05/25/2017 – Joe Ruttman is a prime example how racers used to make it to the big leagues – start young, work your way up the ladder rung by rung, and then maybe – just maybe – you might hit the big time when you…hit your…50’s?
That’s how everybody’s favorite racer from Upland, California, did it (why does everybody think Ruttman is from Minnesota or Wisconsin, eh?) Between starting his first Cup race in 1963 (at age 18) all the way through to his last Cup start in 2004 (at age 59), Joe’s racing resume is a whirling smorgasbord of activity and accomplishments. Those accomplishments include the 1980 USAC Stock Car Championship, an Xfinity Series win and an ARCA Daytona 200 win in 1982, and (here it is…in his 50’s) contending for the NASCAR Craftsman Series Truck Championship in 1995 (2nd), 1996 (4th), 1997 (3rd), 1998 (3rd), 2000 (6th), and 2001 (3rd) while racking up 13 wins, 17 pole positions, and leading 1200+ laps.
During that vast expanse of time Ruttman also accumulated 225 Cup starts over 22 seasons (only 5 of those seasons would be considered full-time), and of those 225 starts 30 would be in Pontiacs. Joe’s last 2 Pontiac Cup starts would be the only 2 Cup entries for owner Chuck Wellings who fielded cars for Joe in the 1989 and 1990 Daytona 500’s. Doing things in typical old-school/DIY manner, Ruttman and Wellings managed to field competitive cars and – thanks to the wily Ruttman behind the wheel – actually managed to outperform many of the well-heeled teams.
For the 1989 Daytona 500, Ruttman piloted Wellings’ ultimate blue collar sponsorship dreamboat Schaefer Beer/Machinists Union/VanderLey Engineering Grand Prix to a remarkable 13th place finish after starting 17th; Ruttman gave Pontiac its highest finish on the day. For the 1990 Daytona 500 Wellings secured sponsorship from Sears to highlight its Roadhandler Suspension and finished 26th (running at the finish); for a one-off race against the then-burgeoning superteams/superstars of the day, a noteworthy accomplishment.
Pontiac Racing 