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Alan Kulwicki

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Alan Kulwicki
Cause of deathAirplane crash near Blountville, Tennessee
Awards1992 Winston Cup Champion

1986 NASCAR Rookie of the Year

Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998

2002 inductee in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame

inducted in the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame[1]

1997 inductee into Bristol Motor Speedway's Heroes of Bristol Hall of Fame

inducted in the Lowe's Motor Speedway's Court of Legends

1996 inductee in the Talladega-Texaco Hall of Fame
NASCAR Cup Series career
207 races run over 9 years
Best finish1st (1992 Winston Cup Series)
First race1985 Wrangler SanforSet 400 (Richmond)
Last race1993 TranSouth 500 (Darlington)
First win1988 Checker 500 (Phoenix)
Last win1992 Champion Spark Plug 500 (Pocono)
Wins Top tens Poles
5 75 24
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
6 races run over 2 years
Best finish50th (1984 Busch Grand National Series)
First race1984 Red Carpet 200 (Milwaukee)
Last race1985 Milwaukee Sentinel 200 (Milwaukee)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 3 1

Alan Dennis Kulwicki (December 14, 1954 – April 1, 1993), nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American NASCAR Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) racecar driver.[2] He arrived at the highest and most expensive level of stock car racing in the United States with only a borrowed pickup truck, a race car, no sponsor, and a limited budget.[3] Despite starting with meager equipment and finances, Kulwicki earned the 1986 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award and later won the 1992 Winston Cup championship by the then-closest margin in NASCAR history.[3] Kulwicki was known for being a perfectionist and doing things his own way: his scientific approach to NASCAR racing inspired the way teams are currently run,[4] and he was insistent in driving for his own race team during most of his NASCAR career despite lucrative offers from top car owners.[5] His publicist indicated that Kulwicki was "a real hard type of person to get to know," and he remained a bachelor throughout his life.[5]

In 1998, five years after his death in a light aircraft accident, he was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers,[6] and he was inducted into the numerous halls of fame.

Background

Alan Kulwicki grew up in Greenfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee known for its Polish-American neighborhoods, near the Milwaukee Mile racetrack.[7] He was a child when his brother and mother died.[5] His father, Gerald, built engines for USAC race cars.[8] Kulwicki graduated from Pius XI High School, a private Roman Catholic high school in Milwaukee.[9] He went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1977 and worked for two years as an engineer after graduation.[10] His knowledge of engineering helped him better understand the physics of a race car, and is often believed to have contributed to his success.[11] He first raced on area racetracks as a hobby while in college, but turned professional in 1980.[12] Kulwicki was a devout lifelong Roman Catholic, and he showed his faith by racing with a Saint Christopher devotional medal in his racecar.[13]

Racing career

Early racing career

Kulwicki began his racing career as a 13-year-old kart racer.[9] Given that his father's work involved travel, he was unable to help Kulwicki at most kart races.[12] Kulwicki's interest in racing was fueled by an array of local competitions.

Many American racetracks host their own local-level championships. Numerous locations in Wisconsin held dirt and asphalt short track racing. Kulwicki started racing stock cars at the local level at Cedarburg Speedway and Hales Corners Speedway dirt oval tracks.[9] He won the 1973 Rookie of the Year award at Hales Speedway in the Milwaukee suburb of Franklin, and the next year started racing late models there. Late model cars are the fastest and most complicated type of stock cars that are raced on the local level. He won his first feature race later that season at Leo's Speedway in Oshkosh.[14]

Kulwicki moved from dirt tracks to paved tracks in 1977. He teamed up with racecar builder Greg Krieger to model, research, engineer, and construct an innovative car with far more torsional stiffness than other Late Models.[15] The increased stiffness allowed the car to handle better in the corners, which increased its speed. He raced on the high-banked Slinger Super Speedway, winning the track championship in 1977.[16] In 1978, Kulwicki continued racing at Slinger and finished third in Wisconsin International Raceway's (WIR) Late Model points as a rookie.[17] In 1979 and 1980, he won the WIR Late Model track championships.[18][19] Kulwicki's part in Larry Detjens fatal crash at Wisconsin International Raceway on August 1, 1981, troubled him greatly.[20]

