NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison has passed away at the age of 86. The fourth-winningest driver in Cup Series history founded the so-called ‘Alabama Gang’, comprising drivers from Hueytown. In a career spanning nearly three decades, the Florida native won nearly every accolade the sport had to offer. He recently leapfrogged Darrell Waltrip after being awarded the 85th victory of his career, bringing to an end the disputed outcome of the 1971 Myers Brothers Memorial 250 at the Bowman Gray Stadium.

Despite coming from a racing family, Bobby Allison surpassed expectations by outperforming his brother Donnie and doing most of the winning. The news of his passing shocked fans, who took to social media to express their condolences to his family.

Bobby Allison leaves behind an unmatched legacy

Bobby Allison has had quite a career, hasn’t he? He won three Daytona 500s and the 1983 Winston Cup Series championship. A beloved figure in the sport, fans loved Allison’s presence on the racetrack, which is why he was recognized as the ‘Winston Cup Series Most Popular Driver’ seven times. However, he was also at the center of controversy, as for 53 years, the Myers Brothers Memorial was the only NASCAR race that didn’t have an official winner. That was until October 23rd, earlier this year, when NASCAR CEO and Chairman Jim France and Vice Chairman Mike Helton visited the Florida native personally to inform him of his 85th career victory.

In a statement released after Bobby Allison’s passing, Jim France said, “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. 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.”

Despite being one of NASCAR’s best performers in the 1960’s and 70’s, Bobby Allison’s Cup Series triumph had to wait until 1983. Driving the No. 22 Buick for DiGard Racing, the 45-year-old secured six wins in the 30-race season, securing his biggest achievement in the sport through consistent results. However, with the highs also came lows, as Allison was involved in two vicious crashes in his career, which forced the sanctioning body to add restrictor plates at Talladega and Daytona to prevent drivers from accelerating too fast and driving away from each other.

A year later, Bobby Allison’s horrific crash at Pocono Raceway almost closed the curtains on his racing career. However, through resilience and hard work, the driver underwent extensive rehabilitation to make a sensational comeback and he went on to secure an emotional victory at the 1988 Daytona 500, while his son Davey Allison finished in second place. With fans still coming to terms with the 86-year-old’s passing, the Hall of Famer’s family said, “Bobby was the ultimate fan’s driver. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his fans and would stop to sign autographs and have conversations with them everywhere he went.”

NASCAR fans react to the heartbreaking revelation

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Given his stature within the sport, it’s unsurprising that NASCAR fans were shocked and saddened to hear about Bobby Allison’s passing. The racing driver has had brushes with death in the past, as his car went head-on into the outside wall at Pocono before getting hit on the driver’s side. However, despite suffering memory loss and having to undergo treatment to regain normal functions, Allison made a recovery and came back on the racetrack. Remembering his incident, one fan wrote, “He was one of the greatest and toughest drivers of all time. RIP Bobby 🙏”

It’s no surprise that Allison was beloved by fans, who enjoyed his down-to-earth personality and humility despite his many achievements on the racetrack. Recalling a personal encounter with the fourth-winningest driver in Cup Series history, one fan wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), “My husband and I had the pleasure of eating lunch with him at Talladega several years ago. He was so nice and down to earth and a joy to talk to! Godspeed to one of the greatest racers of all time!”

One fan took solace in the fact that Bobby Allison was awarded the 85th victory of his Cup Series career before his passing. With the outcome of the 1971 Myers Brothers Memorial 250 finally being resolved, the X user expressed his condolences by saying, “😢 At least he got to see his win total rectified before his passing. Rest in Peace Mr Allison. 💔” Echoing that sentiment, another fan went on to say, “Rest in peace, super bittersweet to earn his last cup win so recently too 🙏”

Despite battling health issues in the last few years, Bobby Allison continued to contribute to the sport he loved until he passed away in the presence of his family at home. Having served as a role model to motorsport enthusiasts through his excellent performances, the Hall of Famer won over the hearts of fans. Paying tribute to his stature, a fan said, “Condolences to the family, He was a great icon in my eyes growing up as a childhood fan.” Even though Allison has passed away, his legacy will continue to live on through his many achievements on the racetrack.