Alan Kulwicki

I am probably alone on the following. But I think the old ASA drivers and others with similar backgrounds should get some Nascar HoF recognition. Guys like Trickle, Eddy, and Sennaker were not Nascar brand names. But they inspired many that would go on to Nascar.
 
Greg said:
I am probably alone on the following. But I think the old ASA drivers and others with similar backgrounds should get some Nascar HoF recognition. Guys like Trickle, Eddy, and Sennaker were not Nascar brand names. But they inspired many that would go on to Nascar.
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Some the absolute best talent came through the ASA ranks. Not all of them made it to the Cup level. But the competition in ASA those days made a lot of good drivers much better drivers. In my opinion the ASA series was the premier short track touring event bar none. And that's coming from a life long Alabamian. We southerners used to think there was no other stock car racing anywhere but in the South. ASA was the bomb.
 
People forget something like this does not happen a lot. For a fully independent, non-factory team to do what Kulwcki did in the time span was very impressive.

His team was open for eleven years and won a championship, if he doesn't get in its honestly a crime. Could you imagine what Alan could have done with factory Ford backing like Melling, Roush, or Yates?
 
mack said:
Some the absolute best talent came through the ASA ranks. Not all of them made it to the Cup level. But the competition in ASA those days made a lot of good drivers much better drivers. In my opinion the ASA series was the premier short track touring event bar none. And that's coming from a life long Alabamian. We southerners used to think there was no other stock car racing anywhere but in the South. ASA was the bomb.
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Joe Shear. Butch Miller, Scott Hansen, etc
 
Spotter22 said:
Pulled off the Championship in one of the closest battles in history in the last race.
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It literally couldn't have gotten any closer. Had Bill Elliott led one more lap, he would have been the champ. Kulwicki led the most that day with 103, Elliott led 102. Kulwicki won the title by 10 points, had Elliott led the most it would have been a 10 point swing resulting in a tie, with the championship going to Elliott based on wins.
 
Greg said:
I am probably alone on the following. But I think the old ASA drivers and others with similar backgrounds should get some Nascar HoF recognition. Guys like Trickle, Eddy, and Sennaker were not Nascar brand names. But they inspired many that would go on to Nascar.
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I'm with ya
 
ToyYoda said:
It literally couldn't have gotten any closer. Had Bill Elliott led one more lap, he would have been the champ. Kulwicki led the most that day with 103, Elliott led 102. Kulwicki won the title by 10 points, had Elliott led the most it would have been a 10 point swing resulting in a tie, with the championship going to Elliott based on wins.
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Bill Elliott should have had the championship wrapped up before Atlanta and Davy should have won it after Bill. Between Bill's meltdown, Davy's inability to capitalize it left the door open for Alan and he did exactly what he needed to.
 
AtomicPunk55 said:
Bill Elliott should have had the championship wrapped up before Atlanta and Davy should have won it after Bill. Between Bill's meltdown, Davy's inability to capitalize it left the door open for Alan and he did exactly what he needed to.
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Davey had an incredibly bad stretch of luck during the second half of 1992 as well. He had the barrel roll at Pocono in July, lost his brother in August, and was taken out by Ernie Irvan in the finale in November.
 
ToyYoda said:
Davey had an incredibly bad stretch of luck during the second half of 1992 as well. He had the barrel roll at Pocono in July, lost his brother in August, and was taken out by Ernie Irvan in the finale in November.
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Oh that Swevin' Irvan.

Lord have mercy, he could have been a champion... If he kept it out of the wall as well.
 
Most drivers have worked their asses off. That in itself shouldn't be enough to get in.

I wouldn't have used the phrase 'sob story', but I posted a similar position regarding Davey Allison's nomination. I don't have a problem with either getting in, since I'm not big on HOFs in the first place. But their untimely deaths definitely brought a 'What might have been' aspect to their careers that only benefits their chances of entry.
 
