Rene Charland

{{Infobox racing driver

| name = Rene Charland

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|11|13}}

| birth_place = Chicopee, Massachusetts

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2013|09|30|1928|11|13}}

| death_place = Amsterdam, New York

| current series = Motorsports

| first year = 1949

| car number = 3, 59, 99, 888

| championships =

| wins = 700+

| retired = 1984

| titles = 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 NASCAR National Sportsman Champion{{cite web|url=https://thethirdturn.com/wiki/Rene_Charland|title=NASCAR Xfinity Series Events|publisher= The Third Turn|accessdate = June 25, 2023}}

| awards=

| updated=

| module1=

{{Infobox NASCAR driver| child= yes

| achievements =

| awards =

| Total_Cup_Races = 9

| Years_In_Cup = 4

| Best_Cup_Pos = 77th (1966)

| First_Cup_Race = 1964 Race No. 1 (Islip)

| Last_Cup_Race = 1971 Albany-Saratoga 250 (Malta)

| Cup_Wins = 0

| Cup_Top_Tens = 1

| Cup_Poles = 0

| Best_Busch_Pos =

| First_Busch_Race =

| Last_Busch_Race =

| First_Busch_Win =

| Last_Busch_Win =

| Busch_Wins =

| Busch_Top_Tens =

| Busch_Poles =

| updated =

}}

Rene Charland (November 13, 1928 – September 30, 2013), nicknamed "The Champ", was an American stock car racing driver. He was a four-time champion of the NASCAR National Sportsman Division, now known as the Xfinity Series.

Career

Charland was born in Chicopee, Massachusetts on November 13, 1928Remillard, Jason. "[http://blog.masslive.com/racinwithjason/2013/10/auto_racing_legend_rene_charland_of_agawam_dies_at_84.html Auto racing legend Rene Charland, of Agawam, dies at 84]". October 1, 2013. Springfield, MA: The Republican Accessed 2013-10-03. and made his home in Agawam.Boggie, Tom. "[http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2013/oct/02/1002_charland/ Four-time NASCAR champ Charland dies]". October 2, 2013. Schenectady, NY: The Daily Gazette. Accessed 2013-10-03. His racing career began in 1949 at Riverside Park Speedway in Massachusetts. By the 1960s he was part of a group of Northeastern racers called "The Eastern Bandits" who moved to the Mid-Atlantic and South to compete in NASCAR competition. In 1962 Charland won his first championship in the NASCAR National Sportsman Division, now the XFinity Series. He won the title again the following three years,"[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t24eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fskEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1743,5096581&dq=rene-charland&hl=en Past Sportsman Champions]". February 25, 1968. Daytona Beach, FL: Daytona Beach Morning Journal, page 8C. Accessed 2013-10-03. and finished third in the series' 1966 standings despite missing half of the season due to an injury suffered at Albany-Saratoga Speedway. His run of four straight championships gave Charland the nickname "The Champ", a name he became better known by than his given name, which was pronounced "REE-nee".

Charland also competed in the NASCAR Grand National Series, running nine races between 1964 and 1971, including the 1966 Daytona 500, posting a best career finish of third at Fonda Speedway in 1966.[http://www.racing-reference.info/rquery?id=charlre01&trk=t0&series=W Rene Charland - NASCAR Sprint Cup Results]. Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Accessed 2013-10-03.

Charland was estimated as having won over 700 races during his career. He was an inductee into the New England Antique Racers Hall of Fame, the New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame and the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame. In his later years Charland suffered from dementia. He died on September 30, 2013, in a nursing home in Amsterdam, New York.

