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Rob Moroso

{{Short description|American racing driver}}

{{Infobox NASCAR driver|

name = Rob Moroso |

birth_date = {{Birth date|1968|9|26|mf=y}} |

death_date = {{death date and age|1990|9|30|1968|9|28|mf=y}}|

birth_place = Madison, Connecticut, U.S.

| death_place = Near Mooresville, North Carolina, U.S.{{cite web|author1=Associated Press|title=Rob Moroso, Stock Car Driver, 22|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/02/obituaries/rob-moroso-stock-car-driver-22.html|website=The New York Times|access-date=17 May 2015|location=Mooresville, North Carolina|date=October 2, 1990}}

|death_cause = Highway automobile crash

|achievements = 1989 NASCAR Busch Series champion

|awards = 1989 Busch Series Most Popular Driver
1990 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year (posthumously) |

Total_Cup_Races = 29 |

Years_In_Cup = 3 |

Best_Cup_Pos = 30th (1990) |

First_Cup_Race = 1988 Oakwood Homes 500 (Charlotte) |

Last_Cup_Race = 1990 Tyson Holly Farms 400 (North Wilkesboro) |

Cup_Wins = 0 |

Cup_Top_Tens = 1 |

Cup_Poles = 0 |

Total_Busch_Races = 86 |

Years_In_Busch = 4 |

Best_Busch_Pos = 1st (1989) |

First_Busch_Race = 1986 Roses Stores 150 (Rougemont) |

Last_Busch_Race = 1989 Winston Classic (Martinsville) |

First_Busch_Win = 1988 Myrtle Beach 200 (Myrtle Beach) |

Last_Busch_Win = 1989 All Pro 300 (Charlotte) |

Busch_Wins = 6 |

Busch_Top_Tens = 42 |

Busch_Poles = 9 |

updated = March 4, 2012 |

}}

Robert James Moroso (September 26, 1968 {{spaced ndash}} September 30, 1990) was an American NASCAR racing driver who was champion of the NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) in 1989,{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2D81F3DF931A35753C1A966958260&scp=1&sq=%22rob%20moroso%22&st=cse |title=Obituaries: Rob Moroso, Stock Car Driver, 22 |date=October 2, 1990 |work=New York Times |access-date=2013-08-23}} and was posthumously awarded the 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup (now NASCAR Cup Series) Rookie of the Year award. A promising young driver, he and another driver were killed when Moroso was driving under the influence at excessive speeds on roads near his hometown of Terrell, North Carolina.

Born in Greenwich, Connecticut, he was the son of Dick Moroso,{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/features/through-the-lens/through-the-lens-rob-moroso |title=Through The Lens: Rob Moroso |publisher=National Speed Sport News |access-date=2009-02-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207053435/http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/features/through-the-lens/through-the-lens-rob-moroso |archive-date=December 7, 2008 }} founder of Moroso Performance, suppliers of aftermarket automotive parts, and former owner of Moroso Motorsports Park in Jupiter, Florida.{{cite web|last1=Lazzarino|first1=Chris|title=Nascar Driver Moroso Is Killed In Highway Crash|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1990-10-02/sports/9002170136_1_tammy-williams-wilkesboro-charlotte-motor-speedway|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110060313/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1990-10-02/sports/9002170136_1_tammy-williams-wilkesboro-charlotte-motor-speedway|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 10, 2016|website=sun-sentinel.com|publisher=Sun-Sentinel|access-date=17 May 2015}}

Early life

Moroso grew up in Madison, Connecticut, with two other siblings, Rick and Susan. His father was Richard D. "Dick" Moroso, who served as owner and sponsor for much of the younger Moroso's racing career.{{cite web|last1=Purkey|first1=Mike|title=Stock Car Racing's Next King?: Only 21, 'Crown Prince' Rob Moroso Gets Big Buildup|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1990/02/25/stock-car-racings-next-king/|website=chicagotribune.com|publisher=Chicago Tribune, Knight Ridder Newspapers|access-date=17 May 2015|date=February 25, 1990}}{{cite web|title=Automotive Entrepreneur Dick Moroso Succumbs to Cancer|url=http://www.dragracecentral.com/drcstory.asp?ID=45246|website=Dragracecentral.com|publisher=Autosales, Inc.|access-date=17 May 2015|location=Guilford, Connecticut|date=November 9, 1998}}

After graduating from high school, Moroso enrolled in courses at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina, though he failed to complete them. He also attended the Buck Baker Racing School at Rockingham Speedway.

