Race week memories: Kulwicki, Bonnett, Allison were legendary ’90s figures
With NASCAR growing, the early 1990s were great times for the sport. However, it was also the loss of three of its most popular figures in that era that caused everyone in the industry to pause and reflect as the losses rippled through the sport.
Alan Kulwicki (1954-93)
Alan Kulwicki had put together one of the most memorable seasons in NASCAR lore, winning the 1992 NASCAR Cup Series championship in one of the most miraculous comebacks in history. After trailing points leader Bill Elliott by 278 with six races remaining, Kulwicki managed to eat away at the deficit and won the championship by 10 points over Million Dollar Bill.
It was an amazing finish for the single-car team that year and 1993 started off in the same fashion, however, Kulwicki would perish in a plane crash on April 1 traveling to Bristol Motor Speedway for the NASCAR event that weekend.
The loss of its defending champion and a great guy in the garage was tough on the sport. Kulwicki garnered five total Cup victories and 75 top-10 finishes in nine years of competition, but it was his 1992 championship he is best known for in his illustrious career.
Alan Kulwicki by the numbers: NASCAR Cup Series
Wins – 5
Poles – 24
Top-5 Finishes: 38
Top-10 Finishes: 75
Laps Led: 2,686
Most wins at track (Cup): Bristol Motor Speedway (2); ISM Raceway (Phoenix), Pocono Raceway, Rockingham Speedway (1 at each)
NOTES: 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee; Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998
Davey Allison (1961-93)
Davey Allison’s career was on the upswing throughout the early ’90s. After winning the 1992 Daytona 500 and nearly the title that same year, 1993 was looking like it could be Allison’s season to win his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.
One of the members of the famed Alabama Gang, Allison won early in the 1993 campaign at Richmond Raceway, and was fifth in the standings midway through the season, but a helicopter crash in the infield of Talladega Superspeedway in July took the life of one of the sport’s most popular drivers and son of legend Bobby Allison.
Just like Kulwicki, Davey Allison raced nine seasons in the Cup Series, totaling 19 victories in a career that was trending upward before his death. After the final race of the season in 1993, series champion Dale Earnhardt and race winner Rusty Wallace drove a side-by-side Polish Victory Lap carrying flags for fallen drivers Kulwicki and Allison.
Davey Allison by the numbers: NASCAR Cup Series
Wins – 19
Poles – 14
Top-5 Finishes: 66
Top-10 Finishes: 92
Laps Led: 4,978
Most wins at track (Cup): Michigan International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway (3 wins at each)
NOTES: 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee; Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998
Neil Bonnett (1946-94)
Another member of the Alabama Gang, Neil Bonnett endured a 20-year career at NASCAR’s top level, amassing 18 victories.
Considered one of the good guys in the garage every week, Bonnett moved to the TV booth after a 1990 crash at Darlington Raceway, but always wanted to be back in a race car. In 1994, Bonnett secured a ride with Phoenix Racing for a limited schedule. It was an accident in the first practice for the 1994 Daytona 500 that Bonnett would not survive, cutting his storied career short.
He was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998 and won the 1981 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway for one of his biggest victories.
Neil Bonnett by the numbers: NASCAR Cup Series
Wins – 18
Poles – 20
Top-5 Finishes: 83
Top-10 Finishes: 156
Laps Led: 6,378
Most wins at track (Cup): Atlanta Motor Speedway and Rockingham Speedway (3 wins at each); 1981 Southern 500 winner at Darlington Raceway
NOTES: Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998
Ultimately, all three of these racing legends lost their lives in the 1993-94 seasons, but they were all tied together in a unique way.
Alan Kulwicki won the 1992 championship, but Davey Allison could have won the title by finishing fifth or better in the final race at Atlanta. Allison, the points leader heading into the finale, finished 27th, allowing Kulwicki to win the title over Bill Elliott. Allison would finish third in the championship standings.
Kulwicki passed away traveling to a track he had the most success on – Bristol Motor Speedway – where he had two of his five total series wins.
Allison passed away in a helicopter accident in the Talladega Superspeedway infield in 1993. Allison was piloting the helicopter to Talladega (with Red Farmer) to watch a practice session for Neil Bonnett and his son, David, who would be making his Busch Series debut. Farmer survived the crash and was pulled from the wreck by Bonnett.
Allison, Farmer and Bonnett were all tied together as members of the legendary Alabama Gang.