NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, the founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang,” died on Saturday. He was 86.
Allison has his name littered throughout the record books, ranking fourth all time in NASCAR premier series wins (85), second in top-five finishes (336) and 14th in starts (718).
Those were among the accomplishments that landed Allison in NASCAR’s second Hall of Fame Class back in 2011. He was also a three-time Daytona 500 winner, four-time Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway winner and three-time Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway winner.
During his 1988 victory at Daytona, Allison had to hold off his son, Davey, to take the checkered flag.
“Bobby Allison personified the term ‘racer.’ Though he is best known as one of the winningest drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history, his impact on the sport extends far beyond the record books,” NASCAR chairman and CEO Jim France said in a statement. “As a driver, he won races and championships across several NASCAR divisions. But as the leader of the famous ‘Alabama Gang,’ Bobby connected with fans in a profound manner.
“In the most significant ways, he gave his all to our sport. On behalf of the France family and all of NASCAR, I offer my deepest condolences to Bobby’s family, friends and fans on the loss of a NASCAR giant.”
Named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers back in 2023, Allison put together a career that started in 1961 and ended midway through the 1988 campaign.
In addition to everything he was able to accomplish in the Cup Series, Allison won twice in what is now known as the Xfinity Series and took home an International Race of Champions title in 1980. He was named NASCAR’s most popular driver on six occasions.
Allison and his younger brother Donnie teamed up with modified racer Red Farmer to take over the short-track racing scene down in the Hueytown, Ala., area during the late 1950s, leading to the inception of the original “Alabama Gang.”
–Field Level Media