Bobby Allison

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Bobby Allison bigraphy, stories - American stock car racing driver and "Alabama Gang" member

Bobby Allison : biography

December 3, 1937 –

Robert Arthur "Bobby" Allison (born December 3, 1937) is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford and Davey Allison, followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other.

Daytona 500 Results

Year Manufacturer Start Finish Team
1961 Chevrolet 36 31 Ralph Stark
1965 Ford 13 11 Allison
1966 Ford 44 20 Betty Lilly
1967 Mercury 31 40 Moore
1968 Ford 6 3 Bondy Long
1969 Dodge 40 43 Mario Rossi
1970 Dodge 6 3 Mario Rossi
1971 Dodge 31 18 Allison
1972 Chevrolet 4 16 Richard Howard
1973 Chevrolet 29 25 Allison
1974 Chevrolet 9 30 Allison
1975 Matador 3 2 Penske
1976 Mercury 8 25 Penske
1977 Matador 7 15 Allison
1978 Ford 33 1 Moore
1979 Ford 7 11 Moore
1980 Ford 9 2 Moore
1981 Pontiac 1 2 Ranier
1982 Buick 7 1 DiGard
1983 Chevrolet 35 9 DiGard
1984 Buick 4 34 DiGard
1985 Buick 34 33 DiGard
1986 Buick 3 42 Stavola
1987 Buick 6 6 Stavola
1988 Buick 3 1 Stavola

Car owner

Bobby was a car owner for numerous drivers from 1990 to 1996, most notably Mike Alexander, Hut Stricklin, Jimmy Spencer, and Derrike Cope. Stricklin was Donnie Allison’s son-in-law.

The car number raced was #12 and sponsors included Raybestos Brakes from 1990–92 and, in 1993, Meineke. Stricklin moved to the Junior Johnson team halfway through 1992 and Raybestos left at the end of the year to the Stavola Brothers #8 team.1994 NASCAR Preview and Press Guide, UMI Publications For 1994 and 1995, the team was sponsored by Mane ‘n Tail with Derrike Cope at the wheel. Allison was forced to close down the team due to financial problems after the 1996 season.

Pocono and Tragedy

Later that season, on June 19, 1988, Bobby Allison was almost killed, suffering massive head injuries in a crash at Pocono Raceway which forced his retirement from driving in NASCAR. In 1992, his youngest son, Clifford Allison, was fatally injured in a practice crash for the NASCAR Busch Series race (now Nationwide Series) at Michigan International Speedway. Allison was elected to the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993.

Later in 1993, his son Davey was killed in a helicopter accident at Talladega Superspeedway. Three years after these major tragedies, he and his wife Judy divorced. Four years after their divorce, while attending their daughter’s wedding, they reconnected. They were remarried and are still together. 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.