Tiger Tom Pistone was born on March 17, 1929. His family could never have dreamed that he would grow up to be one of the finest competitors to ever strap himself into a race car.
The young Pistone began his career in his native Chicago at Soldiers Field during the late 1940's. Early in his career, Tiger Tom flipped his racer 22 times in one season. His quick wit and winning smile made him an instant favorite with the fans.
Competing against local legends such as Gene Marmor, Skippy Michaels, and Sal Tovella, Tiger Tom drove his car No. 3 to the track championships at Soldiers Field in 1954.
A perennial point chaser, Pistone was always a top contender for the title at the fabled speedway. One of the cars Tiger Tom utilized during his 1954 championship drive was a four door Pontiac. His success caused him to be idolized by thousands.
One of his biggest admirers was a youngster from Elmhurst, Ill. named Fred Lorenzen. As a young man, Fred's goal was to one day be as great as his hero, Tiger Tom Pistone.
Running for promoter and longtime friend, Andy Granatelli, the Tiger drove a very sanitary Chevrolet to the Soldiers Field title in 1955. He also entered his first NASCAR Grand National race that year in the October 100 miler at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
An overheating engine relegated him to a 27th-place finish in that event. During the 1950's, winning the track title at Soldiers Field was quite a feat. Tiger Tom Pistone captured the crown an amazing five consecutive times. And he still holds the track record at Soldiers Field to this very day.
Tiger Tom's first victory in a NASCAR sanctioned race came on June 30, 1956. An enormous crowd of 38,000 screaming fans watched him drive his Chevy ragtop to victory in a 100-mile convertible contest at Soldiers Field. He drove his No. 54 around the legendary Curtis Turner with six laps to go and held on for the win.
Tiger Tom was also very successful at Chicago's Raceway Park. It was not uncommon to find him collecting the spoils of victory after a hard fought struggle on the race track.
By today's criteria, 1959 would be considered Tom Pistone's rookie season on NASCAR's Grand National (now Sprint Cup) tour. To this very day, his holds one of the most outstanding records ever compiled by a driver during his freshman year in major league stock car racing.
Driving a Thunderbird, the little dynamo scored two victories and logged a dozen top-five finishes enroute to a sixth-place finish in the point standings.
The beginning of the 1961 season found Tom Pistone racing a new Pontiac under the banner of the GO-GO-GO corporation. Pistone and Bill France Sr. were very instrumental in helping Lynn and B.G. Holloway form a potent three-car team that featured General Motors cars. Team drivers were, Tiger Tom Pistone, Ned Jarrett and Johnny Allen. Jarrett drove the team's No. 11 Chevy to the 1961 Grand National Championship.
In 1966, NASCAR and the Ford Motor Company became embroiled in a major controversy over the eligibility of Ford's single overhead cam engine to compete on the GN circuit. A boycott by Ford led most observers to believe there would be no competitive Ford's to challenge the onslaught of Chrysler teams.
Someone forgot to tell this to Tiger Tom Pistone. Driving a modestly financed two year old Ford, the Tiger was a victory contender.
Tom Pistone's ability as a driver is equalled only by his expertise in the field of designing and building race cars. Drivers who have won races utilizing the Pistone chassis include the likes of Harry Gant and the late Bobby Issac.
However, one of the hottest combinations of the late 1960's was the team of Tiger Tom Pistone and his great friend, Tiny Lund.
Both were renowned as practical jokers, the colorful duo won races and set records throughout the Southeast.
In 1987 Tiger Tom Pistone took time off from his race car building and parts business long enough to compete in a race for retired drivers, held at Hickory Motor Speedway. And showing the same skill and determination he exhibited at Soldiers Field in the 1950's, Pistone found himself in a very familar place once again ... Victory Lane.
