There’s something about country boys, ole boys, roughnecks, rednecks and motorheads everywhere…..cuz they all seem to have a fancy for fast cars…..while liking to race them…..whether it be a quarter mile or 500 miles….they all liked to race them. So, after being raised in West Texas…..a place that was built by God to be the perfect location to race automobiles as fast as they could run…..cuz its terrain is flat on top of flat…..for miles and miles and miles. That is an introduction that tells you that we love auto racing in West Texas…..and here at ImaSportsPhile too…..cuz we grew up with the likes of A. J. Foyt, Jim Hall,, Carol Shelby, Bobby Hillin Jr., Terry & Bobby Labonte, Johnny Rutherford and Miss Kitty ONeill…..so, paying tribute to the leader of NASCAR‘s The Alabama Gang, Bobby Allison after finding out about his death, makes all the sense. Just FYI, about 75 miles (which aint nuthin in West Texas….less than an hour drive) from our family driveway was a place that we called “Rattlesnake Raceway”…..which was where a West Texas oilman named Hap Sharpe…..along with a racecar engineer/driver named Jim Hall designed and developed the car that Jim Hall drove, the Chaparral racing cars…..which became famously known as The Winged Chaparral…..after winning the Indy 500. Growing up loving watching these men and Miss Kitty O’Neill race…..and loving to watch the ole boys from West Texas…..it was easy to fall for The Alabama Gang with brothers Bobby and Donnie Allison plus Red Farmer…..cuz they were just like the Ole Boys from Texas…..as drivers who loved to race fast cars as fast as they would go…..who were always ready for a fight…..be it on the track or off the track….for they are all wired the same way…..and the truth be known, for me, that’s why I liked A. J. Foyt and Bobby Allison so much…..cuz they were both just flat our tough…..and they both loved the fray…..with each having a fearless driving style with exceptional skills….who could perform on short tracks or long tracks. Simply put, Bobby Allison is a significant legend in the history of auto racing…..who had tremendous impact on the sport he loved so much…..as he just loved to race cars…..therefore, he deserves having his life’s legend showcased in this post.
Auto Racing -A Celebrities Biographer Documentary – “Bobby Allison, Hall of Fame NASCAR Driver, Is Dead at 86: Cause of Death and Final Words.”
Robert Arthur Allison (December 3, 1937 – November 9, 2024) was an American professional stock car racing driver and owner…..who was the founder of the Alabama Gang…..which was a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama…..where there were abundant short tracks with high purses. Allison raced competitively in the NASCAR Cup Series from 1961 to 1988…..while regularly competing in short track events throughout his career…..in addition, he also raced in IndyCar, Trans-Am, and Can-Am…..and was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers…..while being a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame…..plus, he was the 1983 Winston Cup champion …..and won the Daytona 500 in 1978, 1982, and 1988.
Auto Racing – Mini Documentary – Bobby Allison Tribute – “Our Legend Is Gone: The Untold Story of Bobby Allison’s Rise to NASCAR Glory“
His brother Donnie Allison was also a prominent driver…..as well as his two sons, Clifford and Davey Allison. Bobby and Donnie’s televised fistfight with Cale Yarborough at the 1979 Daytona 500 has been credited with exposing NASCAR to a nationwide audience. Allison was unusual for competing successfully with his own, low-budget team for much of his career. Truth be told, The Alabama Gang of race car driving fame…..truly deserve their own post…..so we just might do that…..cuz they deserve it in every way. The Alabama Gang stormed the race tracks of the American South…..and Bobby was their leader.
