Car Number Histories: No. 28

ATLANTA -- Of the 40 winningest drivers in NASCAR history, 10 have appeared at some point behind the wheel of the No. 28. Surprisingly, not one has ever won a NASCAR championship in that car.

The numeral's been around pretty much since the beginning, but wasn't a winner until Fred Lorenzen appeared on the scene in 1960.

Before that, Buddy Helms drove the No. 28 in 1949-50. Slick Smith had a four-race stint over a three-year period, starting in 1949.

ALSO  •  Purchase tickets for the Daytona 500!  •  Daytona countdown archive

Ray Chase was in four races in 1951, with a best of 12th at Columbia. Herb Fry drove a No. 28 Hudson to 23rd in the 1952 Southern 500.

In 1953, Nevadan Eddie Skinner started a six-year career in the No. 28. In four races that season, his best was seventh at Rapid City. The next year, Skinner expanded his schedule, running 15 times, including a ninth at Savannah and finishing 18th in the final standings.

Skinner ran even more races in 1955, with 15 top-10s in 38 starts, earning him seventh in the points. By 1956, Skinner cut back to three races, then switched from Oldsmobile to Ford in 1957, running nine more times over the next two seasons without cracking the top 10.

Lorenzen never ran a full schedule, which in those days could reach 60 races, but his Fords were consistently fast -- and consistently in the top 20 in the final standings.

In his rookie season in 1960, Lorenzen was eighth in the Daytona 500 and third in the Firecracker 400, his best efforts in 10 starts. The next season, he won at Martinsville, Darlington and Atlanta in the span of 15 races.

In 1962, Lorenzen finished seventh in the points, winning at Atlanta and finishing fifth in the Daytona 500.

The next season, Lorenzen started 29 races, winning six times and earning eight pole positions. That left him third in the standings.

He continued to excel in 1964, winning half of his 16 starts and adding seven more poles to his resume. He won five straight times that year -- Bristol, Atlanta, North Wilkesboro, Martinsville and Darlington -- but not in consecutive races.

Lorenzen picked right up where he left off in 1965, winning the Daytona 500. He also swept both Charlotte races and added another victory at Martinsville, finishing 13th in the final standings.

Wins at Martinsville and Rockingham in 1966 came in just 11 starts, while Lorenzen won a Daytona qualifying race (which counted in the points) and was runner-up to Mario Andretti in the 500 in 1967.

Lorenzen took a couple of years off, then returned in 1970 to win a pole at Atlanta in a Dodge. In 1972, he drove Fords and Chevrolets, running fourth at Talladega and in the Southern 500.

In 1973, open-wheel star Gordon Johncock, who would win the Indianapolis 500 that season, came to NASCAR to run six races. He won the pole at Atlanta and finished fourth in the Firecracker 400. In addition, Ramo Stott and Charlie Glotzbach piloted the No. 28.

The next year, Glotzbach shared the ride with Dick Brooks, with Glotzbach finishing fourth at Rockingham.

	Ricky Rudd was the last to drive the No. 28, finishing tenth in the final standings in 2002. Credit: Autostock

In 1975, five drivers -- Bobby Isaac, Johncock, Glotzbach, Donnie Allison and A.J. Foyt -- combined for 12 starts and four top-10s. The next season, Foyt and Allison drove in 11 races combined.

Jerry Jolly and Dave Dion split driving duties in 1978, making a total of four starts.

Then Buddy Baker acquired the numeral starting in 1979 for a successful two-year stretch in which he won five races and 13 poles, including a long-awaited victory in the Daytona 500 in 1980.

In 1981, Bobby Allison came closest to winning a NASCAR championship, finishing second despite five wins, including a season sweep at Riverside. He had 26 top-10s in 31 starts.

Baker returned to the No. 28 in 1982, sharing the ride with Benny Parsons. The two combined for 10 top-fives and 17 top-10s. In addition, Joe Ruttman drove the car one time.

By 1983, Cale Yarborough was looking to run a limited schedule and drove 16 races a year over the next four seasons in the No. 28. That year, he won the Daytona 500, swept both races at Michigan and was victorious at Atlanta.

In 1984, Yarborough successfully defended his title at Daytona, then added wins at Talladega and Pocono to his resume. The next season, he won again at Talladega and Charlotte.

In 1986, Yarborough was winless, but collected five top-10s. Chad Little ran two races as well.

Then Davey Allison moved into the driver's seat of the No. 28, starting in 1987. He won two races a year for the next four seasons.

In 1987, he triumphed at Talladega and Dover. The next year, he won at Michigan and Richmond. In 1989, he visited Victory Lane at Talladega and Daytona, then added Bristol and Charlotte trophies to his collection in 1990.

Starting in 1991, Allison posted back-to-back third place finishes in the final standings, winning five races each time. That season, he posted wins at Charlotte, Sonoma, Michigan, Rockingham and Phoenix, proving his talents as an all-round racer.

He was even better in 1992, taking a thrilling Daytona 500 victory, then winning at North Wilkesboro, Talladega, Michigan and repeating at Phoenix.

Allison started off the 1993 season with a win at Richmond, but he was fatally injured later that season when the helicopter he was piloting crashed in the Talladega infield. Robby Gordon filled in at Talladega, finishing 42nd. Lake Speed ran three races and then Ernie Irvan came over from the No. 4 to finish the season, winning at Martinsville and Charlotte.

Irvan won at Richmond, Atlanta and Sonoma the next year, but missed 10 races following a practice crash at Michigan that nearly took his life. Kenny Wallace posted two top-10s in those starts.

Dale Jarrett moved into the No. 28 in 1995, winning in Pocono and finishing 13th in the standings. Then Irvan returned in 1996, winning at Loudon and Richmond on his way to tenth in the final points.

Irvan won at Michigan in 1997, finishing 14th in the standings.

Kenny Irwin replaced Irvan in the No. 28, starting in 1998. Over a two-year stretch, Irwin had 10 top-10s, finishing 19th in the points in 1999.

Ricky Rudd was named driver of the No. 28, starting in 2000. Over the next three years, Rudd won three times -- at Pocono and Richmond in 2001 and Sonoma in 2002 -- and accumulated 53 top-10s. He was fifth in the points his first year, fourth in 2001 and then dropped to tenth in 2002.

The numeral then went unused in 2003 as Robert Yates Racing switched to the No. 38.