The greatest story in nascar history. And sadly it seems vastly underappreciated in the sport's lore in my opinion. Probably because he wasn't a "good ol' boy". That's another reason it's so great.
He was a Winner in Life all the way! Being from Wisconsin, I rooted for him and was thrilled that he started winning and earned the respect and admiration of all the other race fans. He was considered an outsider from the beginning but overcame it all to win the ultimate prize. I still remember and admire him as a winner who did it his way! Just like the Sinatra Song! He’s a great example of how much a person can achieve when they are determined to succeed! His Tragic death doesn’t diminish his achievements! RIP Alan Kulwicki
Codex B yeah that did hurt ford but kenny Irvin left Chevy to race for Robert Yates ford, but you're right had Davey and Alan not got killed Chevy would had their hand full with Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Rusty Wallace , Dale Jarrett, bill Elliott, Mark martin
Thanks for posting this. I was at Atlanta in spring 1991 when Alan 1st ran the Hooters sponsorship from the pole. And I was at Atlanta in Nov 1992 when he won his championship. Not a touchy-feely guy. Not exactly a fan friendly driver at the time. But he did things his way and he became the champ. His legacy is cemented.
I will never forget that cold April morning waking up to the radio news of Alan's death. I was shocked and like I lost a brother. Will also remember that 1992 Hooters 500 race, still the most exciting race in NASCAR history. The King's last race, Gordon's first Winston Cup race, Davy's crash, and Alan and Bill Elliott racing bumper to bumper, door to door for that extra lead lap... WOW what a race!!! And Alan even won with a broken transmission. His crew had to push him out of the pits all day long. I was sure proud of Alan and that "Underbird"... RIP always Alan!!!
My high school baseball coach showed me fellow senior classmates and I this my senior year in high school. I still come back and watch this video. His story was absolutely incredible and has to be one of the most touching, sad, and inspirational underdog stories I’ve ever heard of
Dam, seeing that hauler pulling out of Bristol is heart wrenching pain, I can only imagine the sadness in the air at that track the next day.. would have been cool for the winner of Bristol to do a Polish Victory Lap in his honor..✌💖
The Atlanta race that Alan clinched the cup at was the first NASCAR race I ever watched. So much history happened on that day. Richard Pettys last race, Jeff Gordons first, Davey losing the cup he had in his back pocket for a month. It was Bill Elliotts second to last win for a decade. Alan was my uncles favorite driver. He might have been a monster had he lived longer. RIP Alan Kulwicki.
If Alan was still alive and involved in NASCAR, I bet he would have a word some of the drivers who have big egos (both Busch brothers, Harvick, and definitely Keselowski after what happened at Talladega where Carl Edwards' crash bared a scary resemblence to the one Bobby Allison had in the late 1980s).
@Leonefan Damn right he was, and he would probably a Daytona 500 champion along with one or two more cup titles! Thx for this video pal, it means a lot to me. This guy is truly an inspiration and to be honest with you i admire his title more then all cup wins of Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon and Johnson alltogether, cuz he did it from scratch. Hardly any money, just heart, intelligence and determination. 1992 will always be treasured in every true NASCAR fan's heart. AK7 forever!
my favorite driver all time. he comes from polish heritage. and Roman Catholic. the Polish has the most faith in God I've ever seen when you have faith in God you could complish many things.
Still the last independent owner/driver to win the Championship and probably the last given how much money it takes to win today. And for those media members who call Tony Stewart and owner/driver, he is absolutely not an owner/driver. He was given a 50% share in a race team that had already existed since 2002, and Haas still runs all of the team's business operations. He brought on Stewart because besides being a great driver, he had connections to get the team better paying sponsors, better crew members, and better support from Hendrick. Stewart did do all of those things, but it's Gene Haas' operation and Stewart doesn't really run it.
