Tim Richmond through the years

In our Driver by Number project this summer, we make our picks for the best driver by car number in NASCAR history. Few had as much success in the No. 25 -- in a short timeframe, no less -- than Tim Richmond. Richmond's legacy in NASCAR was too short as he died in 1989 at age 34, nearly two years to the day after his final NASCAR start, due to complications from AIDS. Join us in looking back at some of the best images of his NASCAR career.

Richmond won at Pocono four times in his career, including the 1986 Miller High Life 500.

Richmond was one of the first drivers to make the transition from open-wheel racing to NASCAR, and his larger-than-life personality lit up the garage.

After exchanging paint all day, Tim Richmond congratulated Dale Earnhardt after Earnhardt won the 1986 Coca-Cola 600 -- Richmond finished second.

There's that high-wattage smile.

Richmond relaxes before the start of a race at Martinsville Speedway. In 13 career starts at the track he logged two top-10 finishes.

Richmond's 1986 Southern 500 victory at Darlington Raceway may have been the marquee victory of his career.

His life was subject to an ESPN documentary 'Tim Richmond: To The Limit,' which debuted in 2010.

Of Richmond's 13 career wins, four came at Riverside -- including a season sweep in 1982. He finished sixth and second in 1984, the year this picture was taken.

Richmond ran his first five NASCAR premier series races in cars owned by D. K. Ulrich with UNO sponsorship.

Tim Richmond at Daytona International Speedway with the Old Milwaukee Pontiac he drove on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit for car owner Raymond Beadle from 1983 through 1985.

Richmond scored 13 premier series wins during his career, with more than half of them (seven) coming in 1986. He also won eight pole positions and finished third in the final standings that year.

A seven-win 1986 included a victory at famed Daytona International Speedway in July.

Richmond ran 185 premier series races from 1980 through 1987. In addition to his 13 wins, he logged 42 top fives and 89 top 10s.