Racing career

=Busch Series=

Moroso made his debut in the Busch Series at Orange County Speedway in North Carolina in 1986, two days after his 18th birthday. Driving the No. 23 Old Milwaukee Chevrolet, he qualified an impressive sixth, but finished 21st after suspension issues. He made his second start of the season in Rick Hendrick's No. 15 Chevrolet at Rockingham Speedway, finishing 18th.{{cite web|author1=SM Staff|title=The Original 'Sliced Bread', Remembering Rob Moroso|url=http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=3158|website=speedwaymedia.com|publisher=speedwaymedia.com, USA Today|access-date=17 May 2015|date=November 4, 2010}} Moroso began running full-time in 1987, driving the No. 25 Oldsmobile owned by his father and sponsored by Moroso Performance. Moroso ran 25 of 27 races that season, with eight top tens and a 15th-place points finish. 1988 was a breakout season for Moroso. He won his first career race in July 1988 at Myrtle Beach Speedway, at the age of 19, after out-dueling defending series champion Larry Pearson. He would score his second win of the season at Charlotte, and finished second in the final Busch series points to Tommy Ellis.

In 1989, Moroso was vying with veteran driver Tommy Houston for the championship in the final race of the year, at Martinsville Speedway. Houston's engine failed during the race, while Moroso finished third and won the title by 55 points over Houston. At the time Moroso was the youngest champion in the history of NASCAR. Moroso won a total of six races from 1988 to 1989, including 3 consecutive at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and was voted the most popular driver on the circuit.

=Winston Cup Series=

File:Rob Moroso Oldsmobile IMHOF.jpg]]

Moroso made his debut in Winston Cup in 1988 at Charlotte in the No. 47 Peak Antifreeze Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, finishing 14th.{{cite web|last1=Sharp|first1=Seth|title=Remember When: Rob Moroso|url=http://www.popularspeed.com/remember-when-rob-moroso/|website=popularspeed.com|publisher=Popular Speed|access-date=17 May 2015|date=October 8, 2014}} He would race one more time in 1988 and ran two races in 1989 as a warm up for the following season. Moroso declared he was running for Rookie of the Year in the 1990 season, driving the No. 20 Crown Central Petroleum Oldsmobile for his father. The highlight of the season was a ninth-place finish in the Pepsi Firecracker 400 at Daytona. Other than that, Moroso posted no wins, no top 5's, and only 1 top 10 and DNF'd in 15 races.

Death

On September 30, 1990, four days after his 22nd birthday, Moroso was killed in an automobile crash on North Carolina Highway 150 near Mooresville, North Carolina, only hours after finishing 21st in the Holly Farms 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Traveling at an estimated {{convert|75|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}, Moroso lost control of his vehicle in a curve with a {{convert|35|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} posted speed limit, skidding over 200 feet before being struck in the driver's side door by an oncoming car in the opposite lane. The resulting collision killed both Moroso and Tammy Williams, a 27-year-old nursing assistant, wife and mother who was driving in the opposite lane. The passenger in Moroso's vehicle, girlfriend Debbie Bryant, as well as a passenger in Williams' vehicle both survived with injuries.{{cite web|last1=Glick|first1=Shav|title=NASCAR Driver Moroso Dies in Crash on Highway|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-02-sp-1681-story.html|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=17 May 2015|date=October 2, 1990}}