Kulwicki began competing in regional and lower level national events sanctioned by the USAC Stock Car series and the American Speed Association (ASA) in 1979,[21] while remaining an amateur racer through 1980. In the ASA he raced against Rusty Wallace, later a successful NASCAR driver, and the two became lifelong friends.[22] Kulwicki's top finish in the ASA season points championship was third place, which he accomplished in both 1982 and 1985, with five career victories and twelve pole positions.[23]

Winston Cup career

1980s

Kulwicki raced in four NASCAR Busch Grand National (now Nationwide Series) races in 1984.[24] At the time, the Busch Grand National Series was considered NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, comparable to Triple-A baseball. It is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big league" circuit, the Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup). Kulwicki started in second position in his first career NASCAR race, which occurred in his hometown of Milwaukee. He finished second in the race. Later that year he finished seventh at Charlotte and fifth at Bristol. After finishing sixteenth at the Busch Series' premiere race at Daytona in 1985, he qualified the fastest for the Busch race at Milwaukee but finished fourteenth with engine problems.[24] Kulwicki's Busch Series successes caught car owner Bill Terry's eye, and Terry offered Kulwicki a chance to race in a few Winston Cup races.[22]

In 1985, Kulwicki sold most of his belongings, including his short track racing equipment, to move halfway across the nation from Wisconsin to the Charlotte area in North Carolina.[8] He kept only a few things, and his pickup truck was loaded to tow a trailer full with furniture and tools. An electrical fire two days before he left destroyed his truck,[23] and Kulwicki had to borrow one to pull the trailer.[3] After arriving in the Charlotte area, he showed up unexpectedly at Terry's shop ready to race. Kulwicki's arrival at the NASCAR tour was a source of amusement at first to many veteran drivers:[23] he was a driver from the northern United States when the series was primarily a southern regional series;[25] he was a mechanical engineer when few other drivers had completed college;[5] and he had limited experience in the junior Busch series with only six starts. Kulwicki was described as very studious, hard working, no-nonsense, and something of a loner.[26][27] He frequently walked the garage area in his race uniform carrying a briefcase.[10] Kulwicki made his first career Winston Cup start at Richmond on September 8 1985, for Bill Terry's #32/#38 Ford team sponsored by Hardee's. He competed in five races that season for Terry, and his highest finish was thirteenth.[24]

Kulwicki was interviewed on television by a Charlotte CBS affiliate at the Speedweeks in Daytona after missing the 1986 Daytona 500; two drivers had passed him in the last turn in a qualifying race, and he did not make the race since his qualifying speed was too slow. He was interviewed standing by the team's pickup truck and inexpensive flatbed trailer, which were out of place next to the far more expensive enclosed tractor/trailers used by other teams for many years. The team had the Quincy's Steakhouse sponsorship for the race, which the team was able to extend to a full season sponsorship.[28]

Kulwicki parted ways with Terry part way through the 1986 season.[29] Kulwicki could not find a ride with another owner, so he fielded his own Winston Cup racing team after purchasing the #35 Quincy's Steakhouse team from Terry.[30] Kulwicki was essentially a one-man team when other teams had dozens of people in supporting roles. He was the driver, owner, crew chief, and chief mechanic.[8] He had difficulty acquiring and keeping crew members because he found it difficult to trust them to do the job with the excellence that he demanded, and because he was hands-on in the maintenance of the car to the point of being a control freak.[27] He sought out crew members who had owned their own race cars, believing they would understand what he was going through: racing with no sponsor, doing his own car maintenance, working long hours under a very limited budget.[31] Notable crew members include his crew chief Paul Andrews, future driver Bobby Norfleet, future Cup crew chiefs Tony Gibson, Brian Whitesell, Bill Ingle, and future crew chief/owner Ray Evernham.[4][5][32][33] With one car, two engines, and two full-time crew members, Kulwicki won the 1986 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year award.[12] He had competed in 23 of 29 events, with four Top 10 finishes, three Did Not Finishes (DNF), and averaged a 15.4 finish position. He finished below 30th place only once.[29]