Auto Racing – 1979 Daytona 500 Special – “From the Vault: The Last Lap of the 1979 Daytona 500 with Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough Battling for 1st Entering the Last Turn…..As Brother Bobby Allison Comes To Help”
Bobby Allison was born December 3, 1937, in Miami, Florida. He entered his 1st race as a senior at Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School in Miami. Since he was only seventeen, he had to have his parents’ permission to compete…..and when his mother approved, Allison assumed it was permanent…..but his mother believed it was for only one race. After he graduated from high school in 1955, Allison’s mother thought she would derail his racing interest by sending him to Wisconsin to work for Mercury Outboard Motors…..where her brother-in-law, Jimmy Hallett, was the national sales manager…..but unbeknownst to her, the owner of Mercury was Carl Kiekhaefer…..who also owned race cars. Allison began working as a mechanic and an engine tester…..and while employed at Mercury, Allison worked in the boat division for ten months…..then was transferred to the racing division. During the two months he worked in the racing division for Kiekhaefer, he went to nineteen races…..which were mostly Grand National (known as the NASCAR Cup Series as of 2020)…..and a few Convertible races. Every one of those races was won by a Carl Kiekhaefer car from the shop in which he worked. Kiekhaefer was a hard person to work for and several people got fired, so Allison decided to go back to Miami only after a little over two months. After returning to Miami. Bobby Allison started racing again. His parents had told Allison that he could not race and live at home, so Allison came up with a fictitious name (Bob Sunderman) which was used only once as he finished well enough to make the Sunday paper…..when Allison’s father saw the paper and told him that if he was going to race he should do it with honor and use his own name. In 1959, Allison took his brother, Donnie, Kenny Andrews…..who owned a car (whose father owned Andy Racing Wheels) and Gil Hearne, who went along as Kenny’s driver, to find more lucrative racing than was available in South Florida. Their search led them to Montgomery Motor Speedway in Montgomery, Alabama….. where he was informed of a race that would take place that night in Midfield, Alabama, near Birmingham. Allison entered and finished 5th in that race, which paid more than finishing 2nd in any race of a higher level in South Florida…..so, he went to Montgomery the next night and won the preliminary races…..then he finished 2nd in the feature race…..while winning $400…..plus having found his lucrative racing. The brothers returned home and Bobby convinced Red Farmer into coming back to Alabama with him….. where they had immediate success…..and began answering to the name The Alabama Gang. Allison became a well-known driver and a top star in short-track racing….while earning back-to-back Modified Special titles in 1962–63, then two consecutive NASCAR National Modified championships in 1964–65.
Auto Racing – Bobby Allison Special – “This Man’s From Alabama” – A Look At The Creation of The Alabama Gang in NASCAR Racing”
Auto Racing – NASCAR Bobby Allison Tribute Special (1983) – “The Rise and Tragedy of NASCAR’s Alabama Gang: The Allison Family”
Allison moved full-time to the Grand National circuit in 1965…..and got his 1st victory at Oxford Plains Speedway on July 12, 1966…..when during the course of his career, Bobby Allison accumulated 85 credited victories and one uncredited victory….which made him 4th all-time in NASCAR history. He also won the Daytona 500 in 1978, 1982 and 1988…..whille finishing one-two with his son, Davey Allison in 1988. In 1972 he was voted national Driver of the Year after winning 10 races and taking 11 poles…..which included a record 5 straight…..plus, he was NASCAR Winston Cup Champion in 1983….. whille winning the Driver of the Year award again while driving for DiGard Racing. The 1982 Daytona 500 was fraught with controversy that became known as “Bumpergate”. He also won the Firecracker 400 in 1982…..thus making Allison the 4th driver to sweep both Sprint Cup point races at Daytona in the same year. After Allison accomplished this, no driver repeated such a feat until Jimmie Johnson did it in 2013.
Auto Racing – NASCARs Bobby Allison Special (2021) – “Bobby Allison’s best career moments | NASCAR Legends
Auto Racing – 1982 Daytona 500 (Full Race) – Featuring Bobby Allison’s 2nd Daytona Victory on a “Day of Controversy Known As Bumpergate”
Auto Racing – 1982 Winston Cup Series – Firecracker 400 at Daytona – Won By Bobby Allison – The 4th Driver to Sweep Both Sprint Cup point races at Daytona in the Same Year
Allison ran in the Indianapolis 500 twice, with a best finish of 25th in 1975. He also made two starts in the 1972 Trans-Am Series, driving a Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) Datsun 510 in the Under 2.5 liter class…..when he finished 3rd on debut at Laguna Seca. His NASCAR team owners included DiGard, Junior Johnson & Associates and Roger Penske…..for whom Allison scored four of the five NASCAR wins for American Motors’ Matador. The other AMC victory was accomplished by Mark Donohue also racing for Penske in 1973 at Riverside. He raced in NASCAR as a driver/owner of an AMC Matador.