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 ! {{abbr\|NGNC\|NASCAR Grand National classification}} ! Pts ! Ref
1964 ! Bernard Alvarez ! 10 ! Ford \| CON \| AUG \| JSP \| SVH \| RSD \| DAY \| DAY \| DAY \| RCH \| BRI \| GPS \| BGS \| ATL \| 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 \| style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| ISP 16 \| GLN \| LIN \| BRI \| NSV \| MBS \| AWS \| DTS \| ONA \| CLB \| BGS \| STR \| DAR \| HCY \| RCH \| ODS \| HBO \| MAR \| SVH \| NWS \| CLT \| HAR \| AUG \| JAC ! 119th ! 160 ! {{cite web\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/charlre01/1964/W\|title=Rene Charland – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results\|work=Racing-Reference\|accessdate=July 14, 2020}}
rowspan=3\| 1965 ! Julian Buesink ! 03 ! Ford \| RSD \| DAY \| DAY \| style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| DAY DNQ \| PIF \| ASW \| 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 \| colspan=11\| ! rowspan=3\| 108th ! rowspan=3\| 192 ! rowspan=3\| {{cite web\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/charlre01/1965/W\|title=Rene Charland – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results\|work=Racing-Reference\|accessdate=July 14, 2020}}
Gary Weaver ! 10 ! Ford \| colspan=51\| \| style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| CLT 38 \| HBO \|colspan=9\|
Herman Beam ! 1 ! Ford \|colspan=53\| \| style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| CAR 39 \| DTS \|colspan=7\|
1966 ! Ed Ackerman ! 03 ! Ford \| AUG \| RSD \| DAY \| style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| DAY 33 \| style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| DAY 50 \| CAR \| BRI \| ATL \| HCY \| CLB \| GPS \| BGS \| NWS \| MAR \| DAR \| LGY \| MGR \| MON \| RCH \| CLT \| DTS \| ASH \| PIF \| SMR \| AWS \| BLV \| GPS \| DAY \| ODS \| BRR \| style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| OXF 15 \| style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| FON 3 \| style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| ISP 24 \| BRI \| SMR \| NSV \| ATL \| CLB \| AWS \| BLV \| BGS \| DAR \| HCY \| RCH \| HBO \| MAR \| NWS \| CLT \| CAR \| colspan=13\| ! 77th ! 794 !{{cite web\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/charlre01/1966/W\|title=Rene Charland – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results\|work=Racing-Reference\|access-date=July 14, 2020}}
1971 ! John Keselowski ! 62 ! Dodge \| RSD \| DAY \| DAY \| DAY \| ONT \| RCH \| CAR \| HCY \| BRI \| ATL \| CLB \| GPS \| SMR \| NWS \| MAR \| DAR \| SBO \| TAL \| ASH \| KPT \| CLT \| DOV \| MCH \| RSD \| HOU \| GPS \| DAY \| BRI \| style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| AST 31 \| ISP \| TRN \| NSV \| ATL \| BGS \| ONA \| MCH \| TAL \| CLB \| HCY \| DAR \| MAR \| CLT \| DOV \| CAR \| MGR \| RCH \| NWS \| TWS \| colspan=14\| ! NA ! - !{{cite web\|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/charlre01/1971/W\|title=Rene Charland – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results\|work=Racing-Reference\|accessdate=July 14, 2020}}

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

! {{abbr|NGNC|NASCAR Grand National classification}}

! Pts

! Ref

1964

! Bernard Alvarez

! 10

! Ford

| CON

| AUG

| JSP

| SVH

| RSD

| DAY

| RCH

| BRI

| GPS

| BGS

| ATL

| 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

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ISP
16

| GLN

| LIN

| BRI

| NSV

| MBS

| AWS

| DTS

| ONA

| CLB

| BGS

| STR

| DAR

| HCY

| RCH

| ODS

| HBO

| MAR

| SVH

| NWS

| CLT

| HAR

| AUG

| JAC

! 119th

! 160

! {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/charlre01/1964/W|title=Rene Charland – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results|work=Racing-Reference|accessdate=July 14, 2020}}

rowspan=3| 1965

! Julian Buesink

! 03

! Ford

| RSD

| DAY

| style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DAY
DNQ

| PIF

| ASW

| 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

| colspan=11|

! rowspan=3| 108th

! rowspan=3| 192

! rowspan=3| {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/charlre01/1965/W|title=Rene Charland – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results|work=Racing-Reference|accessdate=July 14, 2020}}

Gary Weaver

! 10

! Ford

| colspan=51|

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CLT
38

| HBO

|colspan=9|

Herman Beam

! 1

! Ford

|colspan=53|

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CAR
39

| DTS

|colspan=7|

1966

! Ed Ackerman

! 03

! Ford

| AUG

| RSD

| DAY

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAY
33

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAY
50

| CAR

| BRI

| ATL

| HCY

| CLB

| GPS

| BGS

| NWS

| MAR

| DAR

| LGY

| MGR

| MON

| RCH

| CLT

| DTS

| ASH

| PIF

| SMR

| AWS

| BLV

| GPS

| DAY

| ODS

| BRR

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| OXF
15

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| FON
3

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ISP
24

| BRI

| SMR

| NSV

| ATL

| CLB

| AWS

| BLV

| BGS

| DAR

| HCY

| RCH

| HBO

| MAR

| NWS

| CLT

| CAR

| colspan=13|

! 77th

! 794

!{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/charlre01/1966/W|title=Rene Charland – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=July 14, 2020}}

1971

! John Keselowski

! 62

! Dodge

| RSD

| DAY

| ONT

| RCH

| CAR

| HCY

| BRI

| ATL

| CLB

| GPS

| SMR

| NWS

| MAR

| DAR

| SBO

| TAL

| ASH

| KPT

| CLT

| DOV

| MCH

| RSD

| HOU

| GPS

| DAY

| BRI

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| AST
31

| ISP

| TRN

| NSV

| ATL

| BGS

| ONA

| MCH

| TAL

| CLB

| HCY

| DAR

| MAR

| CLT

| DOV

| CAR

| MGR

| RCH

| NWS

| TWS

| colspan=14|

! NA

! -

!{{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/charlre01/1971/W|title=Rene Charland – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results|work=Racing-Reference|accessdate=July 14, 2020}}

References

External links

{{Racing-Reference driver|Rene_Charland}}

Category:1928 births

Category:2013 deaths

Category:Racing drivers from Massachusetts

Category:NASCAR drivers

Category:NASCAR Xfinity Series champions

Category:People from Agawam, Massachusetts

Category:Racing drivers from Chicopee, Massachusetts

Category:Sportspeople from Chicopee, Massachusetts

Category:Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame