Bay Darnell

{{Short description|American stock car and open-wheel racing driver (1931–2023)}} {{Infobox NASCAR driver |name = Bay Darnell |image = |caption = |birth_name = Wilbur Darnell |birth_date = {{birth date|1931|02|04}} |birth_place = Lake Bluff, Illinois, U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age|2023|02|28|1931|02|04}} |death_place = Waukegan, Illinois, U.S. |achievements = |awards = |Total_Cup_Races = 3 |Years_In_Cup = 3 |Cup_Car_Team = |Prev_Cup_Pos = |Previous_Year = |Best_Cup_Pos = 118th (1967) |First_Cup_Race = 1954 Willow Springs 200 (Willow Springs) |Last_Cup_Race = 1967 Atlanta 500 (Atlanta) |First_Cup_Win = |Last_Cup_Win = |Cup_Wins = 0 |Cup_Top_Tens = 0 |Cup_Poles = 0 |module = {{Infobox racing driver|embed=yes | last_series = USAC Stock Car | years_active = 1962–1983 | starts = 249 | wins = 4 | poles = | best_finish = 2nd | year = 1979 | prev_series = ARCA Series USAC Indy Car ASA National Tour | prev_series_years = 1964, 1982–83 1965–1968 1981–1983 }} }}

'''Wilbur Darnell''' (February 4, 1931 – February 28, 2023) was an American racing driver from Lake Bluff, Illinois.<ref name=RacingReferenceStats /> He raced mainly in USAC Stock Cars, but he did have a few Indy Car and NASCAR Grand National Series starts. His grandson Erik Darnell is a current NASCAR driver.

==Racing career== ===Early career=== Darnell began racing Modifieds on the dirt tracks in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, especially Waukegan Speedway.<ref>{{cite web |title=Russ Lake Photographs page #1 |url=http://www.kalracing.com/Autoracing/russ_lake_photographs.htm |publisher=Chicagoland Auto Racing |accessdate=5 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104113110/http://www.kalracing.com/Autoracing/russ_lake_photographs.htm |archivedate=4 January 2013 }}</ref>

===USAC Stock Car=== Darnell began racing in USAC Stock Car in 1962.<ref name=UltimateRacingHistory>{{cite web|title=USAC Stock Car Results|url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=75|publisher=Ultimate Racing History|accessdate=5 February 2012}}</ref> He became the second driver to land in Lake Lloyd at the Daytona International Speedway during a rare appearance in an ARCA stock car.<ref name="Gadsden Times">{{cite news |title=Swaim wins Florida 200 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19940219&id=a7wfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GtgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1121,2000332 |newspaper=The Gadsden Times / Associated Press |date=February 19, 1994 |accessdate=13 February 2012}}</ref> He went into the infield lake during a February 8, 1964 qualifying race for the ARCA 250.<ref name="Gadsden Times" />

Darnell finished third in the season points in 1973, his first time in the top three.<ref name=UltimateRacingHistorySeasonPoints>{{cite web|title=The USAC Stock Car Series|url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/usacstock.htm|publisher=Ultimate Racing History|accessdate=5 February 2012}}</ref> In 1974, Darnell had his first USAC win at the Indiana State Fairgrounds after racing for 13 seasons.<ref name="Midwest Racing Archives">{{cite web|title=1974 - Darnell upstages USAC vets for Century win|url=http://www.midwestracingarchives.com/2011/08/1974-darnell-upstages-usac-vets-for.html|publisher=Midwest Racing Archives|accessdate=5 February 2012}}</ref> He led the final five laps at the one mile dirt oval.<ref name="Midwest Racing Archives" /> Darnell was forced to race his asphalt car after his dirt car was wrecked during the previous week's race at the Springfield Mile.<ref name="Midwest Racing Archives" /> Darnell drove with a broken shoulder from the earlier incident.<ref name="Midwest Racing Archives" /> Darnell's second USAC victory happened on the clay at the 100-mile race at DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack on August 28, 1976.<ref name=UltimateRacingHistory /> His third USAC stock car win happened on June 5 in the following year at Texas World Speedway. After starting tenth, he won on the two-mile asphalt superspeedway.<ref name=UltimateRacingHistory /> He took the lead on lap 148 of 250.<ref name="StPetersburg" />

