NASCAR History: Ex-49ers kicker Mike Cofer is the only NFL Super Bowl champion to have also won a stock car race

NASCAR and the NFL have crossed paths often, with football players and coaches finding new careers in the NASCAR garage and boardroom.

Ex-49ers kicker Mike Cofer is the only one to have ever won a Super Bowl title in the NFL and also a stock car race. His name may have a place in football history through his role in the San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl title wins in 1988 and 1989, but Cofer has also left a mark on NASCAR.

In 1994, Mike Cofer switched from football to a career in stock car racing in the Featherlite Southwest NASCAR Tour stock car series, in which he made his rookie season. After 11 races, he was in second position in the standings, 23 points behind the leader.

In the first three races of the season, Cofer was unable to lead a lap, but his performance on April 30, 1994, was a standout.

During the Plummer Pontiac 100 at Stockton 99 Speedway, the back-to-back Super Bowl winner led the race from start to finish, securing a wire-to-wire win. He achieved an important milestone in his racing career after putting on a strong show, and his status as a stock car driver was more firmly established.

In 2002, he extended his racing activities by participating in three Truck Series races. Going against strong competitors, he showcased his driving skills with a decent best result of 21st.

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Super Bowl winner Mike Cofer reflects on his NASCAR journey

A hero on the football field as a Super Bowl champion, Mike Cofer found a new challenge when he transitioned to NASCAR. In an interview from the Archives of the L.A. Times dating back to 1994, the kicker talked about his transition from the gridiron to the track, revealing the satisfaction he found in motorsport.

Cofer expressed his enthusiasm and sense of empowerment behind the wheel after his first win at Stockton earlier in the season. He said (via latimes.com):

"I felt like a quarterback out there, like I was in total control. When you’re a kicker, you’re just part of the team. That win gave me a bigger high than kicking any field goal in the NFL."

Cofer recalled his experience of being introduced to racing during the NFL off-season, the year before his debut season in 1994, saying:

“During the off-season a couple of years ago, I was looking for something interesting to do and drove a Great American modified (stock car) at Stockton and enjoyed it, so I drove a few more races in ’93."

Cofer's first attempt at racing during the NFL's off-season resulted in a more serious engagement with NASCAR.

"When I decided I wasn’t going back with the 49ers, I bought a tour car and was fortunate to get Jerry Pitts as my crew chief," he added.