Bobby Allison, the founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, passed away on Saturday at the age of 86 at his home in Mooresville, North Carolina. While the cause of death was not specified, Allison had been in poor health for several years.
Last month, NASCAR recognized Allison with a commemorative plaque, officially adding his 1971 Meyers Brothers Memorial victory to his record, which moved him to fourth on the all-time Cup Series win list with 85 victories. This update put him ahead of Darrell Waltrip, and now only Richard Petty (200), David Pearson (105), and Jeff Gordon (93) have more Cup wins.
Allison was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, and his career included a NASCAR championship in 1983, five second-place finishes in the championship standings, and three Daytona 500 victories. His family remembered him as “the ultimate fan’s driver,” always eager to connect with fans and sign autographs. He was also a devoted family man, friend, and a devout Catholic.
In addition to his success on the track, Allison helped shape NASCAR’s identity, notably with his famous altercation with Cale Yarborough during the 1979 Daytona 500. This incident became one of the sport’s defining moments, symbolizing the drivers’ intense commitment.
Born in Miami in 1937, Allison sought out racing opportunities across Florida and eventually settled in Alabama, where he and his brother Donnie, along with close friend Red Farmer, dominated regional racing in the 1960s and early 1970s. The group, later known as the “Alabama Gang,” expanded to include drivers such as Jimmy Mears, Neil Bonnett, and his sons, Davey and Clifford.
Allison retired in 1988 after a devastating crash at Pocono, which initially left him declared dead before he was revived. Though he regained his memory and tried to make a comeback, personal tragedies, including the deaths of his sons Clifford and Davey, led him to retire for good. His marriage to Judy ended in divorce, but they later reconciled and remarried in 2000, staying together until her death in 2015.
Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992, Allison’s legacy in NASCAR is profound. He is one of only 10 drivers to win NASCAR’s “grand slam” — the Daytona 500, the Winston 500, the Coca-Cola 600, and the Southern 500 — and he also competed in six IndyCar races, including two Indy 500s. NASCAR Chairman Jim France honored him as a driver who “personified the term ‘racer’,” emphasizing his lasting impact on the sport.