For the 1987 season, Kulwicki secured primary sponsorship from Zerex Antifreeze and changed his car number to #7.[34] He picked up his first career pole position in the season's third race at Richmond. He qualified fastest again later that season at the races at Richmond and Dover. Kulwicki came close to winning his first Winston Cup race at Pocono, finishing second less than one second behind winner Dale Earnhardt.[28] Kulwicki finished fifteenth in the Winston Cup points for the season, with nine Top 10 finishes, eleven DNFs, and an average finish of 18.2 in 29 events[35]

Kulwicki's 1988 car, the car he used for his Polish Victory Lap

In 1988, Kulwicki hired Paul Andrews as his crew chief after Andrews was recommended by Rusty Wallace.[34] Kulwicki won his first NASCAR Winston Cup race in the season's second-to-last race at Phoenix International Raceway. Leader Ricky Rudd's car had motor problems late in the race. Kulwicki led during 41 laps and won by 18.5 seconds.[36] After the race finished, he turned around his car, and made his now famous "Polish Victory Lap" by driving the opposite way (clockwise) on the track with the driver's side of the racecar facing toward the fans.[10] "This gave me the opportunity to wave to the crowd from the driver's side," Kulwicki explained.[3] "He had wanted to do something special and something different for his first win and only his first," Andrews recalled.[36] In an interview in victory lane, Kulwicki told Grand National Scene magazine:

It's been a long road and it's taken a lot of hard work to get here, but this has made it all worthwhile. When you work for something so hard for so long, you wonder if it's going to be worth all of the anticipation. Believe me, it certainly was. And what do you think of my Polish victory lap? There will never be another first win and you know, everybody sprays champagne or stands up on the car. I wanted to do something different for the fans.[36]

He had four pole positions in 29 events, nine Top 10 finishes including two second place finishes, 12 DNFs, and an average finish of 19.2 in 1988.[37]

1989 car at Phoenix

Kulwicki started his own engine-building program for the 1989 season, and the team suffered many Did Not Finish results because of engine problems. He had four second place finishes that season, and he held the points lead at one point during the season.[28] In 29 races, he had six pole positions, nine Top 10 finishes, and finished 14th in season points.[38]

1990s

Junior Johnson, owner of one of the top NASCAR teams, approached Kulwicki at the beginning of the 1990 season and asked Kulwicki to drive one of his cars. Kulwicki declined, stating that he was more interested in running his own team.[28] He won his second Cup race at Rockingham on October 21 1990, and finished eighth in points that year, his first finish in the Top 10 points in a season.[22] In 29 races, he had thirteen Top Ten finishes and one pole position.[39]

Prior to the 1991 season, Zerex ended their sponsorship of Kulwicki's team.[34] Johnson was expanding his operation to a two-car team and offered Kulwicki a ride in the second car. Kulwicki turned down Johnson's $1,000,000 offer, thinking that he had secured a sponsorship deal with Maxwell House coffee. Johnson ended up securing the sponsorship for his second team, so Kulwicki began the season sponsorless, paying expenses out of his own pocket.[28] He told his team employees that he would not have hard feelings if anyone wanted to switch to another team for more stable employment. No one left the team.[14] At the opening race of the season, the 1991 Daytona 500, five cars ran in paint schemes representing different branches of the United States military to show support for the American forces involved in the Gulf War.[30] Kulwicki's car was sponsored by the United States Army in a one race deal.[40] After running the second and third races of the season in a plain white unsponsored car, Kulwicki was approached by Hooters for a one-race sponsorship deal for Atlanta Motor Speedway at the fourth race. Hooters had been sponsoring Mark Stahl's car, but Stahl did not qualify for the race, while Kulwicki had qualified first for the upcoming racing with the fastest qualifying lap. Hooters and Kulwicki signed a one-race sponsorship agreement, followed by a long-term deal after Kulwicki finished eighth in the race.[22] Later in the season, Kulwicki won the Bristol night race for his third career win.[10] In 29 races, he had eleven Top 10 finishes, four poles, and finished thirteenth in the points.[41]

