At his time, in the late 1980s, Rob Moroso was one of the most heralded young racing drivers in the history of NASCAR.
The Connecticut native was the son of performance-parts manufacturer Dick Moroso. He made his debut in the NASCAR Busch Series at 17 and won his first race in the series two years later (1988) when he was 19.
Moroso won six Busch Series events in 1988 and 1989, including three in a row at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He was voted the most popular driver in the series and won the series championship in 1989, beating Tommy Houston by 55 points.
Graduating to the Cup Series the following season, Moroso was vying for the rookie-of-the-year title when he was killed in an automobile accident on Sept. 30, 1990, hours after racing at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. He was 22 years old.
Featured here (clockwise from top left): In 1990; In victory lane after winning the 1989 NASCAR Busch Series Champion 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway; In 1986; Again in victory lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway. — NSSN Archives