At least once a year, I pull out my videotape of the 1992 Hooters 500. The main reason is to see my favorite driver, Richard Petty, race for the last time and the second reason is to see Alan win the 1992 title. I'll never forget him talking about how there were going to be more races, but he wanted to win the championship so bad. He was his own man, a great driver, and a great role model for kids. We all still miss Alan and Davey, too. It is safe to say that both drivers would have least won a couple of championships by now. I've been watching Nascar for over 25 years. I still get teary eyed watching that race. You were great, Alan!
Mark Jones
Alan, My wife and I had the privilege to be at PIR when you won your first Winston Cup race. I'll never forget your Victory lap. Leave it to the polish kid to recognize that the fans cans see him and he can see the fans best if he does a victory lap. That "Polish Victory Lap" revealed the depth of your thought processes. We will remember you as long as we live!
Grumpy
In the days of big time money, multi-car teams, and drivers who cant turn a wrench, ALAN we miss you more and more with every race thats run! Thank you for doing it your way.
C.K. Berwick
What a true gentleman! I will never forget watching Alan win his Winston Cup Championship. He was nothing but class from the word go. We can only wonder what else he would have accomplished on the track as well as off. I recently saw a replay of the Hooters race in which Alan won the championship and cried as I saw Davey and Alan together in a race for the last time of the season. Both of them always had that "next race" attitude about life. God I wish so much that we had that "next race." I know somewhere Alan is at every race.
Dawn
A true champ…It was 1989 me and my brother were moving from FL to IN. We decided to go through Charolette,NC. So we could check out some race shops. We didn't get to met Alan(everyone was in Phoenix)but,we went to some shops that weekend anyway. We went to Ken Schrader's shop, Rob Morosoes shop,DW's shop and then we went to AK Racing.I was amazed at the size of his shop. Compared to the others it was so small.There was just 2 cars in the whole place.There was just a paint booth some storage in this little space above the offices and that was it.There was one man working in the garage and one woman working in the office. We talked to the both of them for a little bit, we didn't want to bother them to long because they were quite busy. But they still took time to talk to us. The woman in the office even gave us a postcard that Alan had autographed for his fan club. That's the only autograph of Alans I have. From that point on my brother and I were AK fans. To see what he did have and how he made it work with so little was just awesome. It made me a fan for life.
Terry Lippard
A true American HERO… I cannot believe 7 years have gone by since we lost Alan. I remember vividly hearing the news about Alan's death on ESPN and just crying like I had lost a family member. All NASCAR fans old and new have a void that just won't be filled again. The absolute saddest thing I've ever seen was when Alan's hauler made that lap around Bristol, in the rain, and all the teams lining pit wall. I still get tears 7 years later. In addition to Alan, say a prayer for the other people that were on that fateful flight with him. God only knows if the years have eased the pain those families felt.
Before I go, three cheers to Rusty Wallace for his "Polish Victory Lap" when he recorded victory #50 at Bristol on Sunday. He may not have said anything about it, but for all of Alan's fans, his actions were louder than words.
Alan, we miss you and may God be enjoying your presence!
David C. Clavier(#7 fan 4-ever)
Alan was one of the last great owner/drivers.
Ray
I've been a NASCAR fan for many years. AK has will always be one of my favorites. I've been a Rusty Wallace fan since 84 and I know he & AK were great friends. It was quite appropriate that Rusty won the Bristol race on 4/4/93 and completed that 1st Polish victory lap in honor of his buddy.
That's why it seems even more appropriate that Rusty would get his 50th win there this weekend & complete yet another Polish victory lap. I sometimes wonder if AK is watching over that #2 car at Bristol Motor Speedway. Thanks for the memories AK.
Jeri
Alan was a great driver, one of the best. He is missed immensely and it is so good to see his fellow drivers and friends honor him so with those Polish Victory Laps. GOOOO ALANNNNNNN, I'm sure your racing still to this day!!!!
Rusty
Inspiring...If only Alan knew how many lives he touched. He is still an inspiration to me even today. I wonder if the plight of the single car team would be the same today if Alan was still here. You were and still are a role model and a hero our sport needs so badly.
Long live the "underbird"
RIP AK
Bill Donovan
Forever a champion…A man who was brave and true - who fought the strong bunch to become the most admired of them all. Honored to be at the race when he won the title. Thanks for the memories, Alan! You may not be here physically, but the memories will live on forever.
Thanks Champ!
Diane
Gone But Not Forgotten…I was 11 when Alan Kulwicki's plane crashed. His death brought sadness to my whole family and I just couldn't believe what I was hearing on the radio and the TV. I thought what NASCAR did was incredible when that Sunday came, a driver drove Alan Kulwicki's Hooter's car around the track paying tribute to him. I just want to say one thing Alan Kulwicki ROCKS! HE WILL BE MISSED DEARLY.