The guy was a champion. Also, he was placed upon the 1998 NASCAR 50 Greatest Drivers - 30+ of which are already in the HOF. If you were a Champion, then you deserve to be in the HOF. Only 32 drivers have been crowned Champion at the highest level of the sport in 60+ years.
 
I think AK being an owner driver and winning the title needs to be put into context. What he did was not unheard of. Heading into 1992 DW was considered to be a serious title threat after posting a solid first year with his own team. AK was not some out of no where contender in NASCAR. He often qualified up front, was a common prerace interview and had a well run Zerex commercial. He was definitely a known commodity in NASCAR. His "Polish Victory" lap, extremely quirky personality (didn't he always have a comb in his car?) and Hooters sponsorship gave him a lot of exposure in the early 90's. Prior to 1992 his #1 issue was finishing races which led to him struggling for a sponsor for a short period once Zerex left and before Hooters came on-board. The sponsorship issues resulted in Kulwicki being part of the military sponsorship deal during the 1991 Daytona 500.

1992 was the perfect storm for him someone of his ilk to win a title. First, while he might have driven the "Underbird", the Thunderbird was far from inferior in 1992. Ford dominated 1992 from the start of the season until the end. While he won the title I think a lot, I won't say most but I want to, of fans believe Allison and Elliott had the more memorable/impressive seasons. Allison won the 500 and then the Winston in epic fashion. He then had an insane accident at Pocono before rallying late in the year to get back into contention. Elliott won 4 straight after Daytona and spent much of the season up front before faltering in the fall. His move to Junior Johnson was a major topic of discussion heading into the season and continued through Atlanta. Kulwicki mean while was steady/boringly good for most of the year. Then there was Gant who was having another great year past the age of 50. People were loving the Bandit in '91 and '92. Kyle Petty was also in contention all season. AK won the spring Bristol race and the 1st Pocono race then put together a real solid final month to come away with the title. He became a very good points racer which over time became a dreaded word.

I think AK deserves a place but I think his greatness as a result of him being an owner/driver is a bit overstated given the time period. I also don't want to sound like I'm taking away from his accomplishment. I just think overtime it's become a bit overstated because of the entire 1992 season's place in NASCAR history.
 
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Kulwicki achieved cult hero status IMO. He had a great story line the press could use, little engine that could and he died before his time. I'm sure he will get in. I can think of many more that should be inducted sooner.
 
To those discrediting AK's pretty likely position in the Hall of Fame,

it sounds like you guys have absolutely forgotten how his career went.

He was an independent team owner who went out and bested the best of the sport - he was championed above Elliott, Davey Allison, Earnhardt, Wallace, Waltrip, and many more established drivers.

The number of wins, in this case, are irrelevant. AK showed his grit and determination and earned his place among the finest.
 
I'm still trying to figure out how he won the cup myself
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Not that any of this was Kulwicki's problem, but 1992 was a VERY down year for NASCAR performance. Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace's seasons were among the worst of their careers, Mark Martin had a so-so year, Ricky Rudd took a step back, Ernie Irvan and Dale Jarrett had yet to assert their prowess, the next batch of superstars wasn't there yet. Even in championship contention, none of the points leader's seasons were stellar. Kulwicki's 4078 points was the lowest total EVER for a champion under the Latford System, and would have only been good enough for fourth place in the season before and after. From 1998 through 2001, I think each champion scored more than a 1000 more points than Kulwicki did in 1992. That championship was a Christmas miracle, the like never to be seen again.
 
Formerjackman said:
From 1998 through 2001, I think each champion scored more than a 1000 more points than Kulwicki did in 1992. That championship was a Christmas miracle, the like never to be seen again.
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There were more races from '98-'01 though. 33 in '98, 34 in '99 and '00, and 36 in '01. There were only 29 races in 1992.
 
Truex_rox said:
To those discrediting AK's pretty likely position in the Hall of Fame,

it sounds like you guys have absolutely forgotten how his career went.

