miles (5,125.1 km).[2] Out of the 3583 laps that he completed in his career, Mundy would only lead 458 (12%) of them.[2] His career spanned from 1949 to 1956.[2]

One of his accomplishments was winning the 1955 running of the Southern Illinois 100.[3] 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. As a personal driver for General George S. Patton during World War II, Mundy would gain valuable driving experience for NASCAR.[3]

AAA/USAC Stock Cars

Mundy also competed in American Automobile Association (AAA) and USAC Stock Car races. He won the 1955 AAA national stock car championship.[4] Studebaker and Oldsmobile were Frank Mundy's preferred manufacturers for NASCAR rides.

After his racing career ended, Mundy worked for Penske Racing as a pit crew member. [5]

His widow Mae Mundy would survive him after his death in 2009.[3]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 NGNC Pts Ref
1949 Rice Racing 4 Cadillac CLT
30		 10th 370 [6]
5 Olds DAB
3		 HBO
44 Cadillac LAN
4		 HAM MAR HEI
2 Ford NWS
22
1950 Buddy Elliott 44 Cadillac DAB
37		 23rd 275.5 [7]
Olds CLT
11		 CLT
8		 HBO DSP HAM
7		 DAR
90 Lincoln LAN
6		 MAR CAN VER
Nash Motor Co. 37 Nash DSP
25		 MCF
44 Olds LAN
32		 NWS
Nash Motor Co. Nash VER
22		 MAR WIN HBO
1951 Perry Smith 23 Studebaker DAB CLT
34		 NMO HBO
2		 ASF NWS
28		 MAR
2		 CAN
7		 CLS
8		 CLB
1*		 DSP
23		 GAR GRS
7		 BAI
3		 HEI
30		 AWS
4		 MCF
23		 ALS MSF
50		 FMS
33		 MOR
23		 ABS
13		 DAR
82		 CLB
17		 CCS LAN CLT
26		 DSP WIL HBO TPN
21		 PGS JSP
5		 ATL
4		 GAR NMO
1*		 5th 1963.5 [8]
Chevy GAR
11
Ted Chester 7 Olds MAR
1*		 OAK NWS HMS
1952 PBS
6		 DAB JSP NWS MAR CLB ATL LAN
30		 DAR
10		 DSP CAN HAY FMS HBO CLT 209th 0 [9]
Plymouth CCS
15
Walt Chapman 121 Hudson MSF
11		 NIF OSW MON MOR PPS MCF AWS DAR CCS LAN DSP WIL HBO MAR NWS ATL PBS
1956 Carl Kiekhaefer 30 Chrysler HCY CLT WSS PBS ASF
2		 24th 1856 [10]
300B DAB
43		 PBS WIL ATL
16		 NWS LAN RCH CLB CON GPS HCY HBO MAR LIN CLT POR EUR NYF MER MAS CLT MCF POR
500B Dodge AWS
6		 CHI
5		 CCF MGY OKL
502 RSP
3		 PIF CSF
300 Chrysler ROA
14		 OBS SAN NOR PIF MYB POR
27 Dodge DAR
38		 CSH CLT LAN POR CLB HBO NWP CLT CCF
50 MAR
9		 HCY WIL

Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1954 41DNQN/A11N/A00Did Not Qualify
Totals00
Starts 0
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 0
Top 10 0
Retired 0

References

  1. ↑ "Full Throttle Cranial Cavity - death_cause". Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Racing Reference". Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Legends of NASCAR". Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  4. ↑ Romano, Chris (December 24, 2009). "For Auld Lang Syne, 2009". Speed Style magazine. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  5. ↑ http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Frank_Mundy
  6. ↑ "Frank Mundy – 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Frank Mundy – 1950 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Frank Mundy – 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Frank Mundy – 1952 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Frank Mundy – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
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