1992 NASCAR Winston Cup championship

File:1992WinstonCupTrophy.jpg
1992 Driver's championship trophy

Kulwicki passed Dale Jarrett with 27 laps left at the Food City 500 race on April 5th at Bristol to take a narrow victory. It was Kulwicki's fourth Winston Cup victory. He never left the Top 5 in season points after the race.[42] Kulwicki's only other victory in the season was at the first race at Pocono.[10] Kulwicki was discounted as a contender for the season championship during the season, and he was expected to fade from contention.[42] He sat on the pole at the Peak AntiFreeze 500 race on September 20 at Dover, but he crashed early in the race and finished 34th. Kulwicki was quite vocal that his 278 point deficit was probably his undoing, and that the Dover race result would keep him from contending for the season title.[10] Kulwicki said, "This probably finishes us off in the championship deal."[43] On October 11, Mark Martin had a narrow victory over Kulwicki at the Mello Yello 500 at Charlotte. For the second race in a row, points leader Bill Elliott had problems, which left six drivers within reach of the championship lead with three races left to go. Elliott again had problems at the second last race. Elliott's cracked cylinder head allowed race winner Davey Allison to take the points lead, with fourth place finisher Kulwicki second in season points and Elliott third.[44]

UNDERBIRD car, after restoration

The final race of the 1992 season, a 500- mile race sponsored by Kulwicki's sponsor Hooters, is considered one of the most eventful races in NASCAR history.[45] It was the final race for Richard Petty and the first race for Jeff Gordon.[10][45] Six drivers were close enough in the points standings to win the championship that day.[10] Allison led second-place Kulwicki by 30 points, Bill Elliott by 40, Harry Gant by 97, and Kyle Petty by 98.[46] Allison needed to finish sixth or better to clinch the championship.[46] Kulwicki received approval from NASCAR and Ford to change the "Thunderbird" lettering on his bumper for the race to "Underbird" because he felt like the underdog for winning the championship.[47] Allison was in sixth place until Ernie Irvan's tire blew with around 100 (of 328) laps left in the event.[46] Allison T-boned Irvan's spinning car, and was unable to continue.[46] Kulwicki and Elliott were left to duel for the title.[45] During his first pit stop, Kulwicki lost first gear.[22] While leading late in the race, Kulwicki calculated in his head the exact lap for his final pit stop so that he would be guaranteed to lead the most laps and would gain the five bonus points for leading the most laps.[4] Kulwicki calculated leading the most laps and finishing second place in the race would earn himself the same number of points in the race as Elliott.[4] He stopped in the pits for his final pit stop only after leading enough laps to guarantee the five bonus points for leading the most laps.[22] The pit crew did a "gas and go" stop. Not changing tires during the stop allowed the pit crew to be available to help push the car, preventing it from stalling since the car had to start moving in a higher gear.[22] As the team's fuel man hurried to add the fuel, he did not add the full 11 gallons from the fuel can into the racecar.[14] Kulwicki had to conserve fuel to ensure that he was running at the end of the race.[14] Elliott won the race and Kulwicki finished second.[45] Kulwicki won the 1992 Winston Cup Champion by maintaining his 10-point lead over Elliott.[3] He celebrated the championship with his second-ever Polish Victory Lap.[20] Always conscious of his appearance for potential sponsors, Kulwicki combed his hair, making a national television audience wait for him to emerge from his car.[48] This was later alluded to at the awards banquet by Elliott, who presented Kulwicki with a "golden comb" award.[14]

