Donnie Allison
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Donnie Allison | |||||||
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![]() Allison at Rockingham Speedway in 2012 | |||||||
Born | Miami, Florida, U.S. | September 7, 1939||||||
Achievements | 1970 World 600 Winner 1971 Winston 500 Winner | ||||||
Awards | 1967 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year 1970 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
242 races run over 20 years | |||||||
Best finish | 16th (1967) | ||||||
First race | 1966 National 500 (Charlotte) | ||||||
Last race | 1988 Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan) | ||||||
First win | 1968 Carolina 500 (Rockingham) | ||||||
Last win | 1978 Dixie 500 (Atlanta) | ||||||
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NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
20 races run over 5 years | |||||||
Best finish | 34th (1987) | ||||||
First race | 1984 Miller Time 300 (Charlotte) | ||||||
Last race | 1989 Goody's 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
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NASCAR Grand National East Series career | |||||||
2 races run over 1 year | |||||||
First race | 1972 Mr. D's 200 (Nashville) | ||||||
Last race | 1972 Mountaineer 300 (West Virginia) | ||||||
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Statistics current as of February 28, 2013. |
Donnie Allison (born September 7, 1939) is an American former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned from 1966 to 1988. He is part of the "Alabama Gang", and is the brother of 1983 champion Bobby Allison and uncle of Davey Allison and Clifford Allison. He was inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2009.
NASCAR career
Before racing in the Grand National Series, Allison drove modified stock cars like his brother Bobby.[1] Allison managed to get ten wins in NASCAR Cup Series competition with his first coming at the 1968 Carolina 500 at Rockingham Speedway and his final at the 1978 Dixie 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Allison would suffer serious injuries at the 1981 Coca-Cola 600,[2][3] this would end his career in NASCAR for the most part.[4] Allison would only race fourteen more Winston Cup races (he would also fail to qualify four times for races during this time) from 1982 to 1988. Allison also won the 1967 NASCAR Grand National Rookie of the Year.
1979 Daytona 500
Allison possibly is most remembered for his involvement in a final-lap crash and a subsequent fight with Cale Yarborough in the 1979 Daytona 500. He was leading the race on the final lap with Yarborough drafting him tightly. As Yarborough started to go below Allison, he attempted to take the inside lane away but Yarborough hit Allison from behind first and got Allison sideways. Yarborough made contact with the side of Allison's car and it put him in the grass. He came back to hit Allison side to side and as both drivers tried to regain control, their cars made contact several times and finally locked together and crashed into the outside wall in turn 3. After the cars settled in the infield grass, Allison and Yarborough were in a heated conversation when, Bobby Allison, who finished laps down after his earlier collision with his brother, pulled over and to check on his brother, but Yarborough accused him of causing the accident and started to hit Bobby while Bobby was still in his car. At that point, a fight ensued.[5] As the 1979 Daytona 500 was the first live flag-to-flag nationally televised NASCAR race, the finish and the post-race squabble were a ratings dream for CBS. Richard Petty, who was over half a lap behind at the time of the crash, went on to win the race. The fight made headlines all across America. The publicity was instrumental in the growth of NASCAR.
USAC career
Allison first raced in the USAC Championship Car Series in 1970. Driving the No. 83 Greer Eagle 67-Offenhauser for Ansted-Thompson Racing in the 1970 Indianapolis 500, he finished 4th and won the 1970 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award. He would have finished 20th in points, but because he was using a NASCAR license, he was ineligible for points. For the 1971 Allison drove the No. 84 Purolator Filters Coyote-Ford V8, finishing 6th in the Indianapolis 500. He also competed in the Rex Mays 150 at Milwaukee State Fairgrounds Speedway, the Schaefer 500 at Pocono International Raceway, and the California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway, retiring from both. Allison was again ineligible for points.