Speed Demon
Drivers in Heaven…Alan Kulwicki was one of a kind...unique, original. With Mighty Mouse as his mascot, he was one of the greatest success stories in Cup history. It's difficult to believe it's going on 7 years that we've been without him; it seems like only yesterday he was our champion and we'd see the Hooters car running another Polish victory lap. May you rest in peace, AK...with all of the other drivers who have passed on to racing heaven. "They're racing in a better place, where angels always set the pace...and the good Lord says Gentlemen, start your engines." God Bless.
@}--->---
Robin
NASCAR'S Loss…I was sorry that evening that I got the news that Alan was gone. I used to love to see him race. Alan and Davey were my favorite drivers, and that was a hard year because both passed on. The closest thing that NASCAR had to a champion since Alan left is Dale Jarrett. Alan represented all that NASCAR and this Country stands for. Alan you are missed.
Zack Cecil
#7 was on top of the world…The 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup awards banquet at the Waldorf that night was very special for Alan, his mother & father and his girlfriend. After watching the video highlights of his career up to that point, it was hard to see the television through the tears, that this 34 year old man had in his eyes. I had the chance to watch him race against Trickle, Wallace and many others from the ASA.
It was truly a special moment in NASCAR history, the accomplishments of this determined, confident, underdog of the racing world to own & drive his way to the top of his sport with so much less than his fellow competitors.
That fateful morning I got up, readying myself for work. As I turned the TV on, the sad news from ESPN had cut through me like a knife. I sat in the living room crying and remembering the special night that Alan shared with his family and loved ones at the banquet. His family & friends dearly miss him, as we all do. I am sure, the last 7 seasons without him have left us all with a void in our hearts. I do think about #7 often and know deep in my heart that the WC standings would have been much different through the years if Alan was still with us.
Although I never had a chance to meet you in person.....Godspeed my friend. Your accomplishments will not be forgotten.
Our prayers are with you
David Ray, Dallas, Tx
never forgotten…in 1991 we had gone to the nascar race in rockingham. the saturday before the race we had gone to a restaraunt to eat dinner and were seated. my wife after a few minutes then said oh god, thats alan kulwicki over there !! i looked and said no it is not. she said it was. i said again no its not. i looked and looked again and then just focused on his face. i had never met the man before nor seen him out of his racing suit. it was him. well i had to go meet him and get his autograph, and my wife insisted that i leave him be. well sorry no doing and i got up. she went to the salad bar !! i asked alan if he would give me his autograph and he said sure sit down for a bit. i had him sign it to my wife and the only thing alan had to write on was a paper napkin. i thanked him and he had thanked me, i wished him all the best for the race on sunday and the under dog won it !! we always think of alan and in our opinion the # 7 should have been retired by nascar, but again our opinion. no doupt alan would have had more than 1 championship if he were still here today. rest in peace buddy, you will never be forgotten.
andy and june kay
True Champion…NASCAR has a champion once a year, but we seldom get such a complete package as we did with Alan Kulwicki. Class, intelligence, determination and tenacity. All those rare qualities make for a very special individual. You are, and will always be, greatly missed.
Bruce Ulmer
I met Alan in 1987 prior to the fall Bristol race. He had agreed to bring what we thought was a show car to the Ford dealership where I worked. When the truck pulled in with the car on an open trailer, we were suprised to see Alan behind the wheel. Several of the dealership employees helped him unload the car and get it displayed. It was at this point he informed us that this was his Bristol back-up car and that he didn't have an actual "show car" and that if he had a problem that he would have to come get the display. He also appeared at the dealership and signed autographs for 3 hours, handing out black and white photos instead of the color ones everyone else had. I still have my autographed black and white Kulwicki photo over my workbench and it serves as a reminder to me as to how far determination can carry you.
D. Jessee
Rusty's lap…Glad To see Rusty Doing One for AK (Polish Victory Lap That is) Haven't seen that in a while. RIP AK You are very Missed!!!!
Jeff
I too was very happy to see Rusty do his AK lap. I miss Alan very much.He was what I know Nascar to be. Wish we could bring those days back. So very glad he had the chance to win his chamionship,his way.
Jerry McNutt
I think about Alan a lot, he was/is my hero and inspiration in many areas of my life. This time of year is always hard for me as I have just returned from Bristol where I had the fortune of seeing Alan win twice. Rusty's lap was nice and a reminder to all that Alan was a great man.