@RDarth I agree 100% ! I saw a great race at South Alabama Speedway last night- Twin 100 lap Late Model races with plenty of action and passing (26 cars on a fast 4/10 mile) -REAL RACING makes me forget all about nascar
222billp Well said, I'm on board with you. Sprint fan, but nothing like a Super Late A-main. Unfortunately I am stuck up here in Pennsylvania dealing with SNOW 6 months/ yr. Rain 3 months/yr. & Awesome dirt tracks for the other 4 weeks/yr. My home track is Eriez Speedway, check it out...U tube of course.
@Leonefan Yeah this sucks. I can't believe espn has the gall to make the comparisons to Special K. Stewart drove a hell of a race though, I'll give him that.
Sort of funny how much Jeff Gordon and him were alike in being counterculture to the sport with the nearly combed hair and the brief case. But I feel like he was way more accepted than Gordon
@222billp With Tony Stewart winning the first 2 races in the chase and having the points lead, I'm dreading the owner/driver comparisons that will be brought up. Nothing against Stewart but Kulwicki did not have the resources of Hendrick Motorsports. It all came out of his pocket.
Something seems out of line, Alan wasn't a kid but a grown man, it seems odd that he was buried with his parents rather than having his own plot, his own marker. I several pictures of Alan he is standing with the same woman I believed had to be his wife, yet I don't believe a wife would wanted her husband placed in his parents grave. Yes, I know about the plane crash and what happens to a human body is a aircraft fire. That has little bearing, many of those killed in airplane accidents have no body just pieces of bone, teeth, etc bags of sand are added to give a casket heft, and weight. Of the Flight 93 victims 28 passengers were vaporized, nothing was ever found, of the balance burned pieces were all that was left, yet the pieces were placed in a casket, a funeral was held, the body was buried. I would like to see Alan have his own marker. After all it's no mean trick to win the title in 1992
@Orangetree547 He was not smart enough to outrun the sport's fratricidal economics or the insanity of the technology arms race. Hooters may have loved him but when the cost of doing business becomes prohibitive love won't matter. What happened to Rudd and Bodine and what it beginning to happen to Tony Stewart is what was going to befall Alan.
I never liked this bum after I watched him intentionally push Larry Detjens into the guard rail at Kaukauna killing Larry. Kulwicki knew Detjens was faster than him, so he took him out, permanently.
The greatest story in nascar history. And sadly it seems vastly underappreciated in the sport's lore in my opinion. Probably because he wasn't a "good ol' boy". That's another reason it's so great.
"...we were proud to have him as our champion.."
We still are, Alan. RIP
Still miss him, despite being a Finn, from Finland and representing the European racing tradition. Alan is fondly remembered by true race fans. 🏁🏆💖🇫🇮
It still makes me cry after all these years , R.I.P. Alan ..... Go Ford 2017 !!!!!!
He was a Winner in Life all the way! Being from Wisconsin, I rooted for him and was thrilled that he started winning and earned the respect and admiration of all the other race fans. He was considered an outsider from the beginning but overcame it all to win the ultimate prize.
I still remember and admire him as a winner who did it his way! Just like the Sinatra Song!
He’s a great example of how much a person can achieve when they are determined to succeed! His Tragic death doesn’t diminish his achievements!
RIP Alan Kulwicki
As a Bill Elliott fan it hurt losing that title but couldn't of lost it to a classier guy. Alan was 1 of a kind.
Him and Davey getting killed really hurt. Ford's top two drivers. I was young and they were my favorite. They are remembered here.
Codex B : I so much agree with you , they were my favorite drivers too !!!!!!!!!!! Go Ford in 2017.....
Codex B yeah that did hurt ford but kenny Irvin left Chevy to race for Robert Yates ford, but you're right had Davey and Alan not got killed Chevy would had their hand full with Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Rusty Wallace , Dale Jarrett, bill Elliott, Mark martin
Yep makes me sad
Davey and kulwicki had many more champships and races to win.