File:1992NASCAROwnerChampionshipTrophy.jpg
1992 NASCAR owner's championship trophy

Kulwicki overcame the 278-point deficit in the final six races of the season to claim a 10-point victory over Elliott[49] by ending with a fifth, a fourth, and two second place finishes.[24] Kulwicki won the championship because of his consistent high finishes.[42] It was the closest title win in NASCAR Cup Series history until the implementation of the Chase for the Cup format 12 years later.[50] The championship was noteworthy for other reasons: he was the last owner/driver to win the title,[49] the first Cup champion with a college degree,[8] the last driver to win the championship in a Ford Thunderbird,[10] and the first Cup champion born in a Northern state.[8] Kulwicki had turned down offers to drive for successful owners (including Junior Johnson,[5] Bud Moore, Rick Hendrick[33], and the Wood Brothers[33]) to continue fielding his own team.[3] The song that played during a short salute to Kulwicki at the year end awards banquet was "My Way".[1]

Championship honors

Kulwicki came back to Greenfield for Alan Kulwicki Day in January 1993. The gymnasium at Greenfield High School was filled and surrounded by four to five thousand people, and local television crews filmed the event. He signed autographs for six hours.[51]

In celebration of his championship, sponsor Hooters made a special "Alan Tribute Card" that was used at all of the autograph sessions during the 1993 season.[52] Kulwicki did not change his spending habits after winning the 1992 championship. "The only thing I really wanted to buy was a plane," he said, "but it turns out Hooters has a couple I can use."[53]

He competed in the 1993 International Race of Champions (IROC) series as the reigning Winston Cup champion. He competed in two IROC races before his death.[54]

Death

Grave marker at St. Adalbert cemetery

Kulwicki died in a plane crash on Thursday April 1, 1993 at age 38. He was returning in a Hooters corporate plane from an appearance at the Knoxville Hooters before the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway.[5] The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the crash to the pilot's failure to use the airplane's anti-ice system to clear ice from the engine inlet system.[28] The plane crashed behind houses near a main highway between Blountville and Bristol. Kulwicki was buried in his family plot at Saint Adalbert Cemetery in Milwaukee, consistent with other Polish Americans in the cemetery. Kulwicki's racecar transporter was driven away from the rainy track later that Friday morning[10] after doing two slow laps around the track with a black wreath on its grille.[14] He had competed in five NASCAR races that season with three Top 6 finishes, and was ninth in points.[55] In his career, he had won five NASCAR Winston Cup races, 24 pole positions, 75 Top 10 finishes, and one championship in 207 races.[30]

His car was raced for most of the 1993 season until the team was sold to Geoff Bodine.[10] It was driven by road course specialist Tommy Kendall on the road courses and by Jimmy Hensley at the other tracks.[56]

Memorials

Three days after Kulwicki's death, Bristol race winner Rusty Wallace honored his old short track foe after the race by turning Kulwicki's trademark "Polish Victory Lap".[57] Wallace and Dale Earnhardt honored Kulwicki with a Polish victory lap after each race that they won during the 1993 season.[58] For the remainder of the 1993 season, all cars entered in Winston Cup and Busch Series races carried stickers of Kulwicki's #7 on their cars.[10] After Davey Allison's death on July 13, 1993, Kulwicki's sticker on competitor's cars was joined by Allison's #28 sticker.[59] After the final race of the season, series champion Dale Earnhardt and race winner Wallace drove a side-by- side Polish victory lap carrying flags for Kulwicki and Allison.[60][61]

The USAR Hooters Pro Cup championship, the Four Champions Challenge, is named in memory of all four victims of that plane crash by series sponsor Hooters.[62] The challenge was formed in 1997.[63] Each race in the four race series is a memorial named after one of the four people who died in Kulwicki's plane crash,[62] Kulwicki, Mark Brooks (son of Bob Brooks, the owner of the series' title sponsor, Hooters), Dan Duncan, and pilot Charles Campbell.