In the middle of the 1978 season, Darnell finished fifth at Springfield.<ref name="Milwaukee Sentinel" /> The following week he was ruled to have jumped the final restart prematurely at DuQuoin and he was awarded a second-place finish instead of the win.<ref name="Milwaukee Sentinel" /> In an interview with the ''Milwaukee Sentinel'', Darnell talked about how he felt that he could win the championship that year. After having mechanical difficulties in the August 17th race at the Milwaukee Mile caused him to lose hundreds of points in the third last race of the season, he said, "If I hadn't fallen out of the Milwaukee 150, I'd be ahead (in points) right now."<ref name="Milwaukee Sentinel">{{cite news |title=Bay Darnell's Stock Rises at Young 47 |author=Rel Bochat |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19780908&id=5oBRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_xEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4061,1348615 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |date=September 8, 1978 |accessdate=13 February 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Darnell finished third in points that season.<ref name=UltimateRacingHistorySeasonPoints /> The following year he earned his career-best second points finish, one position better than Rusty Wallace.<ref name=UltimateRacingHistorySeasonPoints /> He dropped to third in the 1980 season points and tied his career-best second-place points finish in 1982. He earned his final USAC victory on August 15 of that year on the dirt at the Springfield Mile.<ref name=UltimateRacingHistory /> He raced his final USAC race in the middle of 1983<ref name=UltimateRacingHistory /> and the series folded after running only two events in 1984.

===NASCAR=== Darnell made three NASCAR Grand National Series starts in his career.<ref name=RacingReferenceStats>{{cite web|title=Bay Darnell NASCAR and USAC IndyCar Results|url=http://racing-reference.info/driver/Bay_Darnell|publisher=Racing Reference|accessdate=4 February 2012}}</ref> In 1954, he started 17th at the only NASCAR race Santa Fe Speedway in Willow Springs, Illinois. His car overheated and he retired at the 18th lap of the race finishing last in the 23 car field.<ref>{{cite web|title=1954 NASCAR results|url=http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/darneba01/1954/W|publisher=Racing Reference|accessdate=4 February 2012}}</ref> He made his second start in 1964, starting 23rd for Holman Moody at Atlanta International Raceway. In a race of high attrition, he completed 205 of 334 laps before ending with push rod failure to finish 13th in the 39-car field.<ref>{{cite web|title=1964 NASCAR Grand National results|url=http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/darneba01/1964/W|publisher=Racing Reference|accessdate=4 February 2012}}</ref> His final NASCAR start was in 1967 when he raced in his own car at Atlanta. He started 39th and finished 32nd in the 44-car field.<ref>{{cite web|title=1967 NASCAR Results|url=http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/darneba01/1967/W|publisher=Racing Reference|accessdate=4 February 2012}}</ref>

===Indy Car=== Darnell raced in three Indy Car races.<ref name=RacingReferenceStats /> His first champ car start was at the DuQuoin in 1965.<ref name=RacingReferenceStats /> He finished ninth in the 18-car field.<ref name=RacingReferenceStats /> Darnell returned for this final two Indy Car races in 1968.<ref name=RacingReferenceStats /> He raced at Trenton Speedway, finishing 14th with engine problems.<ref name=RacingReferenceUSACIndyCar>{{cite web|title=1968 USAC Indy Car results|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/darneba01/1968/UO|publisher=Racing Reference|accessdate=9 February 2012}}</ref> Later that season, he raced at his home race at the Milwaukee Mile. He was involved in a wreck on the second lap and finished 23rd.<ref name=RacingReferenceUSACIndyCar />

==Business== Darnell owned a trucking company in the Chicago area.<ref name="StPetersburg">{{cite news |title=Darnell Takes First Big Win in Texas 500 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Na8pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ml0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5875,5228064&dq=bay-darnell&hl=en |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |date=June 6, 1977 |accessdate=13 February 2012}}</ref> He also built USAC stock cars and in 1977 the ''St. Petersburg Times'' called him a "master car builder" who "builds and maintains his own equipment which is considered among the best."<ref name="StPetersburg" />

