I guess I'd have to say Kenny Irwin. That's who I liked as a kid watching USAC Thunder shows. Didn't get to watch him long as my earliest memories of life in general is 1995, and of racing expansively 1996. And Kenny went trucks in '97.. but yea, Kenny was my USAC guy at the time when he went to NASCAR.
Started out as a kid it was Dick Gaines, then Steve Kinser followed by a young Jeff Gordon when he started here in the Midwest. Over the past few years it has been Stanbrough and presently KTjr.