Not to be confused with Gaming chair brand of the same name.
AK Racing was a championship-winning NASCARWinston Cup Series team. It was originally owned by Bill Terry before he sold it to rookie driver Alan Kulwicki, who controlled and raced for the team until his death in 1993. Kulwicki won five races as an owner-driver. Until Tony Stewart won the championship in 2011, he was the last owner-driver to win a Cup Series championship, which he won in 1992.[1]
The team debuted at the 1982Cracker Barrel Country Store 420 at Nashville Speedway USA with Bob Jarvis driving it as the No. 32 Clinomint Buick, finishing 28th out of 30 cars. Two races later, the No. 32 ran again at the World 600, with Bosco Lowe qualifying 40th and finishing 16th. Lowe drove the car in the Daytona 500 the following season, finishing 39th after a crash. Tommy Ellis drove their next race, bringing the Big Daddy's Buick to a 15th-place finish at Charlotte. Butch Lindley drove the final race of the 1983 season for the team at Martinsville Speedway, finishing 25th after suffering rear end problems.
Alan Kulwicki eraedit
The team was inactive until 1986, when it fielded a full-time car driven by rookie Alan Kulwicki. The car was now the No. 35 Quincy's Steak House Ford. After 14 starts, Terry sold the team to Kulwicki. After winning Rookie of the Year honors, Kulwicki changed the number of the car to No. 7 and got sponsorship from Zerex. Kulwicki won three pole positions and finished 15th in points. In 1988, Kulwicki won his first career race at Phoenix International Raceway. In celebration, he drove the now-famous Polish Victory Lap. He won once more in 1990, but lost his Zerex sponsorship. After beginning 1991 with no sponsor, he got a one-race deal with Hooters after their regular driver, Mark Stahl, failed to qualify. Hooters then signed up to sponsor the No. 7 full-time and Kulwicki won three races over the next two seasons. The peak of the team's success was 1992, when Kulwicki became the first owner-driver since Richard Petty did so in 1979 to win a Winston Cup championship. Entering the Hooters 500 (coincidentally, Petty's final race) as one of six drivers with a chance, Kulwicki finished second behind race winner Bill Elliott and led the most laps, enabling him to win the Cup by 10 points over Elliott. The car that won the championship carried the "Underbird" branding, which Kulwicki was able to do after obtaining permission from Ford to do so.
Kulwicki died in a plane crash five races into the 1993 season while flying back from a sponsor event. Under his ownership, the team won five races and recorded 75 top ten finishes with the last victory coming at Pocono Raceway the year before.
After Kulwicki's deathedit
The team ran under the financial guidance of SABCO Motorsports and Felix Sabates, but under Kulwicki's name, with Jimmy Hensley and Tommy Kendall driving until midway through 1993, when Bud Moore Engineering driver Geoff Bodine purchased the team's assets and ran it as Geoff Bodine Racing. In 1999, Bodine sold his portion of the team to Jim Mattei and John Porter and moved to drive for owner Joe Bessey, and the team began running Chevrolets. The next year the renamed Mattei Motorsports was bought midseason by Jim Smith, owner of Ultra Motorsports, and brought the No. 7 car into that team's fold. The last member of AK Racing who was still with the No. 7 team, Rich Wolski, was released in July 2000. Smith continued to run the team until 2004, during which time the team switched back to Ford and later fielded Dodges as part of a short-lived alliance with Ray Evernham's team. In 2005, Ultra's Cup Series assets were sold to driver Robby Gordon, who renamed the team Robby Gordon Motorsports and kept Smith as a part owner. Gordon continued to run the team until 2012, when he ran only a partial season and then shut down due to lack of sponsorship and funding. Smith left the team following the 2006 season after he shut down Ultra Motorsports. In 2013 driver / crew chief / owner Tommy Baldwin Jr. started a second team with the 7 number to run with Dave Blaney. Michael Annett, Alex Bowman, and Regan Smith drove the 7 in respective years after until the team became part time in 2017.
Referencesedit
^"NASCAR's stars align at season's halfway mark to Homestead-Miami Speedway for Ford Championship Weekend". Homestead-Miami Speedway. July 3, 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2009.