Milwaukee County honored Kulwicki in 1996 by creating Alan Kulwicki Memorial Park (Area Map).[63] The park is located near the corner of Highway 100 and Cold Spring Road in Greenfield. The Brooks pavilion at the park was donated by Hooters. The pavilion has a trophy room where one can view his trophies and other collectible items, including his 1992 Winston Cup trophy, his 1992 NASCAR Owner's trophy, polesitter trophies, and race winner trophies.

Kulwicki Grandstand at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2006

Bristol Motor Speedway has named its grandstand in Turns 1 and 2 in honor of Kulwicki, as well as a terrace above the grandstand.[64] The 2004 Busch Series race at the Milwaukee Mile was named the "Alan Kulwicki 250" in honor of Kulwicki.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

Career honors and awards

He was posthumously inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2002.[26] He was inducted in the Talladega-Texaco Hall of Fame in 1996,[42] the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2001,[65] Lowe's Motor Speedway Court of Legends in 1993,[49] the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993,[66] and Bristol Motor Speedway Heroes of Bristol Hall of Fame in 1997.[49]

Lasting impact on racing

Kulwicki's success as an owner/driver sparked a small fad among NASCAR veterans.[67] Geoff Bodine (who purchased Kulwicki's team after his death), his younger brother Brett, Ricky Rudd, Bill Elliott, and Joe Nemechek all began racing teams after Kulwicki's death.[67] However, none of them could reach the same success that Kulwicki did, and they gave up on their own teams.[67] NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Michael Waltrip and Robby Gordon are the only owner/drivers in the sport who are attempting to run the full schedule for the 2008 season. Robby Gordon frequently mentions Alan as an inspiration for him as an owner/driver,[68] and he selected car #7 as a tribute to Kulwicki.[69]

Media

Father Dale Grubba is writing an unnamed biography for his friend Kulwicki. The book was used to help write a feature film.[70] On April 1, 2005, the very low budget feature film, Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story, was released. The film chronicled Kulwicki's life from racing late models at Slinger Super Speedway, through his rise to NASCAR champion, and ends with his death.[70] The 100-minute movie was created by Kulwicki's Wisconsin fans[71] for less than $100,000.[70] The star of the film, Brad Weber, was a big Kulwicki fan and credits the late driver with being his inspiration to become an actor.[70] The film features a cameo by Travis Kvapil as a pit crew member. Humpy Wheeler and Bill Elliott play themselves. It was shown in 14 states and 80 cities.[10]

Career results

  • 1985: NASCAR Winston Cup: 40th (partial season)[24]
  • 1986: NASCAR Winston Cup: 21st
  • 1987: NASCAR Winston Cup: 15th
  • 1988: NASCAR Winston Cup: 14th
  • 1989: NASCAR Winston Cup: 15th
  • 1990: NASCAR Winston Cup: 8th
  • 1991: NASCAR Winston Cup: 13th
  • 1992: NASCAR Winston Cup: champion
  • 1993: NASCAR Winston Cup: 41st (partial season), IROC: 5th*

