Bobby Allison (NASCAR)
Bio
Bobby started racing in 1955 while still a senior in High School. At that time he lived in South Florida with his parents and other siblings. Bobby had heard that racing was good in Alabama and decided to go in search of this new racing territory. In 1959, he left Miami taking his brother Donnie along as his only pit-crew member. Joining them were two other youngsters Kenny Andrews and Gil Hearn. Gil Hearn was the driver for Kenny Andrews. Bobby won his first feature the second week they were in Alabama. This win came at Montgomery Speedway. Alabama had sure turned out to be a “gold mine” racing territory. When they returned to Florida with their stories, their friend Red Farmer decided to come back with them. It wasn’t long before they started dominating tracks not only in Alabama, but in the whole Southeast. They were then soon tagged as “The Alabama Gang”.
Bobby has logged over 2,400 career starts and 717 wins in divisions including NASCAR, Busch, ARCA, IROC, USAC, Indy, late models, modifieds, dirt and ice. He has 85 Winston Cup victories (only 84 are officially acknowledged by the NASCAR record book). He won the NASCAR Winston Cup Championship in 1983 after having placed second 5 other times. He has won 52 Superspeedway Winston Cup pole positions and 57 career pole positions. During the 1978, 1979 and 1980 seasons he was Ford’s only winner. In 1982 be won the Busch Clash and by winning the Daytona 500 was the first to win over $100,000 in a single Winston Cup event. In 1987 he became the fastest GM race qualifier for the Winston 500 at Talladega running a speed of 211.797 mph and it remains the record. In 1988, he started the year off by winning one of the Daytona 125 mile qualifying races, the Busch race and the Daytona 500. Winning the Daytona 500 was extra special as his son Davey finished second. It was only the second time in history for a father/son first and second winning combination. The 1988 season turned tragic on June 19th when Bobby was critically injured in a T-bone accident at Pocono Raceway. That accident ended Bobby’s driving career. He has continued to recover and remains active in the sport. He stays busy doing autograph sessions and appearances.
Bobby was named the Auto Racing Driver of the Year two times and most popular driver 7 times. He has been inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the Texaco Walk of Fame, the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and many others. In 1999, he was voted one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers. He was named 4th in NASCAR driver’s of the century, earning the name “The Legend” and most recently was the first to be inducted into the Monster Monument at Dover Downs International Motorspeedway, May 2008. You can find out more about Bobby Allison and The Alabama Gang by visiting our website at www.bobbyallison.com.