1992 #7 Hooters
1992 #7 Hooters / Ford Thunderbird
Chassis #007
Original Driver: Alan Kulwicki
Current Driver: Michael Cesario
Date Acquired: 11/01/2005
#7 Hooters Restaurant NASCAR
1989 Ford Thunderbird (chassis #007)
Motor: 358 Cubic Inch Ford V8
Horsepower: 720 bhp @ 8000 RPM’s
Torque: 525 lbs @ 6750 RPM’s
Transmission: Jerico 4-Speed
Fuel Capacity: 22 Gallons
Weight: 3400 pounds
Career Earnings $420,000
Original Driver: ALAN KULWICKI
Alan was NASCAR’S last owner/driver champion winning the 1992 title by 10 points over Bill Elliott in the closest race in history. After winning the championship Alan tragically lost his life in a plane crash on April 1, 1993 while on his way to a race in Bristol, Tennessee.
RACE HISTORY
Chassis 007 started out as Alan’s speedway ride in the 1989 Daytona 500 where it finished 7th after suffering a flat right front tire while leading with 4 laps to go. The next couple of years it ran in a number of other races until it was converted to a “low snout” short track car in September, 1991. In 1992 it ran in nine races and secured poles at the Bristol Food City 500, North Wilkesboro First Union 400 and Dover Peak Antifreeze 500. It carried Alan to his only two victories in this, his championship winning season, the Food City 500 in Bristol and the Champion Spark Plug 500 at Pocono.
This was Alan’s short track car during his 1992 championship winning run and was last driven at the Dover race on September 20, 1992 where he placed it on the pole after wrecking his primary car in practice. This set the standard for NASCAR teams to carry a race ready back up car. The car crashed in the race and was never run again.
Chassis 007 has been restored as it ran in 1992 under Hooters sponsorship and is now campaigned in the Historic Stock Car Race Series (HSCRS.com.) It continues to be a big hit whenever it appears in public as it holds a special place in NASCAR history and has been featured in Stock Car Racing Magazine, Vintage Motorsports, Victory Lane, Team Ford Racing eNews and This Week in Ford Racing.
Owners/Caretakers: Michael & Ellie Cesario of Reno, Nevada, Los Gatos, CA & London, England
Current Driver: Michael Cesario
Crew Chief/Crew: Ellie Cesario/Paul Cesario & Mark Cesario
Special thanks to Paul Andrews, Alan’s crew chief for compiling and assembling the car’s race history, to Darrell Lenox for his continuous mechanical expertise and support and to former Busch and Camping World crew chief, Cliff Button, for his chassis work to help this short track legend turn right almost as well as it turns left.
For more information and a schedule of upcoming appearances contact michael at mike@clubautosport.net.