*Dale Earnhardt raced the 3rd and 4th IROC races in 1993 for Kulwicki

References

  1. ^ a b Gary D'Amato (July 25 1999). "Honor stirs up fond memories of Kulwicki". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Tom Roberts. "Kulwicki Press Kit". Kulwicki's Press agent. p. 4. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Alan Kulwicki". National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
  4. ^ a b c d Ed Hinton (March 23 2003). "Kulwicki's legacy continues across NASCAR nation". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-10-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Joseph Siano (April 5 1993). "Kulwicki Raced, Reigned As a Driven Outsider". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "NASCAR'S 50 GREATEST DRIVERS". NASCAR. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  7. ^ Dan Peters (June 26 2004). "Veterans Reign again. Ron Hornaday Wins Alan Kulwicki 250 in Milwaukee". Oak Park Journal. Retrieved 2007-07-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ a b c d e ROBERT MCG. THOMAS JR. (April 3 1993). "Alan Kulwicki, 38, Racer And Stock-Car Champion". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ a b c Dave Kallmann (November 6 2003). "Title tracks: Kulwicki, Kenseth: two roads to top". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Vito Pugliese (March 23 2007). "Driven To The Past: Alan Kulwicki". The Frontstretch. Retrieved 2007-09-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Notable Drivers". fan1st.com. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  12. ^ a b c Joseph Siano (December 27 1992). "Demystifying Racing's Independent Champion". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Stories provide glimpse of Kulwicki's character". NASCAR.com. April 1 2003. Retrieved 2007-09-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ a b c d e f Matt McLaughlin. "Alan Kulwicki: Running Down a Dream". www.speedfx.com. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  15. ^ Krieger, Greg, quoted in Sneddon, Rob: "Glimpses", Stock Car Racing (ISSN 0734-7340), Vol. 28, No. 7 (July 1993), p. 31.
  16. ^ Theisen, Mark, quoted in Sneddon, Rob: "Glimpses", Stock Car Racing (ISSN 0734-7340), Vol. 28, No. 7 (July 1993), p. 32.
  17. ^ "Fox River Racing Club: Final 1978 Points Standings". Wisconsin International Raceway. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  18. ^ "Fox River Racing Club: Final 1979 Points Standings". Wisconsin International Raceway. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  19. ^ "Fox River Racing Club: Final 1980 Points Standings". Wisconsin International Raceway. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  20. ^ a b Sneddon, Rob: "Glimpses", Stock Car Racing (ISSN 0734-7340), Vol. 28, No. 7 (July 1993), p. 29.
  21. ^ "Alan Kulwicki USAC Stock Car results (unlabeled)". ultimateracinghistory. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g Patty Kay (March 30 2003). "Alan Kulwicki: Always a Champion". Insider Racing News. Retrieved 2007-07-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ a b c Tom Roberts. "Kulwicki Press Kit". Kulwicki's Press agent. p. 2. Retrieved 2007-08-10.
  24. ^ a b c d e "Alan Kulwicki's driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  25. ^ Tom Jensen (November 10 2006). "CUP: A Tribute to Alan Kulwicki". SPEED Channel.com. p. 1. Retrieved 2007-07-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ a b "Alan Kulwicki". International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  27. ^ a b Tom Jensen (November 10 2006). "CUP: A Tribute to Alan Kulwicki". SPEED Channel.com. p. 2. Retrieved 2007-07-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ a b c d e f Mark Moore. "Remembering Alan Kulwicki". www.speedwaymedia.com. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  29. ^ a b "Alan Kulwicki's 1986 driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  30. ^ a b c Larry Manch (March 26 2002). "Alan Kulwicki: His Way". www.racingnewsonline.com. Retrieved 2007-10-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Tom Jensen (November 10 2006). "CUP: A Tribute to Alan Kulwicki". SPEED Channel.com. p. 3. Retrieved 2007-07-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ Ryan Smithson (April 1 2003). "A decade later, Kulwicki's crew races on". NASCAR.com. Retrieved 2007-07-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ a b c David Caraviello (November 15 2002). "Ten years ago, NASCAR's past, present and future converged". Charleston Post. Retrieved 2007-10-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ a b c Gregg Leary (September 24 2006). "SPEEDtv.com Reviewed: "Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story"". SPEED Channel.com. p. 1. Retrieved 2007-09-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ "Alan Kulwicki's 1987 driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  36. ^ a b c Tom