For 53 years, Bobby Allison’s 85th Cup victory was missing from the official NASCAR record books. Known as a cornerstone of NASCAR’s “Alabama Gang,” Allison had long deserved recognition for his win at Bowman Gray Stadium on August 6, 1971. Yet, NASCAR withheld his title for decades, citing his use of a ‘Grand-Am’ Mustang, a car from a different series NASCAR often used to fill race fields when numbers ran low. The controversy and delay denied Allison his due place in history, but NASCAR CEO Jim France recently announced that they had righted the oversight, honoring Allison’s 85th win and placing him above Darrell Waltrip on the all-time leaderboard.
Kenny Wallace, NASCAR personality and brother of legendary driver Rusty Wallace, shed light on the frustration Allison carried over the decades. Wallace recalled conversations with Allison, who, despite being known for his calm demeanor, admitted he felt wronged and overlooked. “I know too much,” Wallace said, reflecting on talks with Allison in the early ‘90s. “Bobby doesn’t cuss, but he was really irked. He told me he’d been waiting far too long for NASCAR to make this right.” Wallace even speculated on a quiet campaign by people within NASCAR to finally give Allison his long-deserved honor before he reached an age where he might never see it.
Back in the early ‘70s, the Grand American Division allowed pony cars like Camaros and Mustangs to participate in select NASCAR races. In 1971, Allison was driving a ‘Grand-Am’ Mustang, which he raced in the dual-division events, including his Bowman Gray victory. Yet, NASCAR originally withheld his recognition because some drivers argued the car gave Allison an unfair advantage. Ironically, Tiny Lund, another driver in the same situation, had wins counted using similar equipment in the same era, a fact Wallace pointed out as evidence of an inconsistent standard.
Even at his 2011 Hall of Fame induction, Allison asserted, “I did win 85 times. Scout’s honor, 85 times.” Now, NASCAR’s acknowledgment confirms his statement, and France made it clear that this recognition coincided with plans for NASCAR’s return to Bowman Gray for the Clash. For Allison, the acknowledgment is not just a statistic but the restoration of a hard-fought legacy.
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