Fantasy NASCAR Racing

Rod Osterlund was a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car owner spanning from 1977–1981, and then again from 1989 - 1991.  He earned his money off rental property in California.  Osterlund's first race as a car owner was at the 1977 Cam 2 Motor Oil 400 while his final race as a car owner as at the 1991 Daytona 500.  Rod Osterlund started his first team in 1977 with a bevy of drivers behind the wheel.  His first race saw little known Roland Wlodyka at the controls.  After transmissions issues Roland finished 29th.  Wlodyka might better be remembered for being a crew chief and helping launch the career of Dale Earnhardt.  Sam Sommers posted the best finish for Osterlund’s team that season finishing 14th at North Wilkesboro.  In 1978 saw Osterlund branch out and fielded three cars.  Wlodyka drove the #98, while Dave Marcis would wheel the #2, and Neil Bonnett would pilot the #5.  Marcis had a strong year for the fledgling team as he posted 14 top five finishes along with 24 top 10’s in his 30 starts.  He finished fifth in points.  Bonnett also had a respectable season posting seven top fives, and 12 top 10’s.  In 1979 Osterlund hired some up-start green rookie named Dale Earnhardt, to wheel the Chevy.  Osterlund would visit victory lane after only seven starts when Earnhardt won at Bristol.  Osterlund also went to victory lane in 1979 with David Pearson who was subbing for Dale Earnhardt, who had a hard crash at Pocono in July. Dale would not miss another race until his death.  Pearson ran four races as a relief driver for Earnhardt and posted a seventh at Bristol, a fourth at Michigan, and second at Talladega and he pulled off a win at Darlington in the Southern 500.