Name John Rostek | Role Racing driver | |
 | ||
Best finish 68th 1963 (Grand National) Last win 1960 Copper Cup 100 (Arizona State Fairgrounds) Died December 29, 1969, Vermillion, South Dakota, United States | ||
Cause of death Private plane crash | ||
John Rostek (November 12, 1925 – December 29, 1969) was a NASCAR driver from Fort Collins, Colorado. Despite racing in just six Grand National (later NEXTEL Cup) events in his career, Rostek earned one victory, one pole and three top-tens.
Five of his six races came in 1960, when Rostek debuted at Daytona, racing in the Daytona 500 qualifier. But a crash on the fifth lap would end his chances of a good finish and making the 500, finishing 39th. In his next race at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix, Rostek took the lead midway through the event, led 58 laps and pulled away to a surprise victory in his first NASCAR event. He proved it was no fluke later in the year, finishing third at Marchbanks Speedway and seventh at Montgomery Air Base after leading seven laps and starting on the pole.
Rostek's final race came in 1963, racing at the Riverside International Raceway. Starting 27th in the forty-four car field, Rostek appeared poised for another top-ten finish before a late crash sidelined him to 16th.