Jensen (November 10 2006). "CUP: A Tribute to Alan Kulwicki". SPEED Channel.com. p. 4. Retrieved 2007-07-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ "Alan Kulwicki's 1988 driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  38. ^ "Alan Kulwicki's 1989 driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  39. ^ "Alan Kulwicki's 1990 driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  40. ^ Gregg Leary (September 24 2006). "SPEEDtv.com Reviewed: "Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story"". SPEED Channel.com. p. 2. Retrieved 2007-09-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  41. ^ "Alan Kulwicki's 1991 driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  42. ^ a b c d "Alan Kulwicki". Talladega Walk of Fame. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  43. ^ "1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Recap". How Stuff Works. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  44. ^ "1992 season recap". NASCAR. 2002-02-12. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  45. ^ a b c d "Greatest NASCAR rivalries". CMT.com. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  46. ^ a b c d McCarter, Mark (2002-11-11). "10 years after: the points race isn't as tight as it was in 1992, but--like in '92--a new generation of drivers is taking over at the top". The Sporting News. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
  47. ^ "1992 Winston Cup Championship "Underbird"". underbird.com. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  48. ^ "Hooters 500". ESPN NASCAR race coverage. Season 1992. November 15 1992. {{cite episode}}: Check date values in: |airdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameters: |episodelink= and |serieslink= (help)
  49. ^ a b c d "Alan Kulwicki". NASCAR.com. April 4 2003. Retrieved 2007-09-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  50. ^ "Alan Kulwicki". NASCAR.com. April 4 2003. Retrieved 2007-07-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  51. ^ Jeffords, Terry, quoted in Sneddon, Rob: "Glimpses", Stock Car Racing (ISSN 0734-7340), Vol. 28, No. 7 (July 1993), p. 47.
  52. ^ "Alan Kulwicki story". Tom Roberts Public Relations. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
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  54. ^ "Alan Kulwicki's 1993 IROC driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  55. ^ "Alan Kulwicki's 1993 NASCAR driving statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-08-09.
  56. ^ "Alan Kulwicki's owner's statistics". racingreference.info. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
  57. ^ "AUTO RACING". New York Times. April 5 1993. Retrieved 2007-09-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  58. ^ "Tribute to Alan Kulwicki". Laidback Racing. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  59. ^ Joe Siano (July 19 1993). "AUTO RACING; A Flag. Taps. A Race With No Allison". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  60. ^ "In Memory of Alan--Ten Years Gone (Revisited)". speedwaymedia.com. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
  61. ^ Dave Kallmann (November 15 2002). "Wheels of fortune: Kulwicki reigned supreme on a day when NASCAR's history took a right turn". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-10-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  62. ^ a b "Hittin' Myrtle Beach". motorsport.com. May 2 2000. Retrieved 2007-09-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  63. ^ a b "HOOTERS Celebrating 25 Years." HOOTERS Magazine. February/ March 2008. p. 69.
  64. ^ "Seating Chart". Bristol Motor Speedway. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  65. ^ "Alan Kulwicki". National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
  66. ^ "Alan Kulwicki". Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
  67. ^ a b c Ken Willis (October/November 2002). "Be your own boss: the last of NASCAR's driver-owners talks about the difficult yet rewarding skill of multitasking - Interview: Brett Bodine". Auto Racing Digest. Retrieved 2007-10-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  68. ^ "Grown-up Robby Gordon reunites with Ford". KATU. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  69. ^ "Robby Gordon Motorsports". Robby Gordon Motorsports. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  70. ^ a b c d Dave Kallmann (April 17 2001). "Kulwicki's dream drives filmmakers". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-07-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  71. ^ ""Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story"". www.racingwisconsin.com. Retrieved 2007-10-02.

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Preceded by NASCAR Winston Cup Champion
1992 		Succeeded by
Preceded by NASCAR Rookie of the Year
1986 		Succeeded by

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