King Racing was the name of famed NHRA Champion
Kenny BernsteinKenny Bernstein , is an American drag racing driver and former NASCAR owner. He is nicknamed the "Bud King" for his success in the Budweiser King dragster, he has also been nicknamed "The King of Speed," because he was the first driver to break 300 miles per hour.-Drag racing career:Bernstein first...
's
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Winston CupThe Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . It was formerly known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
team that operated in the late-1980's and early-1990's.
The team won its first race in 1988 with
Ricky RuddRicky Rudd is a retired American NASCAR driver. He is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and Nationwide Series driver Jason Rudd.Rudd is known as the "Ironman" of NASCAR, holding the record for most consecutive starts in NASCAR racing...
at the wheel of the Quaker State Buick at The Budweiser at the Glen race at
Watkins GlenWatkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
. Rudd also won the Banquet Frozen Foods 300 at
Sears Point RacewayInfineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
in
1989The 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began February 12 and ended November 19. Rusty Wallace of the #27 Kodiak Pontiac for Blue Max Racing won the championship...
.
The third and final win for King Racing came in 1990 at the First Union 400 at
North Wilkesboro SpeedwayNorth Wilkesboro Speedway is a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996....
with
Brett BodineBrett Bodine , is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is employed by NASCAR as Director of Cost and Research...
driving.
King Racing was the name of famed NHRA Champion
Kenny BernsteinKenny Bernstein , is an American drag racing driver and former NASCAR owner. He is nicknamed the "Bud King" for his success in the Budweiser King dragster, he has also been nicknamed "The King of Speed," because he was the first driver to break 300 miles per hour.-Drag racing career:Bernstein first...
's
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Winston CupThe Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . It was formerly known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
team that operated in the late-1980's and early-1990's.
The team won its first race in 1988 with
Ricky RuddRicky Rudd is a retired American NASCAR driver. He is the uncle of actor Skeet Ulrich and Nationwide Series driver Jason Rudd.Rudd is known as the "Ironman" of NASCAR, holding the record for most consecutive starts in NASCAR racing...
at the wheel of the Quaker State Buick at The Budweiser at the Glen race at
Watkins GlenWatkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
. Rudd also won the Banquet Frozen Foods 300 at
Sears Point RacewayInfineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
in
1989The 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began February 12 and ended November 19. Rusty Wallace of the #27 Kodiak Pontiac for Blue Max Racing won the championship...
.
The third and final win for King Racing came in 1990 at the First Union 400 at
North Wilkesboro SpeedwayNorth Wilkesboro Speedway is a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996....
with
Brett BodineBrett Bodine , is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is employed by NASCAR as Director of Cost and Research...
driving. Bodine competed in the most events with the team, driving in 158 races.In 1995, Sprint Car champion Steve Kinser started the season in the car but struggled and was released.Hut Sricklin took over and ran the rest of the season. Bernstein sold the team in 1995, but has maintained his NHRA team with continuing success.
In 1996 Quaker State became an associate sponsor for Hendrick Motorsports, using defending Nascar Champion Jeff Gordon in its marketing.
IndyCar
From 1988-1994, King Racing ran an
IndyCarSince 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
team.
Jim CrawfordJim Crawford was a Scottish racing driver. He participated in two World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on July 19, 1975. He was also the winner of the 1982 British Formula One Championship.Crawford moved to the United States in the 1980s and began a career in Champ Cars...
led laps during the
1988 Indianapolis 500Results of the 1988 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 29, 1988.-Recap:Roger Penske's team dominated the month, qualifying all three teammates Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan and Al Unser on the front row. Their cars have unique solid wheels instead of the conventional spoke designs...
in a
BuickBuick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Company...
-powered entry and finished 6th.
Johnny RutherfordJohn Sherman Rutherford, III is a retired U.S. automobile racer.The Texas-raised "Lonestar J.R." is one of nine drivers to win the prestigious Indianapolis 500 mile race at least three times: in 1974, 1976, and 1980. The others are Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose , A. J...
's final
Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500 or sometimes known simply as The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
start came driving for King Racing in the same year. The team scored a
pole positionThe term "pole position" comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole.The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsport, a driver has pole position when he or she starts a race at the front of...
at the
1992 Indianapolis 500The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24, 1992. Cold temperatures and high winds turned the race into a crash-filled, marathon day. The tone for the race was set early when pole position winner Roberto Guerrero crashed on the pace lap...
with
Roberto GuerreroRoberto José Guerrero Isaza is a former racing driver from Colombia. He participated in 29 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 23 January 1982....
at the wheel, but he wrecked his car during the pace lap and did not start the race. In
1993Results of the 1993 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 30, 1993.NOTE: Effective with the 1993 Indianapolis 500, a driver is no longer "Flagged" if he is a lapped car, and crosses the checkered flag....
,
Al UnserAlfred Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....
led laps and finished 12th.
1994 Indianapolis 500Results of the 1994 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 29, 1994.-Recap:*Al Unser, Jr. took the pole position at 228.011 mph, a cumulative four-lap effort of 2 minutes and 37.887 seconds. Brazilians Raul Boesel and two-time winner Emerson Fittipaldi started second and third on the...
was King Racing's final year in
CARTChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, with driver
Scott GoodyearScott Goodyear is a former race car driver from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Goodyear ran the IRL and Champ Car series during his career from 1987, winning the Michigan 500 in 1992 and 1994...
taking the checkered flag at the
Marlboro Michigan 500The Firestone Indy 400 is an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan.Since 1970, Michigan International Speedway has hosted at least one open-wheel race in every season, hosting 55 open-wheel races over 38 years...
.
External links