Tragic Facts About Bobby Allison, NASCAR's Controversial Favorite
A Man Of Many Talents
Bobby Allison was a famous car racer from the early 60s through the late 80s—until a series of accidents brought a career wrought with controversy to an end. After his passing in November 2024, we figure it’s a good time to take a retrospective look at the not-so-mundane life of this NASCAR legend.
1. He Started Out Early
Bobby Allison was born Robert Arthur Allison on December 3, 1937, in Miami, Florida. Racing intrigued Allison from an early age, and he competed in his first race at 17 in 1961, while in his last year of high school at Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame High School in Miami. He had to get special permission from his parents to participate, which they thought was a one-time thing.
They didn’t know how wrong they were.
Virginia Office of the Governor, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
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2. He Had A Racing Brother
It seems the need for speed was in Bobby Allison’s blood, as his brother, Donnie, was also a racer. Despite this, they remained very close and raced alongside one another for many years. Allison even went so far as to defend Donnie duringa controversial fight in the middle of his career.
3. He Loved Cars Even Outside Of Racing
After finishing high school, Bobby Allison worked as a mechanic and engine tester at Mercury Outboard Motors. This is where he met one of his early racing influences: Carl Kiekhaefer, who owned the motor company. Neither knew how intensely this meeting would change Allison’s life.
4. He Almost Took A Different Path
Allison dedicated himself to working on engines and mechanics. He worked for the boat division of Mercury Outboard Motors for 10 months, but then he transferred to a different department: the racing division. This marked the beginning of his exciting life in racing.
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