Kenny Irwin Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kenny Irwin Jr. |
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Irwin in 1998
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| Born | Kenneth Dale Irwin Jr. August 5, 1969 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
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| Died | July 7, 2000 (aged 30) Loudon, New Hampshire, U.S. |
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| Cause of death | Basilar skull fracture due to auto racing accident. | ||||||
| Achievements | 1996 USAC National Midget Champion | ||||||
| Awards | 1998 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year 1997 Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 87 races run over 4 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 19th (1999) | ||||||
| First race | 1997 Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 (Richmond) | ||||||
| Last race | 2000 Pepsi 400 (Daytona) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 14 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 50th (2000) | ||||||
| First race | 1999 Coca-Cola 300 (Texas) | ||||||
| Last race | 2000 Carquest Auto Parts 300 (Charlotte) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career | |||||||
| 32 races run over 3 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 10th (1997) | ||||||
| First win | 1997 Florida Dodge Dealers 400K (Homestead) | ||||||
| Last win | 1997 Pronto Auto Parts 400K (Texas) | ||||||
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Kenny Irwin Jr. (born August 5, 1969 – died July 7, 2000) was an American stock car racing driver. He competed in all three of NASCAR's main racing series. Kenny won two races in the Craftsman Truck Series. Before joining NASCAR, he raced in the United States Auto Club (USAC). He was known for his rivalry with fellow driver Tony Stewart. Sadly, Kenny Irwin Jr. passed away from injuries in a crash during a practice session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
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Early Life and Racing Start
Kenny Irwin Jr. grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was the third of four children. He started racing tiny "quarter-midget" cars even before he was in second grade!
After graduating from Lawrence North High School in 1988, where he also played soccer, Kenny continued his racing journey. In his teenage years, he got his racing license and competed in different types of car races, including road racing.
Success in USAC Racing
In 1991, Kenny began racing in the USAC series, which features open-wheel cars. He quickly became a star.
- He won 7 races in the USAC Sprint Car Series.
- He was named the Rookie of the Year in that series in 1993.
- In 1994, he earned the USAC Silver Crown Series Rookie of the Year award.
- He finished second in the USAC standings in 1995.
- In 1996, he became the USAC National Midget Series champion.
Because of his amazing success in USAC, many people started comparing him to NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon.
Kenny Irwin Jr.'s NASCAR Career
Kenny Irwin Jr. began his journey in NASCAR with the Craftsman Truck Series. This was his first step into the big leagues of stock car racing.
Truck Series Debut and Success
Kenny's first Truck Series race was in 1996 at Phoenix International Raceway. He drove a No. 26 Ford F-150. In his second race at Richmond International Raceway, he won the pole position (meaning he started first) and finished fifth!
In 1997, he raced full-time in the No. 98 Ford for Liberty Racing. It was a fantastic year for him:
- He won 2 races.
- He had 7 finishes in the top 5.
- He had 10 finishes in the top 10.
- He finished 10th in the overall points standings.
- He was named the Rookie of the Year for the Truck Series.
Moving Up to Winston Cup
Kenny also made his first start in the top NASCAR series, the Winston Cup Series, in 1997. He raced at Richmond with David Blair Motorsports. He started near the front and even led for twelve laps, finishing in eighth place. He raced three more times that season, always starting well.
After his strong performance, David Blair, his team owner, said, "Everyone has been hoping to find the next Jeff Gordon, I think we found him."
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In 1998, Kenny won the Rookie of the Year award in the Winston Cup Series. He drove the No. 28 car for Robert Yates Racing, taking over from Ernie Irvan. He started the year by winning an ARCA race at Daytona. During the 1998 season, he earned one pole position, one top 5 finish, and four top 10 finishes. In 1999, he had two pole positions, two top 5 finishes, and six top 10 finishes, ending the season in 19th place.
Busch Series and Rivalries
Kenny also raced in the NASCAR Busch Series starting in 1999. He drove the No. 11 Ford, which was owned by his teammate, Dale Jarrett, and NFL quarterback Brett Favre. He had two fifth-place finishes in five races that year.
Kenny was also known for a memorable moment with Tony Stewart, his old rival from USAC. During a race at Martinsville Speedway, after some contact on the track, Kenny spun Tony's car. Tony was very upset and showed his frustration as Kenny drove by under caution. This showed how intense their racing rivalry was!
For the 2000 season, Kenny joined Team SABCO to drive the No. 42 Chevrolet. He had one top 10 finish, placing 4th at Talladega Superspeedway. He also made nine starts in the Busch Series for SABCO. His last race was at Daytona International Speedway in the Pepsi 400. Many believed he had a very promising future with the team.
Legacy and Remembrance
On July 7, 2000, during a practice session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Kenny Irwin Jr. was involved in a serious accident. He passed away at the age of 30. The accident was believed to be caused by a stuck throttle in his car.
His former rival, Tony Stewart, won the race that Sunday and dedicated his trophy to Kenny's parents. Kenny's parents later created the Kenny Irwin Jr Foundation and the Dare to Dream Camp for children in his honor. The 2000 Brickyard 400 race, held on what would have been Kenny's 31st birthday, was also dedicated to his memory.
Images for kids
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Irwin's 1997 truck
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Irwin's 1997 Winston Cup car
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Irwin (No. 28) racing Matt Kenseth at Dover, 1998
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Irwin's Project Impact car, May 2000