Investigations revealed that he had been driving under the influence of alcohol. Moroso had been seen drinking several beers at a Cornelius, North Carolina, lounge prior to the crash, and his blood alcohol level was found to be 0.22, over twice the then legal level of 0.10.{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDF143AF936A35753C1A966958260&scp=2&sq=%22rob%20moroso%22&st=cse|title=SPORTS PEOPLE: AUTO RACING; Concern Over Image |date=October 5, 1990|work=New York Times|access-date=2009-02-20}} He also had been convicted of speeding four times between 1987 and 1989, and had been involved in two prior highway crashes which included a rollover.{{cite web|last1=Pearce|first1=Al|title=Moroso Tragedy The End Result Of Reckless Record|url=https://www.dailypress.com/1990/10/04/moroso-tragedy-the-end-result-of-reckless-record/|website=dailypress.com|publisher=Daily Press|access-date=17 May 2015|date=October 4, 1990}} Judges could have revoked his license at least twice but the charges were reduced.{{cite web|url=http://www.nascar.com/2005/news/opinion/11/14/cross.words/index.html|title=Cross' Words: Phoenix|last=Cross|first=Duane|date=November 14, 2005|publisher=NASCAR|access-date=2009-02-20}}{{cite web|last1=Dame|first1=Mike|title=Moroso Had Flirted With Death: Blood-alcohol Level Is Measured At .22|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/10/04/moroso-had-flirted-with-death/|website=orlandosentinal.com|publisher=Orlando Sentinel|access-date=17 May 2015|date=October 4, 1990}}

Moroso earned enough points after completing just 25 of 29 races that he was awarded the Raybestos NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award in 1990, the only driver to ever receive the award posthumously.

Motorsports career results

=NASCAR=

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

==Winston Cup Series==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%"
colspan=45| NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year

! Team

! No.

! Make

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! 15

! 16

! 17

! 18

! 19

! 20

! 21

! 22

! 23

! 24

! 25

! 26

! 27

! 28

! 29

! {{Tooltip|NWCC|NASCAR Winston Cup classification}}

! Pts

! Ref

rowspan=2| 1988

! Hendrick Motorsports

! 47

! Chevy

| DAY

| RCH

| CAR

| ATL

| DAR

| BRI

| NWS

| MAR

| TAL

| CLT

| DOV

| RSD

| POC

| MCH

| DAY

| POC

| TAL

| GLN

| MCH

| BRI

| DAR

| RCH

| DOV

| MAR

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CLT
14

| colspan=4|

! rowspan=2| 54th

! rowspan=2| 191

! rowspan=2| {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/morosro01/1988/W|title=Rob Moroso – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=April 18, 2023}}

rowspan=3| Moroso Racing

! rowspan=2| 22

! rowspan=3| Olds

| colspan=25|

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NWS
31

| CAR

| PHO

| ATL

1989

| DAY

| CAR

| ATL

| RCH

| DAR

| BRI

| NWS

| MAR

| TAL

| CLT

| DOV

| SON

| POC

| MCH

| DAY

| POC

| TAL

| GLN

| MCH

| BRI

| DAR

| RCH

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DOV
28

| MAR

| CLT

| NWS

| CAR

| PHO

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ATL
34

! 63rd

! 140

! {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/morosro01/1989/W|title=Rob Moroso – 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=April 18, 2023}}

1990

! 20

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAY
38

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| RCH
15

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CAR
30

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ATL
33

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAR
26

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRI
30

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NWS
32

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MAR
13

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TAL
37

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CLT
26

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DOV
29

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SON
42

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| POC
36

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MCH
16

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DAY
9

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| POC
32

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| TAL
12

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| GLN
13

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MCH
26

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRI
30

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DAR
13

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| RCH
28

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DOV
28

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MAR
21

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| NWS
21

| CLT

| CAR

| PHO

| ATL

! 30th

! 2184

! {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/morosro01/1990/W|title=Rob Moroso – 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=April 18, 2023}}

===Daytona 500===

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
Year

! Team

! Manufacturer

! Start

! Finish

1990

| Moroso Racing

| Oldsmobile

|align=center| 36

|align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 38

==Busch Series==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%"

!colspan=42| NASCAR Busch Series results

Year

! Team

! No.

! Make

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! 15

! 16

! 17

! 18

! 19

! 20

! 21

! 22

! 23

! 24

! 25

! 26

! 27

! 28

! 29

! 30

! 31

! {{Tooltip|NBSC|NASCAR Busch Series classification}}

! Pts

! Ref

rowspan=2| 1986

!

