One of the greatest tragedies in NASCAR's history is that 1992 champion Alan Kulwicki, killed in an aeroplane crash 25 years ago this week, could not defend his title the following year.
But the loss is about more than just his battle to retain a championship. It is that his untimely end meant he was the last true NASCAR underdog, shirking the bright lights of leading team owners and illustrious squads to continue with the AK Racing outfit - his own set-up that won him a crown.
Even now, the key events that defined Kulwicki - honing his attitude to make it work on a dime, using his engineering degree to find a cutting edge and refine those abilities at the grassroots level - are ever more relevant in 2018.