Months Aparts from Each Other April and July 1993
Thanks for posting this. I was at Atlanta in spring 1991 when Alan 1st ran the Hooters sponsorship from the pole. And I was at Atlanta in Nov 1992 when he won his championship. Not a touchy-feely guy. Not exactly a fan friendly driver at the time. But he did things his way and he became the champ. His legacy is cemented.
I will never forget that cold April morning waking up to the radio news of Alan's death. I was shocked and like I lost a brother. Will also remember that 1992 Hooters 500 race, still the most exciting race in NASCAR history. The King's last race, Gordon's first Winston Cup race, Davy's crash, and Alan and Bill Elliott racing bumper to bumper, door to door for that extra lead lap... WOW what a race!!! And Alan even won with a broken transmission. His crew had to push him out of the pits all day long. I was sure proud of Alan and that "Underbird"...
RIP always Alan!!!
Alan will always be Wisconsin's racing champion to me. Eod.
Just watched Brock Beard's documentary on Alan and it reminded me of this from espn. Terrible loss then & still today...
UNFOURTUNATELY HE DIED ,BUT IS A LEGEND FOREVER
A great champion and a great person. Rest In Piece Alan.
Alan Kulwicki perfect example of don't let people tell you that you can't do something
Yes indeed. He was someone to look up to.
My high school baseball coach showed me fellow senior classmates and I this my senior year in high school. I still come back and watch this video. His story was absolutely incredible and has to be one of the most touching, sad, and inspirational underdog stories I’ve ever heard of
He is still a true champion but we lost him to soon 30 years ago.
Rest in peace Alan kulwicki and Davey Allison
I still think about him and miss him to this day!!!
Dam, seeing that hauler pulling out of Bristol is heart wrenching pain, I can only imagine the sadness in the air at that track the next day.. would have been cool for the winner of Bristol to do a Polish Victory Lap in his honor..✌💖
Rusty Wallace did that victory lap after winning the Bristol race
The Atlanta race that Alan clinched the cup at was the first NASCAR race I ever watched. So much history happened on that day. Richard Pettys last race, Jeff Gordons first, Davey losing the cup he had in his back pocket for a month. It was Bill Elliotts second to last win for a decade. Alan was my uncles favorite driver. He might have been a monster had he lived longer. RIP Alan Kulwicki.
If Alan was still alive and involved in NASCAR, I bet he would have a word some of the drivers who have big egos (both Busch brothers, Harvick, and definitely Keselowski after what happened at Talladega where Carl Edwards' crash bared a scary resemblence to the one Bobby Allison had in the late 1980s).
Alan would probably be running a 4-car team by now but still driving in Sprint Cup. I think he was more brilliant than Chad Knaus is today.
@Leonefan Damn right he was, and he would probably a Daytona 500 champion along with one or two more cup titles! Thx for this video pal, it means a lot to me. This guy is truly an inspiration and to be honest with you i admire his title more then all cup wins of Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon and Johnson alltogether, cuz he did it from scratch. Hardly any money, just heart, intelligence and determination. 1992 will always be treasured in every true NASCAR fan's heart. AK7 forever!
Munky
Well said, he is missed dearly.
And just like that, Tony Gibson won the Daytona 500 as a crew chief in 2017 with Ford and Kurt Busch.
1992 was the greatest Winston cup season ever! 5 points between 1st n 2nd
I met Bill Elliott when I worked at Walmart in dawsonville
I was on a family vacation in Disneyworld that week, and woke up that Friday when my dad tells us to look at the TV!
my favorite driver all time. he comes from polish heritage. and Roman Catholic. the Polish has the most faith in God I've ever seen when you have faith in God you could complish many things.
I Remember I was Watching the Race when He won the Title.
Good comment. You're right! Nothing against Tony....but this was the "real deal".
Still the last independent owner/driver to win the Championship and probably the last given how much money it takes to win today.
And for those media members who call Tony Stewart and owner/driver, he is absolutely not an owner/driver. He was given a 50% share in a race team that had already existed since 2002, and Haas still runs all of the team's business operations. He brought on Stewart because besides being a great driver, he had connections to get the team better paying sponsors, better crew members, and better support from Hendrick. Stewart did do all of those things, but it's Gene Haas' operation and Stewart doesn't really run it.
