A True Champion...I've been watching NASCAR since 1985, and while I'm a Bill Elliott fan, Alan was one of the the few drivers who did it on his own, and made it. That will probably never happen now, with all the multi-car teams. it was an era we will miss, and to those who watched him, we all remember.he was a great person, and Rusty still remembers, and we all know what he does when he goes around the track in the opposite direction after a win.We will never forget..............
S. Galley
We miss you Alan...The only time I met Alan was at the Martinville track 6 months before that dreadful day. My son and I, who was 12 at the time, was in the pits before the race. He was going around trying to get drivers autographs. I told him not to bother anyone who was busy. Alan happened to walk by and my son walk up to him to ask for a autograph and he gracefully gave him one. Alan saw that we had a camara and ask if he wanted a picture, so I got one of him with my son. He has never forgotten that. We both were Davey Allison fans and got to talk to him also. WE MISS YOU ALAN and DAVEY
DENNIS AND JOSH THOMPSON
CHAMPION FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS...You are sorely missed and will forever be a champion on our hearts
Jeannie
Local Boy...I remember the first Winston Cup race I watched. I was amazed to hear there was a local boy running, and that he was supposed to be pretty good. That was enough for me, I became an Alan Kulwicki fan that day. It wasn't long after, that I watched him win his first race at Phoenix and wondered what he was doing when he turned his car around and headed around the track the wrong way. The "Polish Victory Lap" became his trademark, and was his way of showing who he was and where he came from. Going into the last race of the 92 season, I was really torn, three of my favorite drivers had a chance at the championship. Davey got caught up in Ernie's wreck and knocked out of the race. It came down to Alan and Bill Elliott, lap after lap, bumper to bumper, door to door. Probably the most exciting race I've ever watched. Alan won the championship by leading one more lap than Bill, and getting the five extra bonus points. I remember the excitement when Alan jumped out of his car. I remember seeing him at the awards banquet and thinking what a great champion and representative of the sport he was. I remember him coming home to sign autographs, and missing his plane because there were still people in line, and he wanted to make sure everyone got one. I remember hearing the news that his plane had gone down, and that it didn't look good. I cried like a baby, as did my whole family. My daughter the Davey Allison fan, my son the Bill Elliott fan, and my wife who wasn't even into racing, all knew we'd lost something special.
We'll never forget Alan. Thanks for helping to keep the memory alive.
Bob
Champion Forever...Alan became my hero because in 1992 while he was struggling for the Championship, I was struggling with a severe medical problem that could have taken my life. We both suceeded in spite of the odds.
Alan, I miss you, but thank you for the strength to keep on living. There will never be another like you. God bless.
LJL
A Racing Gentleman...The racing world lost a true "winner" the day you left us! I always admired AK because not only could you count on him for a great race, but sportsmanship was his #1 Goal. He knew the true meaning of the word race & gave a great show everytime he was on the track. I love You & greatly miss you dear. Enjoy Heaven!
Donna Jones~Mabelvale, Arkansas
We met Alan in Anniston, Alabama prior to the 1992 Talladega 500. It was at Anniston's annual fan fest. My son was seven years old and our entire family are Davey Allison Forever fans. Of course, it was a bitter sweet weekend as Davey was recovering from injuries recieved at Pocono the week before.
Alan was several hours late in arriving and announced that he would remain as long as people wished to talk to him. My son had met so many people that day, including the King, but he wanted to get Alan's autograph. We were on one side of a flat bed trailer and we could see Alan's dress shoes from underneath. My son quickly came up with the idea that he was small enough to go under the trailer and come up right in front of Alan. So he took his hardbound 1991 WC yearbook and headed under the trailer. As we watched from the other side, we saw our son go under and then out, and then we saw a future WC champion almost drop to his knees!!! Take a guess where my son and his yearbook ended up!!! Alan recomposed himself and graciously spent more than a few minutes talking with our son. What a way to meet a driver. We still kid our son about it to this day. Unfortunatley, just a year later, we would lose our greatest hero, Davey. The death of Alan in 1993 made us and the WC drivers realize that we are not invincible and that we should enjoy every moment as though it were our last.
Margie Lambert
I WAS AT ATLANTA IN 1992 WHEN ALAN WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP. IT IS A MEMORY THAT WILL ALWAYS BE WITH ME. ALAN DID IT HIS WAY!!!!!!
FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS #7
FYRMAN324( TAKING A POLISH VICTORY LAP)
Also there in 1992...Best race i've ever seen
remembering Alan??? HOW COULD I EVER FORGET!!!!
Mark
I, along with hundreds of thousands of fans were in shock when we heard the news of Alan's plain going down in that rain storm. I went to the N. Wilksboro race the next weekend and one of the sadest sights I recall were the women dressed in their Hooters outfits selling souvenir items from the trailer in the lot. These poor women had tears streaming down their faces and were so sweet listening to the fans talk about what a great guy Alan was. We all shared a common bond that day. I still have that shirt and it will always be my favorite.
Arnie
Alan will always be remembered as a class act in Nascar. We miss you.