- Allison held a twenty three year record for the Indianapolis 500 as the highest finishing Rookie from 1970 until 1993 when Nigel Mansell gained the title and broke his record.[6]
After racing
Allison, who lives in Alabama and North Carolina, has been a television and radio commentator; has also been involved in his sons' Ronald, Donald and Kenny Allison's "Allison Brothers Race Cars" and the "Allison Legacy Race Series" as a consultant to the series and to many up and coming race drivers such as Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, Regan Smith, John Hunter Nemechek and several others [7] [8]
Awards
- 1967 NASCAR Grand National Rookie of the Year
- 1968 NASCAR Most Popular Driver Grand Touring Division (Baby Grand)
- 1970 Stark and Wetzel Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year
- 1970 NASCAR Most Popular Driver Late Model Sportsman Division
- Inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame [9] in 1999
- Inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame [10] in 2000
- Inducted into the Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame in 2001
- Inducted into the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers[11] in 2005
- Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2009
- Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America[12] in 2011
- Inducted into the Augusta Raceway Preservation Society[13]in 2017
- Inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame[14] in 2018
- Inducted into the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame
Motorsports career results
NASCAR
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Grand National Series
Winston Cup Series
Daytona 500
Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
1967 | Robert Harper | Chevrolet | 44 | 11 |
1968 | Holman-Moody | Ford | 7 | 40 |
1969 | Matthews Racing | Ford | 7 | 3 |
1970 | 7 | 35 | ||
1971 | Mercury | 11 | 26 | |
1973 | DiGard Motorsports | Chevrolet | DNQ | |
1974 | 7 | 6 | ||
1975 | 1 | 28 | ||
1977 | Ellington Racing | Chevrolet | 1 | 30 |
1978 | Oldsmobile | 7 | 39 | |
1979 | 2 | 4 | ||
1980 | 2 | 7 | ||
1981 | Kennie Childers Racing | Oldsmobile | 33 | 12 |
1982 | Ogden Racing | Buick | 29 | 34 |
1987 | Gray Racing | Chevrolet | DNQ | |
1988 | AAG Racing | Buick | DNQ |
Busch Series
NASCAR Busch Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | NBSC | Pts | Ref | ||||
1984 | A.G. Dillard Motorsports | 22 | Olds | DAY | RCH | CAR | HCY | MAR | DAR | ROU | NSV | LGY | MLW | DOV | CLT | SBO | HCY | ROU | SBO | ROU | HCY | IRP | LGY | SBO | BRI | DAR | RCH | NWS | CLT 8 |
HCY | CAR | MAR | 72nd | 142 | [36] | ||||||
1986 | Collins Engineering | 23 | Buick | DAY 5 |
CAR | HCY | MAR | BRI | DAR 9 |
SBO | LGY | JFC | DOV | CLT 40 |
SBO | HCY | ROU | IRP | SBO | RAL | OXF | SBO | HCY | LGY | ROU | BRI | DAR 35 |
RCH | DOV | MAR | ROU | CLT 11 |
CAR 30 |
MAR | 38th | 597 | [37] | ||||
1987 | DAY 21 |
HCY | MAR 9 |
DAR 29 |
BRI 28 |
LGY | SBO | CLT 29 |
DOV | IRP 16 |
ROU | JFC | OXF | SBO | HCY | RAL | LGY | ROU | BRI | JFC | DAR 34 |
RCH | DOV | MAR 15 |
CLT 12 |
CAR 7 |
MAR | 34th | 957 | [38] | |||||||||||
1988 | DAY 23 |
HCY | CAR | MAR | DAR | BRI | LNG | NZH | SBO | NSV | CLT 13 |
DOV | ROU | LAN | LVL | MYB | OXF | SBO | HCY | LNG | IRP | ROU | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | CLT DNQ |
CAR | MAR | 63rd | 218 | [39] | ||||||||
1989 | DAY 37 |
CAR | MAR | HCY | DAR | BRI | NZH | SBO | LAN | NSV | CLT | DOV | ROU | LVL | VOL | MYB | SBO | HCY | DUB | IRP | ROU | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | CLT | CAR | MAR | 94th | 52 | [40] |
International Race of Champions
(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)
International Race of Champions results | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Make | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | 1 | 2 | Pos. | Pts | Ref |
1978–79 | Chevy | MCH 3 |
MCH | RSD | RSD 10 |
ATL 11 |
10th | NA | [41] |
1979–80 | MCH 8 |
MCH | RSD | RSD | ATL | NA | 0 | [42] |
American open-wheel racing
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
USAC Championship Car
USAC Championship Car results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Pos. | Pts | ||||||||||
1970 | Foyt-Greer Racing | Eagle 67 | Ford 159ci V8t | PHX | SON | TRE | INDY 4 |
MIL | LAN | CDR | MCH | IRP | ISF | MIL | ONT | DSF | INF | SED | TRE | SAC | PHX | 20th | 600 | ||||||||||
1971 | Foyt-Greer Racing | Coyote 71 | Ford 159ci V8t | RAF | RAF | PHX | TRE | INDY 6 |
POC 28 |
MCH | MIL | ONT 24 |
TRE | PHX | NC | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
Coyote 69 | MIL 17 |
Indianapolis 500
Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1970 | Eagle | Ford | 20 | 4 | Foyt-Greer Racing |
1971 | Coyote | Ford | 20 | 6 | Foyt-Greer Racing |
References
- ^ "Allison Family". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
- ^ "Donnie Allison Crash Charlotte 1981. Official Footage".
- ^ White, Woody (May 27, 1982). "Donnie Allison relives World 600 accident". The Spartanburg Herald.
- ^ Zier, Patrick (February 15, 1986). "Donnie Allison ready to prove he belongs". The Ledger. Lakeland, Florida.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K-GkXe70Vk
- ^ https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/people-of-ims/.../donnie-allison
- ^ http://www.allisonlegacy.com
- ^ http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Donnie_Allison
- ^ http://www.ashof.org/inductees/auto-racing/donnie-allison
- ^ http://www.flasportshof.org/fshofmember/donnie-allison/
- ^ https://www.aarpinc.org/
- ^ Donnie Allison at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/AIRPSHOF
- ^ http://www.nmpaonline.com/hof.html
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1978 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1980 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1984 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1986 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1987 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1988 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1989 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1979 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Donnie Allison – 1980 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
External links
- Donnie Allison driver statistics at Racing-Reference
- Donnie Allison: As I Recall... by Donnie Allison with Jimmy Creed, published by Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2005
- 1939 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Miami
- Racing drivers from Florida
- People from Hueytown, Alabama
- Racing drivers from Alabama
- Indianapolis 500 drivers
- Indianapolis 500 Rookies of the Year
- NASCAR drivers
- International Race of Champions drivers
- American Speed Association drivers
- International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees
- Alabama Gang