But I am saddened by the fact that Alan is not here, not just because he was an incredible race car driver, but because he meant so much more to me. I grew up watching Alan race at places my father was a chief starter (flagman). Slinger, Kaukauna, Rockford and other tracks hold special memories for me. I saw Alan win at Bristol the year he won the championship but my best memory of Alan was the Memorial Day Charlotte race 1992 when after the race I went to the garage area to talk with him. I hadn't seen him personally in some time but he remembered me and was was very friendly. Alan took time to ask how my dad was doing and was not in a hurry to go. I appreciate Alan for being genuine, sincere, inviting and humble enough to talk with me and my friend. Little did I know that it was the last time I would talk with Alan. At the Alan Kulwicki Park benefit in Milwaukee I thanked his father, Jerry Kulwicki for such a special son.
People think that things get better as time passes but I find myself thinking about Alan and how the sport would be now if he was here. I miss him very much and every April 1st I watch his Tribute tape that Jim Tretal and Mr. Kulwicki made in his honor...and cry. This is not goodbye Alan because I know I will see you again, someday.
Your Friend,
Todd Witt AK7fan
Always an AK fan…My wife and I were in Phoenix for the Indy car race attending a cocktail party with some of the drivers when I happened to hear of Alan's death on the radio. It was as if a hammer fell in a quiet room. The party suddenly became very somber as we all remembered a good man, a great driver and a genuine champion for all time. That weekend Mario won his last Indy car race and none of us will ever see AK race again. Somehow it seems appropriate that 2 great champions passed a baton that weekend. Maybe some day we can all sit around in heaven and talk of the way things used to be. I know the #7 legacy lives on, from the Polish victory lap that Rusty drove at Bristol this past Sunday and Alan's shirt that I wore and to all of his loyal fans who continue to speak of the way that ole Hooters car ran smart and fast all the way to the front.
Ron Kujawa
A great driver whose life and career were cut short before realizing full potential. Every time I see a Polish Victory Lap I think of Alan. What a great tribute by his fellow drivers.
Vicki J. Urbon
I really liked Alan not only because he was a great race car driver but also because he was why we watched racing. He never complained or whined about the other person causing an accident or threw his helmet into another car. He was a true gentleman and kept his composure. I really respected him as a driver and as a human being. Drivers today are too quick to place the blame on someone else. Also, after Alan died, his show car was coming back through Charlotte and I heard on the news of where it was parked. It was about midnight when my mother and I jumped into my car and headed out to find it. At the time, I didn't know Charlotte very well but was determined to find his car. After about an hour of searching we finally found his car. I brought my camera and had my mother take some pictures of me with my Alan Kulwicki t-shirt on in front of the car. The next day I took my film to be developed. I was anxious to get them back so I had the 1 hour deal. I couldnt wait to get them back. When the pictures were finally ready, not one of them turned out. I was so devastated. It was just the emotion that I felt when I was standing in front of that car and wanted to capture that moment forever. I will always be an Alan Kulwicki fan.
Christine
Alan Kulwicki, Champion of Dreams…Alan Kulwicki was a great driver of his time, sure he was the underdog but he made it to become a Champion on a shoestring budget against the likes of Melling Racing and Yates Racing. Alan Kulwicki will be missed and although i never got to see him compete i watch those classic races with Kulwicki on espn classic. It is a shame he died so young so soon, one could only guess what he could've achieved if he hadn't died. Like Kulwicki once said "I did it my way" and he will always be remembered as a Champion by everyone.
Mike Sprintz
Your picture hangs on my office wall, there for all to see, who is that man some ask, and I reply, thats the Winston Cup Champion, The best there will ever be!
Hugh H. Turner
AK ALWAYS A CHAMPION…
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE AK MEMORIAL IN TALLADEGA IN APRIL OF 1995 WITH MY SON A GREAT PLEASURE TO SAY THE LEAST. THERE WE MET MR. BOB BROOKS AND MR. KULWICKI. YOU COULD STILL TELL THE PAIN OF MR. KULWICKI AFTER THOSE YEARS. I HAD FOLLOWED ALAN ALL HIS YEARS IN WINSTON CUP NEVER HAVING THE CHANCE TO MEET HIM, BUT YOU COULD ALWAYS FEEL A CLOSINESS TO HIM AND HIS TEAM. WE COULD ONLY WISH HE WAS STILL WITH US THIS DAY AND RACING.
THE NUMBER 7 IS ONLY FOR GREAT ONES MICKEY MANTLE AND ALAN KULWICKI THEY WILL FOLLOW ME ALWAYS IN MY LIFE AND BE PART OF CONVERSATIONS WITH MY SON IN THE YEARS TO COME. WE TRULY LOST A HERO AND GENTELMEN OF WINSTON CUP.
GOD BLESS THE PEOPLES CHAMPION (ALAN KULWICKI -1992 A DAY TO REMEMBER).
CHUCK THOMMEN, NAVARRE, FLORIDA