He was an independent team owner who went out and bested the best of the sport - he was championed above Elliott, Davey Allison, Earnhardt, Wallace, Waltrip, and many more established drivers.

The number of wins, in this case, are irrelevant. AK showed his grit and determination and earned his place among the finest.
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I think him being an independent needs context. In the mid to late 80's there were guys showing up with their own teams, as well as underfunded teams, and making it work. I can still remember Lake Speed giving a tearful interview following a 2nd place finish at the 1985 Daytona 500. Two years later Speed started his own team and three years later he won the Transouth 500. That victory came a few months before Kulwicki won his first race as an owner/driver at Phoenix. AK did win the '86 Rookie of the Year so as been said he had success and was known commodity long before his 1992 title.

From the mid 80's until the early 90's there were a lot of contentious owner/driver relationships. Money was really starting to become a factor. Especially when it came to sponsors and who the sponsors were tied to. As a result the more established full-time drivers were starting to explore the idea of starting their own teams. Kulwicki simply stayed the course instead of signing with Junior Johnson. By doing so he was, at the time, thought to be following what was going to be a growing trend of owner/drivers. It did cost AK the Maxwell-Sponsorship heading into the 1991 season as JJ did him a dirty and "stole it".

AK was a very good driver and an extremely intelligent guy. I just think his legend has grown over time which has caused his story to be a bit embellished in context because of his death following the 1992 title and the fact he was an odd guy. Some of his perceived obstacles were self inflicted because he was difficult and quirky. He did things "My Way" for better or worse. That was his choice. It wasn't because he didn't have access to resources. He had good sponsors, good cars (Ford) and great crew chiefs. AK created the "Underbird" narrative in a lot of ways as a rallying point.

I liked AK as he was friends with Rusty dating back to their ASA days. My thing is that 26 years later the perception of the NASCAR climate in 1992 has been skewed imo. I also think people are discrediting the fact that Kulwicki was a known and respected commodity prior to '92.
 
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ToyYoda said:
There were more races from '98-'01 though. 33 in '98, 34 in '99 and '00, and 36 in '01. There were only 29 races in 1992.
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Good point. Should have thought that out a little longer before I posted it. I still think if you really look at it though, that 1992 was kind of a low water mark.
 
Formerjackman said:
Good point. Should have thought that out a little longer before I posted it. I still think if you really look at it though, that 1992 was kind of a low water mark.
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You are right though, 1992 was an uncharacteristically bad year for Earnhardt and Rusty, which probably helped. Only one win a piece for them that year and they finished 12th and 13th in points respectively, but the next year they combined for 16 wins and finished 1-2 in points.
 
Formerjackman said:
Not that any of this was Kulwicki's problem, but 1992 was a VERY down year for NASCAR performance. Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace's seasons were among the worst of their careers, Mark Martin had a so-so year, Ricky Rudd took a step back, Ernie Irvan and Dale Jarrett had yet to assert their prowess, the next batch of superstars wasn't there yet. Even in championship contention, none of the points leader's seasons were stellar. Kulwicki's 4078 points was the lowest total EVER for a champion under the Latford System, and would have only been good enough for fourth place in the season before and after. From 1998 through 2001, I think each champion scored more than a 1000 more points than Kulwicki did in 1992. That championship was a Christmas miracle, the like never to be seen again.
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Have you done an an "analysis" on every NASCAR season and its Champion regarding performance of the top teams?
 
I'm guessing most seasons have their own "what ifs" or "might have beens", those things don't really matter to me. For instance, in 1989 had Earnhardt not tangled with Rudd on the last lap in the Fall race at North Wilkesboro, would Rusty have won the title? Or if Sr. hadn't had trouble at the Fall race at Rockingham would Rusty had won it? Is Rustys title diminished by Earnhardts troubles? I don't think so. Was Ford better in 1992? Yep, but going into the finale at Atlanta, Gant was in contention for the title in an Olds, as was Kyle Petty in a Pontiac. And the "Underdbird" attitude came about after the fall race at Dover. If I recall correctly, AK pretty well conceded he was out of contention. He had a bad outing at Dover, finished 34th. AK had to make up 278 points in six races I believe. That was a daunting task. He did it. Just like Rusty, when others had trouble, he pounced on it. With the rules that were in place, with the parity among the makes, he was the best that year. And he was setting 4th in points when he lost his life in April of 1993. Would he have won another title? We'll never know. Would Davey had won several? We'll never know. All anyone can do is speculate on what "might" have happened. The history of NASCAR shows what did happen. Alan Kulwicki was the best there was in 1992. That won't ever change.
 