Auto Racing – Bobby Allison Special – The 1974 Rebel 500 at Darlington Highlights – As Bobby Allison Becomes Only Driver in History of NASCARR to drive an AMC Matador to his NASCAR # 16 Win at Darlington
Allison was involved in an accident at Talladega in May 1987, that saw his car cut down a tire, turn sideways and go airborne into the protective catch fence that separates the speedway from the grandstands. The impact, at over 200 miles per hour (320 km/h), tore out over one-hundred yards of fencing. Parts and pieces of the car went flying into the grandstand injuring several spectators. This was the same race where Bill Elliott had set the all-time qualifying record at 212 mph (341 km/h). NASCAR then mandated smaller carburetors for the remaining 1987 events at Talladega and Daytona. The following year, NASCAR mandated restrictor plates at Daytona and Talladega to keep speeds under 200 miles per hour (320 km/h).
Auto Racing – 1987 NASCAR Special –The Day that Changed NASCAR Forever” – As Bobby Allison Takes 100 Yards of Guard Rail at 200mph at Talladega Crash
Allison won the first Daytona 500 run with restrictor plates in February 1988 by a car length over his son Davey Allison, rendering him the first driver to have won the Daytona 500 both with and without restrictor plates. He is the oldest driver (50 years) ever to win the Daytona 500. Bobby and Davey Allison are the first one-two father/son finish in the Daytona 500. As a result of permanent injuries in a crash at Pocono (see below), Allison had no memory of the final win of his career or of celebrating together with his son in victory lane.
Auto Racing – Documentary – NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (2011) – Bobby Allison was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011 as Part of the 2nd Class of Inductees.
Allison was elected to the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1993. He was elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011.
Auto Racing – NASCAR Special – Tribute To Bobby Allison’s Induction to the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1993) – “A Story of Dedication and Desire To Win”
Early in the 1979 Daytona 500, Bobby, his brother Donnie and rival Cale Yarborough tangled early in the race…..when Donnie led the 2nd half of the race while Yarborough made up his lost laps through caution periods…..and by the time there were eight laps to go, Yarborough reached 2nd place and set his eyes on passing the leader Donnie…..while Bobby was two laps down and was 1/4 mile ahead of the two rivals…..as Yarborough and Donnie crashed on the final lap…..allowing Richard Petty to go by and win the race. Bobby passed the wreckage…..while finishing the race in 5th place…..and on his way back around stopped to check on his brother to make sure he wasn’t hurt. He pulled over to the wreck site to offer Donnie a ride to the garage area…..when Yarborough ran up to Bobby…..and according to Bobby, Yarborough…..who was yelling that Bobby was at fault and hit him in the face with his helmet….and cutting his nose and his lip. Bobby climbed out and a fist fight broke out…..which led to a $6,000 fine each for Yarborough and the Allison brothers. In 2000 when asked about the fist fight Bobby said “I stopped to offer Donnie a ride to the garages and Cale comes running up saying I caused the wreck. I tried to tell him he had the wrong person. And I’ve said before, I think I questioned his ancestry. He hit me in the face with his helmet and I saw blood dripping onto my shirt. I thought ‘If I don’t stop this I’ll be running from Cale for the rest of my life.’ I climbed out and throttled him. He ran his nose into my fist several times. My story and I’m sticking to it forever. He never challenged me again. The fine surprised me, but the fact that it brought NASCAR onto the map makes it all worth every penny.” Up until his death, Allison maintained that Yarborough was “beating his face on my fist”.Donnie had a similar story to Bobby: “Cale said I forced him in the mud. I did not. He wrecked himself and I was the unfortunate bystander to be in it. He and I have talked. We’re fine. We both view it as lost opportunities. After he and I talked it out and agreed to disagree, Bobby came to the crash site asking me if I wanted a ride. Somehow I don’t remember…but seconds later fists were thrown between Cale and Bobby. I tried to get into the fight and got scratched in the cheek by Cale. I later kicked him when Bobby mopped him into the mud. All of us were fined $6,000 but between Daytona 500 and this fight, today it’s worth every penny to be involved in a fight that got NASCAR on the map.” Yarborough unsurprisingly has a different account of the story: “If they look at the video they’ll realize I was forced in the mud by Donnie. I was going to pass Donnie and win the race but he forced me in the mud and I had no control. So hell I hit him back. If I wouldn’t finish the race neither would he. He and I had a civil talk after the wreck and we were fine until Bobby Allison climbed out of the car and began shouting at me. It went chaotic from there.”
