NASCAR Inspired Dog Names

Dogs are commonly quite often featured in pop culture, including film, literature, television, art and politics.  These dogs typically have names that coincide with other pop culture references. NASCAR fans would be delighted to know that there are a handful of canine characters in pop culture who bear the same name as some of their racing idols. One of the most memorable dogs who bears a NASCAR-inspired name is Rusty, from the 1998 film Rusty: The Great Rescue. The name Rusty also happens to be that of famous NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace.

This family film, starring Rue McClanahan and Hal Holbrook, tells the tale of Boyd and Edna and their grandchildren, Jory and Tess. When the children’s parents died, Boyd and Edna were assigned as their guardians. The family lives in a rural animal shelter that is also home to a peculiar bunch of animals consisting of geese, elephants and turtles, among others. They also own a loving and friendly Beagle known as Rusty.

The family lives in the shelter in harmony until two greedy cousins, named Bart and Bertha, conspire to gain custody of Jory and Tess so that they can get their hands on the substantial trust fund left to them by their late parents. Since they do not have money to pay a lawyer to help them achieve their plan, they set out to steal the family’s newborn puppies in order to sell them to anyone who is willing to pay top dollar for them.

Luckily, Rusty will not let the two cousins get away with their evil plan. With the help of the other animals in the shelter, he sets out to find and rescue his new puppy siblings. At the end of the movie, he was able to not only bring the puppies back home but was also able to save the shelter. The film is a hit with families and animal lovers because of its entertainment value – it is the perfect combination of wacky comedy and sweetness.

Another famous dog with a NASCAR-inspired name is Buddy, the former presidential dog. Sharing the same name with NASCAR driver Buddy Baker, he is a chocolate-colored Labrador Retriever who lived in the White House during Bill Clinton’s term as president. He was acquired by Clinton and his family when he was only three months old. Buddy was a well-known and beloved member of the Clinton family and also became popular across the country because of his frequent appearance alongside the Clintons. Unfortunately, on January 2, 2002, Buddy was accidentally hit by a car after chasing a contractor who was leaving the Clinton’s home. However, he was immortalized through the 1998 children’s book Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to their First Pets, which was written by Hillary Clinton.