| Bobby Allison discovered his love for racing as a high | | | | achieved his dream and won the NASCAR |
| school senior living in Miami, Florida in 1955. He | | | | championship. He was ecstatic. "I've worked hard for |
| convinced his mother to sign a waiver so that he | | | | a long, long time," he said after the championship was |
| could compete in a newly created Amateur Division | | | | locked up. "My wife Judy has worked with me, and |
| at Hialeah Speedway. He entered the race and placed | | | | so many people have supported me over the years. |
| 7th out of 40 drivers. A few more races and a few | | | | This is something I have wanted for my entire |
| wrecks later, his father ordered him to stop racing. | | | | career and today I'm going to celebrate it. I just |
| But his competitive drive and desire for victory | | | | thank God for it." |
| eventually won out. | | | | In 1988 Bobby's driving career ended when he |
| After high school, in 1959 he and his brother Donnie, | | | | suffered serious injuries in a wreck at Pocono. He |
| along with a friend named Red Farmer headed to | | | | sustained a head injury that almost killed him. After a |
| Alabama for more lucrative racing. When they arrived | | | | long recovery, he returned to the racing scene as a |
| in Montgomery, Bobby heard of a race that very | | | | team owner for many successful drivers like Hut |
| night in Midfield. He entered that race and won, as | | | | Stricklin, Jimmy Spencer, and Derrike Cope. Bobby |
| well as two other races that week. He and his | | | | Allison remains one of the greatest ever to sit behind |
| buddies later became known as the Alabama Gang | | | | the wheel of a racecar and even though he lost two |
| and that was just the beginning of Bobby Allison's | | | | sons who followed him into racing, his fans still see his |
| brilliant racing career. | | | | resilient spirit, positive attitude, and warm smile. |
| Bobby eventually made his way into the NASCAR | | | | Born: December 3, 1037 |
| circuit. His career lasted for over 2 decades and | | | | Birthplace: Hialeah, Florida |
| during that time he officially won 84 Winston Cup | | | | Awards: 1983 Winston Cup Champion |
| races. Two other races should have been listed as | | | | Named one of NASCARS's 50 Greatest Drivers in |
| wins, but due to technicalities, were not counted as | | | | 1998 |
| victories. | | | | Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of |
| During Bobby's career, he brought a dozen different | | | | Fame in 1993 |
| teams to victory lane and drove eight different | | | | Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of |
| makes of race cars. He won the Daytona 500 three | | | | America in 1992 |
| times, the last of which was his final career victory. | | | | 1980 IROC Champion |
| He finished just ahead of his son Davey. It was the | | | | NASCAR Spring Cup Series Statistics |
| first father/son, first and second win at Daytona. | | | | 718 races run over 25 years. |
| Bobby was the oldest driver to win the Daytona 500 | | | | Best Cup Position: 1st - 1983 (Winston Cup) |
| at age 50. | | | | First Race: 1961 Daytona 500 |
| Despite his numerous wins, Bobby's greatest desire | | | | Last Race: 1988 Miller High Life 500 (Pocono) |
| was to win the coveted NASCAR Winston Cup | | | | First Win: 1966 Race #31 (Oxford Plains Speedway) |
| Grand National championship. After coming close | | | | Last Win: 1988 Daytona 500 |
| numerous times, he began to wonder if he would | | | | Wins Top Tens Poles |
| ever achieve the championship. "I've come so close | | | | 84 446 58 |
| so many times," he said with discouragement in his | | | | NASCAR Nationwide Series Statistics 43 races run |
| voice. "Maybe I'm never going to win a Winston Cup | | | | over 7 years. |
| championship." Then, in 1983 Bobby Allison finally | | | | |