Auto Racing – NASCAR 1983 Daytona 500 Special – “From The Vault: The last lap of the 1979 Daytona 500″ – Featuring the fistfight between Donnie Allison & Cale Yarborough…..and then came Bobby
According to the three during an interview in 2012 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, NASCAR later refunded the fines as a reward to them for bringing NASCAR into national spotlights. Allison however complains to this day that because he only made $4,000 in the race, he had his wife Judy help pay the fine (by contributing $2,000) and he was only refunded with $4,000 by officials.
Auto Racing – 1979 Daytona 500 Special – “The Fight that put NASCAR on the Map” – 1979 Daytona 500 last lap mayhem and fist fight between Cale Yarborough and The Alabama Gang Allison Brothers
On June 19, 1988, at the midpoint of the 1988 season, Allison crashed on the first lap of the Miller High Life 500. Initially he survived a head-on hit into the outside barrier but then suddenly Jocko Maggiacomo T-boned Allison in the driver’s side of the car, nearly killing Allison. When he reached a local hospital he was initially declared dead, but subsequent medical assistance saved his life. Beginning from a vegetative state, Allison entered a rehab program. After regaining most of his memory and re-learning everyday activities, Allison prepared to attempt a comeback in the early 1990s. However, a series of tragedies led Allison to abort his comeback attempt, thus retiring from driving in NASCAR.
Auto Racing – Miller High Life 500 (1988) – Bobby Allison Special – “Pronounced dead on arrival at hospital after crashing on 1st lap…..then being T-boned and ended the legend’s driving career”
In 1992, his younger son, Clifford, was fatally injured in a practice crash for the NASCAR Busch Series race (now Xfinity Series) at Michigan International Speedway.
Auto Racing – 1992 Detroit Gasket 200 Special – “NASCAR’s Biggest What-Ifs” – When Clifford Allison (Bobby’s youngest son) died in a practice round due to safety restraints failure when his racecar impacted the wall.
Later in 1993, his son Davey was killed in a helicopter accident at Talladega Superspeedway. Three years after these tragedies, he and his wife Judy divorced. Four years after their divorce, while attending their daughter-in-law’s wedding, they reconnected. They were remarried in July 2000 and remained together until her death in 2015. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992, and inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in May 2011, along with Lee Petty, Bud Moore, David Pearson, and Ned Jarrett.
Auto Racing -1993 Talladega Speedway – A Bobby Allison Family Special – “Bobby’s Son and NASCAR Champion Davey Allison dies in a fatal crashe his helicopter on his way to see hometown friend David Bonnet test his new car”
Allison is one of ten drivers to have won what was then considered a career Grand Slam (an unofficial term) by winning the sport’s four majors: the Daytona 500, the Winston 500, the Coca-Cola 600, and the Southern 500. Only nine other drivers have accomplished this feat: Richard Petty, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Buddy Baker, Kevin Harvick & Denny Hamlin. Officially, Allison has won 85 Cup Series races, placing him in fourth place on the all-time wins list, just one ahead of Darrell Waltrip. Unofficially, Allison may be credited with 86 wins. The controversy lies in two races: the 1971 Myers Brothers 250 held at Bowman Gray Stadium (Winston-Salem, North Carolina; win was re-awarded in 2024), and the 1973 National 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (Charlotte, North Carolina.)