==Personal life and death== Darnell was the father of Danny Darnell, a well-known Midwestern short-track driver, and grandfather of NASCAR driver Erik Darnell.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roushfenway.com/story/darnells-mom-will-forever-be-along-ride |title=Darnell's Mom Will Forever Be Along for the Ride |date=February 25, 2009 |publisher=Roush Fenway Racing |accessdate=16 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725230119/http://www.roushfenway.com/story/darnells-mom-will-forever-be-along-ride |archivedate=25 July 2015 }}</ref>

Bay Darnell died in Waukegan, Illinois on February 28, 2023, at the age of 92.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wilber "Bay" Darnell |url=https://www.gurneesalatafh.com/obituary/wilber-bay-darnell |website=Gurnee Salata Funeral Home |access-date=8 December 2023 |date=28 February 2023}}</ref>

==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==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%" ! colspan="69"| 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 ! 57 ! 58 ! 59 ! 60 ! 61 ! 62 ! {{Tooltip|NGNC|NASCAR Grand National classification}} ! Pts ! Ref |- ! 1954 ! ! 69 ! Ford | PBS | DAB | JSP | ATL | OSP | OAK | NWS | HBO | CCS | LAN | WIL | MAR | SHA | RSP | CLT | GAR | CLB | LND | HCY | MCF | WGS | PIF | AWS | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SFS 23 | GRS | MOR | OAK | CLT | SAN | COR | DAR | CCS | CLT | LAN | MAS | MAR | NWS | colspan=25| ! NA ! – ! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/darneba01/1954/W|title=Bay Darnell – 1954 NASCAR Grand National Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|accessdate=January 20, 2020}}</ref> |- ! 1964 ! Holman-Moody ! 66 ! Ford | CON | AUG | JSP | SVH | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | RCH | BRI | GPS | BGS | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ATL 13 | AWS | HBO | PIF | CLB | NWS | MAR | SVH | DAR | LGY | HCY | SBO | CLT | GPS | ASH | ATL | CON | NSV | CHT | BIR | VAL | PIF | DAY | ODS | OBS | BRR | ISP | GLN | LIN | BRI | NSV | MBS | AWS | DTS | ONA | CLB | BGS | STR | DAR | HCY | RCH | ODS | HBO | MAR | SVH | NWS | CLT | HAR | AUG | JAC ! NA ! – ! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/darneba01/1964/W|title=Bay Darnell – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|accessdate=January 20, 2020}}</ref> |- ! 1965 ! Jack Watts ! ! Ford | RSD | DAY | DAY | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DAY DNQ | PIF | AWS | RCH | HBO | ATL | GPS | NWS | MAR | CLB | BRI | DAR | LGY | BGS | HCY | CLT | CCF | ASH | HAR | NSV | BIR | ATL | GPS | MBS | VAL | DAY | ODS | OBS | ISP | GLN | BRI | NSV | CCF | AWS | SMR | PIF | AUG | CLB | DTS | BLV | BGS | DAR | HCY | LIN | ODS | RCH | MAR | NWS | CLT | HBO | CAR | DTS | colspan=7| ! NA ! – ! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/darneba01/1965/W|title=Bay Darnell – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|accessdate=January 20, 2020}}</ref> |- ! 1967 ! nowrap| Bay Darnell Racing ! 66 ! Plymouth | AUG | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | AWS | BRI | GPS | BGS | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ATL 32 | CLB | HCY | NWS | MAR | SVH | RCH | DAR | BLV | LGY | CLT | ASH | MGR | SMR | BIR | CAR | GPS | MGY | DAY | TRN | OXF | FDA | ISP | BRI | SMR | NSV | ATL | BGS | CLB | SVH | DAR | HCY | RCH | BLV | HBO | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | AWS | colspan=13| ! 118th ! 100 ! <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/darneba01/1967/W|title=Bay Darnell – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|accessdate=January 20, 2020}}</ref> |}

=====Daytona 500===== {|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" |- ! Year ! Team ! Manufacturer ! Start ! Finish |- | 1965 | Jack Watts | Ford |align=center colspan=2 style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DNQ |}

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== * {{Racing-Reference driver|Bay_Darnell}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darnell, Bay}} Category:1931 births Category:2023 deaths Category:People from Lake Bluff, Illinois Category:Sportspeople from Lake County, Illinois Category:Racing drivers from Illinois Category:NASCAR drivers Category:USAC Stock Car drivers Category:ARCA Menards Series drivers Category:Champ Car drivers Category:American Speed Association drivers Category:20th-century American sportsmen