Judy
I wanted to share with everyone that I still remember Alan, known as AK, since I first saw him racing with NASCAR. He was a great driver and a champion. I remember him driving his car in wrong way on the track after winning a race and thought that was great. He will never be forgotten in many years. We miss you and love you too.
Thomas J. Seib, 2ND
Great man and devoted racer!...Alan was a great person and cared for his family with all his heart, he loved his fan and all the people that belived in him. I belivend in him and i became a NASCAR fan because of him, I see a little of Alan in Jeff Gordon and that is why I follow Jeff Gordon to this day, Young and unafrid to make his own choices.Long live the image of Alan!!!!!
Billy Staros
A Hero in every sense of the word, Missed but NEVER forgotten... We love you Alan
Till we see you in Heaven....
The Scott's, Sue, Dave and Megan
ALAN was one of the true GREATS!!!
ART BRANDON
Celebrate the life...why do we wish to remember the death date??? why can't anyone celebrate the great alan kulwicki's life on his birthday or the anniversary of his championship??? just asking,that's all.
ed
#7 Not Forgotten...I remember that I had only been turned on to racing for about 4 years, because I first became a fan when "Days of Thunder" came out. I was pretty young at the time, about 10 or 11. I didn't really liked or disliked Kulwicki, but I respected him beacuse he was out on the track puutting in his all every week, from when he was with Zerex to when he died with Hooters. When I read the article in the paper my heart just sank. Not long after Davey (Allison)died, and I really liked him. I went and saw my first race at Atlanta in November that year, and before the race in memory of Davey and Alan, both of their cars went onto the track and Davey's car did a lap the right way, and Alan's car did a Polish Victory Lap. I was in tears. Racing had truly lost two of its ambassadors. They are still missed.
Trey Pruitt
Forever our Champion!...We all still miss you a ton. All the new fans who are just coming to this great sport don't know much about the history of it, and will hopefully learn and understand why a few drivers to this day are doing the Polish Victory lap which Alan started. I remember when he won the championship in 92 and did his last polish victory lap, he said that would be the last one. We wish it would have been, because if it was Alan would still be here with us. I'd like to thank the drivers who still are doing the polish victory lap for continuing to do it in remembering Alan. I always liked Alan and loved seeing him win both races and the Championship back in 92. Alan in alot of ways was the ultimate underdog, who accompished more than most who had a lot more than he did have done. Alan was my dad's favorite driver and still is.
Alan, we miss you and will always remember you. Thank you for the memories!
Gretta
I grew up with racing in the northeast,modifieds at Stafford,Riverside,and Thompson speedways.My dad followed it close,so i was naturally intrested in it,we would watch Winston Cup on Wild World of Sports and when Nasacr finally went prime time my dad was in his last years.We would cheer on Bill Elliot,Rusty and hope Earnhardt didn't beat us! But we always had respect for the #7,a driver who always deserved respect.The day Elliot won Atlanta,i was sad in some respects that he didn't win the championship,also that my dad wasn't there to watch it with me,but i cried when Alan did his polish victory lap.That will forever stick in my memories of Nascar .....he was a true champion,a true gentleman,and will always be missed in this sport!
Jim Flynt
Alan, My wife and I had been together roughly 2 years when your death occurred. I had to explain to her why I was so upset…she couldn’t understand why I was crying. I’m a huge Dale Earnhardt fan, but when I saw you racing him. I said there is a man that can ruin Dales day. To this day when they show clips of you my wife, now gets upset. She saw what I meant. You were one hell of a racecar driver and Champion. We miss you!! God Bless!!
Thanks, The Rivers Family
A.K.R....a POLISH VICTORY lap,one more time!! Thanks for racin with class. You aways said don`t ever give up,great words to live by. CHAMPION 1st CLASS ALWAYS!!! SCRUFF
Scruffy
My wife still remembers me standing up and yelling at the television as Alan and Bill Elliott fought the battle at the 1992 Hooter's Atlanta race. Seven years later she still thinks I'm nuts, but a good kind of nuts.
Racinart
Dear Alan,You will never be forgotten ,as long as drivers like Rusty and such keep doing Polish victory laps,you will be remembered on each and every one of those laps. God Bless.
Gary Wisneski
Racing hasn't been the same since Alan went to race in a better place. We miss you Alan!
Mike Reed
My first encounter with Alan was Sept 1992 at Martinsville speedway. My son and I were at the race and we had pit passes. My son was going around trying to get autographs, he was 12 years old at the time. I told him if anybody look busy to not bother them, so we was just walking around the pits looking around. Alan happened to walk by and my son went up to him and ask for a autograph Alan said sure and ask if wanted a picture to. So he got his picture made with Alan also. It really made my son's day, he still hasn't forgotten that experince. We both were Davey Allison fans and we got to meet him too. Little did we know what the next year would bring.
STILL FANS OF ALAN AND DAVEY
DENNIS AND JOSHUA THOMPSON
We miss you Alan, As a collector of over 400 racing cars, My 1/24th # 7 Hooters Ford is my most prized possesion, Nascar is growing, The new racing fans just dont know what they missed, When Rusty did that Polish Victory lap at Bristol last week, It brought a tear to my eye, Your still the man Alan
Mark Dempsey