Auto Racing – NASCAR Winston Cup Special (2025) – Highlights of All Of Bobby Allison’s 95 Wins – SIMPLY AWESOME!!
Due to reduced sponsorship money being given out by the “Big Three” automobile companies in Detroit, some Winston Cup teams chose not to enter some of the smaller prize-money races of the large 48-event season (only fourteen cars entered the 1971 Space City 300), leading NASCAR to allow its “minor league” Grand American Series drivers (itself suffering from a massive decrease in events versus its 1970 season) to enter six of the Winston Cup races. For these races, Grand American Series “pony cars”, such as the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, and AMC Javelin, were competing against the larger Grand National Series cars, featuring the Chevrolet Chevelle, Ford Torino Talladega, Dodge Charger Daytona, and Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird.
Auto Racing – Bobby Allison Documentary – “Bobby Allison’s Brilliant Career and Devastating Career Ending Crash at Pocono Raceway in 1988.”
The 1971 Myers Brothers 250 was held August 6, 1971, at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The first car to cross the finish line after 250 laps was driven by Allison. Knowing that the pony car would handle better on the flat track of that race, and the race following at West Virginia International Speedway, Allison had chosen to race his Grand American 1970 Ford Mustang, No. 49, sponsored by Rollins Leasing, and owned by Melvin Joseph. (Joseph was the head of Dover International Speedway until his death in 2005.) As he was not racing in a Grand National car, he never received credit in that series, but was credited with a Grand American Series win.
Auto Racing – 1971 Myers Brothers 250 Special – “Sneak peek: How Bobby Allison got his 1971 Bowman Gray win back after 50 years of pleading with NASCAR”
NASCAR has had co-sanctioned races with various series in the past…..when in such cases, the win counts only in the series which that driver’s car was sanctioned. The driver tied with Allison in all-time Cup wins because of the dispute is involved in this incident. An Automobile Racing Club of America/Winston West combination race in College Station, Texas on March 21, 1993, was won by Darrell Waltrip, driving an ARCA entry. That win was credited as an ARCA win only, and not counted in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (as it is currently known) win list. Likewise, when a Winston Cup driver won a Winston Cup/Winston West combination race, the win counts in Cup, not West. The Busch Series and Busch North Series also raced combination races in the past. Currently, Bristol Motor Speedway has such a race, with the Whelen Modified Tour and Whelen Southern Modified Tour. On October 23, 2024, NASCAR officials awarded Bobby Allison this win, bringing his win total to 85 wins, surpassing Darrell Waltrip.
Auto Racing – NASCAR Racing Special (2021) – The Garage Shop Podcast Special Interview with NASCAR Legend Bobby Allison (2021)
The 1973 National 500 was held October 7, 1973 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. The first three cars to cross the finish line after the scheduled 334 laps (501 miles) were driven by Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty, and Bobby Allison, in that order. Again, these facts are not disputed. What is disputed is the legality of the first two cars’ engines, recounted in Jim McLaurin’s book NASCAR’s Most Wanted, in the chapter “Fudgin’ With the Rules”….when in the 1973 National 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Allison protested that the engines in winner Cale Yarborough’s and 2nd-place Richard Petty’s cars were over-sized…..to which NASCAR inspected all three of the top finishers, and Allison’s engine fit the cubic-displacement specs. Six hours after the inspections began, NASCAR technical director Bill Gazaway told the press that the results were being sent to headquarters in Daytona for a final decision. Monday afternoon NASCAR released a statement saying that, because the inspection facilities at Charlotte were inadequate, the pre-race inspection numbers would be used-when all three cars were legal and that the results would stand. Allison threatened both to quit and to sue. It was not until after a private meeting with NASCAR President Bill France Jr., a week later that Allison was assuaged. Speculation was that Allison had been bought off. Allison wouldn’t confirm or deny it, saying only that he had “received satisfactory restitution”. The results were never changed. 1973 was a transition year in NASCAR. Teams could run a restrictor plate-equipped 7-liter engine or a 5.9 liter engine without restrictor plates. A decade later, Petty’s over sized engine at the same race resulted in new NASCAR rules being implemented against oversized engines, including the possibility of twelve-week suspensions for the offending engine builder, driver, and car owner.
