35 Years Ago, the “Tricky Triangle” Stole an Icon’s Career From Him, and the Fans Never Got to See Him Race Again

Pack racing is the standard today. But, due to the higher speeds, the cars would separate more from each other while racing in the 1980s. From busting out a 200 mph plus dare-devilish speed to the foremost obsession with safety, races in NASCAR are very different today than what they used to be.

Kyle Larson set the pole for the 2022 Daytona 500 at a speed of 180 mph. Pretty fast, one would say. However, the NASCAR 1987 season had seen a Daytona 500 post speed of 210.3 mph set by Bill Elliott! So why is that? Technology is not getting slower, and neither are the drivers. A single moment from 35 years ago changed the direction of NASCAR completely from a “how-fast-can-you-go” sport to a “safe-drive-save-life” one.

The crash that changed NASCAR forever

Almost every top-tier NASCAR driver would agree that Bobby Allison has seen most of the dark side of this game of speed. The story began on June 19, 1988, when Allison saw the genesis of his personal hell. The founder of the famous “Alabama Gang” raced for the last time in Miller High Life 500 at the Pocono Speedway, and the way things turned out, made him one of the most tragic figures in NASCAR.

On the very first lap, the team radioed to Allison that one tire of his #12 was about to go down. Allison decided to take the risk and stay out on the track. Unfortunately, the tire did not hold up and his car spun in turn 2 and hit the side wall. While most of the traffic avoided his car, Jocko Maggiacomo t-boned the driver’s side of the white and golden Buick. The collision knocked both drivers unconscious.

Luckily, Jocko woke up and escaped with minor injuries. As reported by John Fricke of CNN Sports, Allison suffered abdominal trauma, internal bleeding, a bruised heart, a concussion, and possible broken ribs. Recalling this nightmare, Allison sat beside his wife Judy Allison in an interview, and said,

“The doctor comes down the hallway and (says) ‘Hey, who’s with this guy, he’s in trouble! And Judy (Allison’s wife) said, ‘He was in the wreck at the racetrack, he’s got a broken leg.’

Doctor: ‘No lady, he’s in trouble. I have to drill a hole in his head!’ “

Judy explained that Allison had to relearn everything, like going to the bathroom, brushing his teeth, just like a baby. To make things worse, Allison admitted to having forgotten his 1988 Daytona 500 victory.

The curse of the Allison family

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The Allisons, in general, are NASCAR stories of survival and terrifying circumstances. Donnie Allison’s crash at Charlotte in 1981, Bobby Allison’s crashes at Talladega and Pocono, Clifford Allison’s death in Michigan from practice, Davey Allison’s death in 1993 from a helicopter crash; all seem to be ominously connected.

In a conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr, veteran racer and a member of the former Alabama Gang, Red Farmer got emotional while recalling his horrifying experience of watching Clifford die in 1992.

“Bobby walked out on the pit road, started walking up towards the crash and the guard tried to stop him and Bobby just pushed him aside…just looked in the car, and turned around and walked back. He sat down on that toolbox, put his hand into his face…that was the hardest thing Bobby ever had to do, I guess,” he added as he himself got to the verge of breaking down into tears.

A lion-share of NASCAR’s appeal has been the element of danger. Hence, safety measures have evolved significantly in the sport. But past realities like these continue to haunt the NASCAR community even today.

Read more: “Wish I Had Died”: NASCAR Legend Bobby Allison’s Tryst With Tragedy Prompted Shocking Revelation Years After the Devastating Incident