DANNY WEINBERG - 4/10/1928 - 8/31/1988
Riverside crash 1963
Weinberg was from Downey, CA. Danny had a short NASCAR career, as he only made 17 starts. His first start would come in 1951; a year in which he made six starts. The most of any year he raced. His first career start came at Gardena where he qualified fourth, but would crash and finish 19th. He next raced at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix. He started eleventh, and had his first top ten finish as he drove his Hudson to a sixth place finish. His next start would again come at Gardena. After starting sixth; he would fall out with over heating issues and end up in 18th spot. The race would be won by Lou Figaro, the only one of his career. At Oakland, he'd finish 19th, before he made a start at Marchbanks Speedway in
Hanford CA. At this event he'd run well in his 1951 Studebaker. Herb Thomas would lead the first 34 laps before he was involved in a crash and finish 28th. Fonty Flock would lead 40 laps from that point; but he too would fall out, and end up in 24th spot. From that point Weinberg would assume the lead for the final 126 laps, to take his first and only Cup win. Marvin Panch would finish second and Bill Norton third. His final start of 1951 came once again at Gardena. He started second and would finish in the only race won by Bill Norton. Weinberg did not race in the Cup series again until 1958, when made one start. It would happen in September, at the California State Fairgrounds at Sacramento. He started eighth, and ran well finishing third to winner Parnelli Jones. Danny only made one start in 1959, and again it would come at Sacramento. He again would finish third, this time behind winner Eddie Gray. 1960 saw Weinberg start three races. He was 11th at Phoenix, and finished 28th at Marchbanks Speedway. His best run came at Sacramento. Danny started seventh, and again run well on the fast one-mile dirt track. But his car stated having over heating issues near the end of the race. Finally with just five laps to go, Weinberg's car couldn't take any more, and he fell out of the race and finished fifth. In 1961, Danny would run four Cup events. He crashed to open his year at Hanford, and finished 23rd. But his other three starts all produced good finishes. He finished sixth at Riverside, a race won by Lloyd Dane. He won the pole at Los Angeles and finished third. He also finished third at Sacramento. He made one start in 1963, coming at Riverside. He would crash out after only 27 laps and end up in 42nd spot. His final start came at Riverside in 1964. He took the green from 28th spot, and finished in 41st spot. The race saw very high attrition, as of the 44 cars that started, only 21 would finish. In his short yet stellar career, Weinberg made 17 starts, had one win, seven top five, and nine top ten finishes. He passed away at the age of 58, from a hospital infection received, when he finally gave in to back pain he had endured for years. The operation was meant to correct an injury he suffered from his racing days. In the end, his racing cost him his life, while rewarding him with an atrocious drawn-out death. He died on August 31, 1988.
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