Auto Racing – 1973 National 500 Highlights – Featuring in order of Finish….Cale Yarborough + Richard Petty + Bobby Allison
Allison drove his own cars for portions of the early 1970’s…..which included the full 1973 season…..while Bobby won 6 races as an owner-driver from 1970 to 1974…..then he also ran for his own team in 1977 after splitting with Roger Penske…..with a best finish of 2nd at Nashville. In 1985 Allison returned to being an owner-driver after leaving DiGard Motorsports…..while taking his # 22 and sponsor (Miller American) with him to his new team. His best finish as an owner-driver in 1985 was a 4th-place finish at Dover. Following the 1985 season he brought his number and sponsor with him to the Stavola Brothers Racing team. In 1990 Allison revived his team and was a car owner for numerous drivers…..with the most notable Mike Alexander, Hut Stricklin, Jimmy Spencer and Derrike Cope…..when Stricklin was Donnie Allison’s son-in-law. The car number raced was # 12 and sponsors included Raybestos Brakes from 1990 to 1992 and, in 1993 to Meineke…..as Stricklin moved to the Junior Johnson & Associates team halfway through 1992 and Raybestos left at the end of the year for the Stavola Brothers No. 8 team. For the 1994 season….when the team partnered with Ron Zook, for Cup and Busch Series for 1995 and 1996 when the team was sponsored by Mane ‘n Tail with Derrike Cope at the wheel…..and that was when Bobby Allison was forced to close down the team due to financial problems after the 1996 season…..when he actively promoted rail safety for the CSX “Keep on Living” campaign with appearances at Talladega and Daytona. On March 6, 2008, his mother, Kittie Allison, died in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the age of 101. On May 23, 2011, Bobby Allison was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Judy Allison, Bobby’s wife of 55 years, died December 18, 2015, following complications from surgery. Allison died in Mooresville, North Carolina, on November 9, 2024, at the age of 86. His family announced his death that same day, prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race.
Auto Racing – NASCAR’s Bobby Allison Special – WBRC Fox News 6 (2025) – “Hueytown pays final tribute to Bobby Allison” – Loved ones said farewell to racing legend Bobby Allison at Peoples Chapel Funeral Home in Hueytown.
Bobby Allison’s life was marked by extraordinary triumph and profound personal tragedy…..while being defined by resilience, faith and an unwavering passion for racing. He was a three-time Daytona 500 winner and the 4th winningest driver in NASCAR Cup Series history with 85 victories…..which earned a place in the NASCAR Hall of Fame…..plus being named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers…..who was known for his independent spirit…..and ability to feel the tires…..as a fierce competitor who won championships across multiple divisions…..and was a beloved figure among fans…..as he often stopped to sign autographs and connect with them. His legacy extends beyond the track…..as he was a devoted family man…..and a man of deep Catholic faith who found strength in his beliefs after enduring a near-fatal crash at Pocono in 1988 that left him with lasting memory loss and a long road to recovery. He also faced unimaginable grief, losing his sons Davey and Clifford in separate racing accidents…..along with his wife Judy in 2015. Despite these losses, he remained humble and hopeful…..while choosing to appreciate what he had and live with purpose. His story is one of perseverance, love and the enduring human spirit…..thus making his life itself the most fitting epitaph. R.I.P Bobby Allison…..as you spend Eternity with your family again….Thank you Jesus.