External linksedit
Bill Terry owner statistics at Racing-Reference
Alan Kulwicki owner statistics at Racing-Reference
November 18, 2023
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Not to be confused with Gaming chair brand of the same name AK Racing was a championship winning NASCAR Winston Cup Series team It was originally owned by Bill Terry before he sold it to rookie driver Alan Kulwicki who controlled and raced for the team until his death in 1993 Kulwicki won five races as an owner driver Until Tony Stewart won the championship in 2011 he was the last owner driver to win a Cup Series championship which he won in 1992 1 AK RacingOwner s Bill Terry Alan KulwickiBaseConcord North CarolinaSeriesWinston Cup Busch SeriesRace driversAlan KulwickiSponsorsZerex Hooters BojanglesManufacturerFordOpened1982Closed1993CareerDrivers Championships1Race victories5Kulwicki s 1988 car the car he used for his Polish Victory Lap Contents 1 History 1 1 Bill Terry era 1 2 Alan Kulwicki era 1 3 After Kulwicki s death 2 References 3 External linksHistory editBill Terry era edit The team debuted at the 1982 Cracker Barrel Country Store 420 at Nashville Speedway USA with Bob Jarvis driving it as the No 32 Clinomint Buick finishing 28th out of 30 cars Two races later the No 32 ran again at the World 600 with Bosco Lowe qualifying 40th and finishing 16th Lowe drove the car in the Daytona 500 the following season finishing 39th after a crash Tommy Ellis drove their next race bringing the Big Daddy s Buick to a 15th place finish at Charlotte Butch Lindley drove the final race of the 1983 season for the team at Martinsville Speedway finishing 25th after suffering rear end problems Alan Kulwicki era edit The team was inactive until 1986 when it fielded a full time car driven by rookie Alan Kulwicki The car was now the No 35 Quincy s Steak House Ford After 14 starts Terry sold the team to Kulwicki After winning Rookie of the Year honors Kulwicki changed the number of the car to No 7 and got sponsorship from Zerex Kulwicki won three pole positions and finished 15th in points In 1988 Kulwicki won his first career race at Phoenix International Raceway In celebration he drove the now famous Polish Victory Lap He won once more in 1990 but lost his Zerex sponsorship After beginning 1991 with no sponsor he got a one race deal with Hooters after their regular driver Mark Stahl failed to qualify Hooters then signed up to sponsor the No 7 full time and Kulwicki won three races over the next two seasons The peak of the team s success was 1992 when Kulwicki became the first owner driver since Richard Petty did so in 1979 to win a Winston Cup championship Entering the Hooters 500 coincidentally Petty s final race as one of six drivers with a chance Kulwicki finished second behind race winner Bill Elliott and led the most laps enabling him to win the Cup by 10 points over Elliott The car that won the championship carried the Underbird branding which Kulwicki was able to do after obtaining permission from Ford to do so Kulwicki died in a plane crash five races into the 1993 season while flying back from a sponsor event Under his ownership the team won five races and recorded 75 top ten finishes with the last victory coming at Pocono Raceway the year before After Kulwicki s death edit The team ran under the financial guidance of SABCO Motorsports and Felix Sabates but under Kulwicki s name with Jimmy Hensley and Tommy Kendall driving until midway through 1993 when Bud Moore Engineering driver Geoff Bodine purchased the team s assets and ran it as Geoff Bodine Racing In 1999 Bodine sold his portion of the team to Jim Mattei and John Porter and moved to drive for owner Joe Bessey and the team began running Chevrolets The next year the renamed Mattei Motorsports was bought midseason by Jim Smith owner of Ultra Motorsports and brought the No 7 car into that team s fold The last member of AK Racing who was still with the No 7 team Rich Wolski was released in July 2000 Smith continued to run the team until 2004 during which time the team switched back to Ford and later fielded Dodges as part of a short lived alliance with Ray Evernham s team In 2005 Ultra s Cup Series assets were sold to driver Robby Gordon who renamed the team Robby Gordon Motorsports and kept Smith as a part owner Gordon continued to run the team until 2012 when he ran only a partial season and then shut down due to lack of sponsorship and funding Smith left the team following the 2006 season after he shut down Ultra Motorsports In 2013 driver crew chief owner Tommy Baldwin Jr started a second team with the 7 number to run with Dave Blaney Michael Annett Alex Bowman and Regan Smith drove the 7 in respective years after until the team became part time in 2017 References edit NASCAR s stars align at season s halfway mark to Homestead Miami Speedway for Ford Championship Weekend Homestead Miami Speedway July 3 2009 Retrieved 17 December 2009 External links editBill Terry owner statistics at Racing Reference Alan Kulwicki owner statistics at Racing Reference Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title AK Racing amp oldid 1154619506, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