! 23

! Olds

| DAY

| CAR

| HCY

| MAR

| BRI

| DAR

| SBO

| LGY

| JFC

| DOV

| CLT

| SBO

| HCY

| ROU

| IRP

| SBO

| RAL

| OXF

| SBO

| HCY

| LGY

| ROU

| BRI

| DAR

| RCH

| DOV

| MAR

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ROU
21

| CLT

| colspan=2|

! rowspan=2| 59th

! rowspan=2| 209

! rowspan=2| {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/morosro01/1986/B|title=Rob Moroso – 1986 NASCAR Busch Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=April 18, 2023}}

Hendrick Motorsports

! 15

! Olds

| colspan=29|

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CAR
18

| MAR

1987

! rowspan=3| Moroso Racing

! rowspan=3| 25

! rowspan=3| Olds

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DAY
15

| HCY

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MAR
28

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DAR
16

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BRI
30

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| LGY
19

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SBO
8

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| CLT
28

| DOV

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| IRP
5

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ROU
8

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| JFC
15

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| OXF
5

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SBO
13

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| HCY
16

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| RAL
21

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| LGY
13

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ROU
13

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| BRI
7

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| JFC
22

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAR
36

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| RCH
11

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DOV
9

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MAR
6

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| CLT
7

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CAR
12

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MAR
24

| colspan=4|

! 15th

! 2949

! {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/morosro01/1987/B|title=Rob Moroso – 1987 NASCAR Busch Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=April 18, 2023}}

1988

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DAY
9

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| HCY
10

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CAR
22

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| MAR
3

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DAR
6

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| BRI
4

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| LNG
13

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| NZH
2*

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SBO
7

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| NSV
16

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| CLT
4

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DOV
12

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ROU
4

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LAN
18

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LVL
20

| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MYB
1

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| OXF
40

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SBO
13*

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| HCY
9

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| LNG
6

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IRP
33

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ROU
3

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRI
27

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DAR
8

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| RCH
3

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DOV
34

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MAR
10

| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| CLT
1

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CAR
11

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| MAR
2

|

! 2nd

! 3986

! {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/morosro01/1988/B|title=Rob Moroso – 1988 NASCAR Busch Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=April 18, 2023}}

1989

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| DAY
3*

| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| CAR
1

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MAR
23

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| HCY
3

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DAR
9

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| BRI
6

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| NZH
22

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SBO
4

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| LAN
2

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NSV
18

| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| CLT
1

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DOV
17

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ROU
20

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| LVL
9

| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| VOL
1*

| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MYB
7*

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SBO
5

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| HCY
28

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DUB
13

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| IRP
14

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ROU
16

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BRI
22

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DAR
12

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| RCH
4

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| DOV
23

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| MAR
2

| style="background:#FFFFBF;"| CLT
1

| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CAR
12

| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| MAR
3

| colspan=2|

! 1st

! 4001

! {{cite web|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/morosro01/1989/B|title=Rob Moroso – 1989 NASCAR Busch Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|publisher=NASCAR Digital Media, LLC|access-date=April 18, 2023}}

== Busch North Series ==

class="wikitable"

|+

! colspan="30" |NASCAR Busch North Series results

Year

!Team

!No.

!Make

!1

!2

!3

!4

!5

!6

!7

!8

!9

!10

!11

!12

!13

!14

!15

!16

!17

!18

!19

!20

!21

!22

!23

!NBNC

!Pts

!Ref

1987

!n/a

!n/a

!n/a

|

|OXF

16

| colspan="21" |

!n/a

!n/a

!{{Cite web|title=Driver Rob Moroso 1987 NASCAR Busch North Series Results - Racing-Reference.info|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/morosro01/1987/E|access-date=2021-04-11|website=www.racing-reference.info}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Racing-Reference driver|Rob_Moroso}}

{{s-start}}

{{succession box |

before= Dick Trickle |

title= NASCAR Rookie of the Year |

years= 1990|

after= Bobby Hamilton |

}}

{{succession box |

before= Tommy Ellis |

title= NASCAR Busch Series Champion |

years= 1989|

after= Chuck Bown

}}

{{s-end}}

{{Moroso Racing}}

{{NASCAR Xfinity Series Champions}}

{{NASCARROTY}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moroso, Rob}}

Category:1968 births

Category:1990 deaths

Category:People from Madison, Connecticut

Category:Sportspeople from New Haven County, Connecticut

Category:Racing drivers from Connecticut

Category:NASCAR drivers

Category:NASCAR Xfinity Series champions

Category:ISCARS Dash Touring Series drivers

Category:Road incident deaths in North Carolina

Category:Sportspeople from Greenwich, Connecticut

Category:Hendrick Motorsports drivers