Spotter22 said:
Have you done an an "analysis" on every NASCAR season and its Champion regarding performance of the top teams?
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I'm getting ready for work and I'm bored so I'll try something.

Let's compare Alan Kulwicki's total (4078) after race 29 to the years after:

1993 - Points leader Dale Earnhardt had 4387, Kulwicki would have been 3rd.
1994 - Points leader Dale Earnhardt had 4476, Kulwicki would have been 2nd.
1995 - Points leader Jeff Gordon had 4387, Kulwicki would have been 3rd.
1996 - Points leader Terry Labonte had 4327, Kulwicki would have been 4th.
1997 - Points leader Jeff Gordon had 4321, Kulwicki would have been 4th.
1998 - Points leader Jeff Gordon had 4632, Kulwicki would have been 4th.

I can keep going but I think that your point has been proven correct. 1992 was an overall down year for performance. Alan's point total doesn't win him the championship (or even bring him close) to any of the subsequent 6 years.

Interesting way to look at it.
 
Spotter22 said:
Have you done an an "analysis" on every NASCAR season and its Champion regarding performance of the top teams?
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When a topic comes up like this, I sure try to. I remember telling people WHILE the 1992 season was unfolding that it was the championship nobody wanted to win. Kulwicki was completely out of it after Dover, and the 11 and 28 utterly failed to seal the deal. The 42 and 33 SHOULD have been eliminated from contention weeks before the finale, but weren't. This is in no way meant to belittle the accomplishment that Alan pulled off, he succeeded where others failed, but I also think it's important to put this rather odd season in the proper perspective.
 
AtomicPunk55 said:
Bill Elliott should have had the championship wrapped up before Atlanta and Davy should have won it after Bill. Between Bill's meltdown, Davy's inability to capitalize it left the door open for Alan and he did exactly what he needed to.
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At the end of the day, he performed like a champion and that they didn't. That's what champions do.
 
The Nature Boy said:
I'm getting ready for work and I'm bored so I'll try something.

Let's compare Alan Kulwicki's total (4078) after race 29 to the years after:

1993 - Points leader Dale Earnhardt had 4387, Kulwicki would have been 3rd.
1994 - Points leader Dale Earnhardt had 4476, Kulwicki would have been 2nd.
1995 - Points leader Jeff Gordon had 4387, Kulwicki would have been 3rd.
1996 - Points leader Terry Labonte had 4327, Kulwicki would have been 4th.
1997 - Points leader Jeff Gordon had 4321, Kulwicki would have been 4th.
1998 - Points leader Jeff Gordon had 4632, Kulwicki would have been 4th.

I can keep going but I think that your point has been proven correct. 1992 was an overall down year for performance. Alan's point total doesn't win him the championship (or even bring him close) to any of the subsequent 6 years.

Interesting way to look at it.
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All this shows is that the leader had more points than AK did his last year. That tells me those people ran up front more and scored more points. Maybe AK would have done the same and scored more than others. We will never know. We do know that AK outscored the Ford teams in 1992 and that makes him special.
 
Team Penske said:
All this shows is that the leader had more points than AK did his last year. That tells me those people ran up front more and scored more points. Maybe AK would have done the same and scored more than others. We will never know. We do know that AK outscored the Ford teams in 1992 and that makes him special.
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I'm not taking anything away from AK.

Just testing the hypothesis.
 
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