NASCAR legend Bobby Allison, whose 30-year career in the premier series was defined by 85 victories and cemented his status as the sport’s wonderful hero who won from everywhere and almost everything, died Saturday at age 86. Material success was cut short by personal tragedy, which he came to embody in an era that hadn’t yet learned to sympathize.
Allison’s career statistics are mind-boggling. He ranks fourth on NASCAR’s all-time win list and is second for most top-five finishes, behind only the great Richard Petty. He has 718 career starts and is still one of the most prolific drivers in the sport’s history.
BRIGHT SPOTS OF A LEGEND
Allison won some of the most ornate victories in NASCAR over the entire course of his career. He secured three victories in the Daytona 500: in 1978, 1982, and 1988, and four wins in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Besides that, he brought home three Coca-Cola 600s at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Those have put him among the legends of NASCAR’s pantheon.
Known to the world as Robert Arthur Allison, he was born on 12th December 1937 in Miami, Florida. With his brother Donnie and fellow racer Red Farmer, they made up the renowned “Alabama Gang.” Taking dominance over short-track racing, Allison, along with his brothers, transitioned into the premier series of NASCAR in the 1960s.
His full-time career with NASCAR commenced in 1966 with his aggressive driving and tenacious spirit holding him in good stead.
A Life of Triumph and Tragedy
Allison’s life and career were far from incident-free. In 1979, he and his brother Donnie made the papers when they fist-fought fellow driver Cale Yarborough during the Daytona 500. But racing more often than not was cruel to Allison. He was forced to retire as a driver after a nearfatal crash in 1988 at Pocono Raceway. The accident left him with a concussion and memory loss. This spelled the early end to his competitive days in driving.
Apart from his personal strife, Allison witnessed the ultimate tragedy. Both his sons died tragically under NASCAR-related circumstances. His son Clifford Allison was killed in 1992 during a practice accident. His other son Davey Allison, who was growing up to be one of the top young drivers in NASCAR, died on July 12, 1993, when the helicopter carrying him crashed while trying to land at the this race track. Allison was severely shaken by these tragedy but the legacy he made lives on in many ways:.
A Lasting Impact on NASCAR and Fans
Allison’s reach into NASCAR went far beyond wins and championships. He was, after all, one of the most prominent members of the Alabama Gang, and a man loved for his jovial personality and command in the sport. Allison had been a six-time NASCAR Most Popular Driver winner, when in 1983, at age 45, he won his first Cup Series championship, and in doing so he became a fan hero at an age when many drivers are starting to wind their careers down.
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France succinctly captured the essence of Bobby Allison, inducting him into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011-a great tribute to his lasting influence on the sport. “Bobby Allison embodied the very definition of a racer,” France said. “His influence on the sport transcends the numbers and facts. His passion for this sport was so evident. He gave of himself to our sport; he touched people in a very deep way.
Allison’s wife, Judy whom he married in 1960 survives him. The children, both sons lost him heartbreak, but they remarried. Before Judy died in 2015, it was the first marriage for them. Bobby also leaves behind two daughters, Bonnie and Carrie. They, along with all Nascar fans, will remember him as one of the greats in the annals of the sport.
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