@RDarth I agree 100% ! I saw a great race at South Alabama Speedway last night- Twin 100 lap Late Model races with plenty of action and passing (26 cars on a fast 4/10 mile) -REAL RACING makes me forget all about nascar
222billp
Well said, I'm on board with you.
Sprint fan, but nothing like a Super Late
A-main. Unfortunately I am stuck up here in Pennsylvania dealing with SNOW 6 months/ yr. Rain 3 months/yr. & Awesome dirt tracks for the other 4 weeks/yr. My home track is Eriez Speedway, check it out...U tube of course.
with Todays multi-car teams and computerized chassis rigs etc it will be IMPOSSIBLE to do what Alan did. very sad indeed
NOBODY KNOW THEIR OWN CAR WITH KULWICKI HE WAS
OG wild thing
Swp alan kulwicki
R.I.P 🚘
This would make for a great film. Not sure why someone hasn't written a script for it.
LClassic15 I agree. Having just seen Ford v Ferrari, maybe they will.
@RDarth Yea, there is simply no comparison at all. I hoped Tony himself refutes those comparison when people bring it up but so far he hasn't..
@Leonefan
Yeah this sucks. I can't believe espn has the gall to make the comparisons to Special K. Stewart drove a hell of a race though, I'll give him that.
A.K. n Davey woulda gave ‘em all hell... Dale n Jeff were lucky...
the underbird
@AutoRockinRacing94 Indeed, some friends of his didn't believe the news when their son told it to them at first as he had a weird sense of humor.
@Mrtinkyloo They'd ignore him. He'd have been bankrupted as an owner-driver the same way Rudd, Bodine, etc. were.
I would think a lot of people did not believe the news due in fact that he died on April 1st (same thing with Marvin Gaye) and you what's on that day.
When April fools turns into April facts......
@Leonefan Big time car owner, probably...Driver? Probably not..he'd be 56 years old.
Loved Alan kulwicki . If it wasn't for Jeff Gordon, I would have quit watching.
Sort of funny how much Jeff Gordon and him were alike in being counterculture to the sport with the nearly combed hair and the brief case. But I feel like he was way more accepted than Gordon
@Mrtinkyloo oh come on that talladega wreck was edwards fault for coming down and blocking
@222billp
With Tony Stewart winning the first 2 races in the chase and having the points lead, I'm dreading the owner/driver comparisons that will be brought up. Nothing against Stewart but Kulwicki did not have the resources of Hendrick Motorsports. It all came out of his pocket.
top two comments orange and brown...crazy
Something seems out of line, Alan wasn't a kid but a grown man, it seems odd that he was buried with his parents rather than having his own plot, his own marker. I several pictures of Alan he is standing with the same woman I believed had to be his wife, yet I don't believe a wife would wanted her husband placed in his parents grave. Yes, I know about the plane crash and what happens to a human body is a aircraft fire. That has little bearing, many of those killed in airplane accidents have no body just pieces of bone, teeth, etc bags of sand are added to give a casket heft, and weight. Of the Flight 93 victims 28 passengers were vaporized, nothing was ever found, of the balance burned pieces were all that was left, yet the pieces were placed in a casket, a funeral was held, the body was buried.
I would like to see Alan have his own marker. After all it's no mean trick to win the title in 1992
@Orangetree547 He was not smart enough to outrun the sport's fratricidal economics or the insanity of the technology arms race. Hooters may have loved him but when the cost of doing business becomes prohibitive love won't matter. What happened to Rudd and Bodine and what it beginning to happen to Tony Stewart is what was going to befall Alan.
I never liked this bum after I watched him intentionally push Larry Detjens into the guard rail at Kaukauna killing Larry. Kulwicki knew Detjens was faster than him, so he took him out, permanently.