Bobby Allison American racing driver Date of Birth: 03.12.1937 Country: USA

1. Biography of Bobby Allison
2. Early Life and Racing Career
3. Racing Success
4. Accident and Retirement
5. Hall of Fame Inductions

Biography of Bobby Allison

Bobby Allison, an American racing driver, is a former participant in the NASCAR Winston Cup racing series and is listed among the top 50 greatest drivers according to NASCAR. Both of his sons, Clifford and Davey Allison, were also racers and tragically died within a year of each other. Robert Arthur 'Bobby' Allison was born on December 3, 1937, in Miami, Florida.

Early Life and Racing Career

In his first serious race, Allison participated as a student at Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School in Miami. However, he temporarily stopped racing at the request of his father. After graduating from school in 1955, Bobby, along with his friends and brother Donnie, moved to Montgomery, Alabama, in search of better racing opportunities. He won his first race at the Montgomery Speedway and went on to win races at other tracks. With their newfound financial independence, the Allison brothers and their friend Red Farmer opened their own workshop in Hueytown, Alabama, and became known as the "Alabama Gang." Bobby initially worked as a mechanic and engine tester but eventually focused entirely on racing.

Racing Success

In 1965, Allison joined the Grand National Series and celebrated his first victory at the Oxford Plains Speedway on July 12, 1966. Throughout his career, he accumulated 84 wins, including three victories at the Daytona 500 in 1978, 1982, and 1988. Bobby became the NASCAR Winston Cup champion in 1983 while driving for Digard Racing. He also competed twice in the Indianapolis 500, achieving his best result of 25th place in 1975.

Accident and Retirement

In May 1987, Allison was involved in a severe accident at the Alabama International Motor Speedway, now known as Talladega Superspeedway. The tire on his car burst, causing it to flip into the air and crash into the safety barrier separating the speedway from the stands. The impact, which occurred at a speed of over 320 km/h, resulted in more than 100 meters of fencing being torn down and several spectators being injured by debris. This incident led NASCAR to impose restrictions on carburetor power for the remaining races in 1987 and to limit speeds to 320 km/h at Daytona and Talladega. Despite this setback, Allison won his first Daytona 500 race with the new restrictions in February 1988, becoming the oldest driver to achieve this feat.

On June 19, 1988, Bobby suffered a severe head injury in a crash at the Pocono Raceway, narrowly escaping death. As a result of this terrifying incident, he decided to retire from NASCAR racing. In 1992, his son Clifford was fatally injured on the track, followed by the death of his second son, Davey, in a helicopter crash at the Talladega Superspeedway in the following year. Three years after these devastating losses, Bobby and his wife Judy divorced. However, four years later, they rekindled their relationship and remarried at their daughter's wedding. Bobby and Judy remain together to this day.

Hall of Fame Inductions

Bobby Allison was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992. On May 23, 2011, he was also inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, alongside Lee Petty, Bud Moore, David Pearson, and Ned Jarrett.