Donnie Allison

Donnie Allison
Born	September 7, 1939 Miami, Florida, U.S.
Achievements	1970 World 600 Winner 1971 Winston 500 Winner 1970 Firecracker 400 Winner 1975 Snowball Derby winner
Awards	1967 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year 1970 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2009)
NASCAR Sprint 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)
Wins Top tens Poles 10 115 18
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)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 5 0
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)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
Statistics current as of February 28, 2013.

Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison (born September 7, 1939 in Miami, Florida) is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/Winston Cup circuit, who won ten times during his racing career, which spanned the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. He was 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

Allison managed to get ten wins in NASCAR Winston 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,^[1][2] this would end his career in NASCAR for the most part.^[3] 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 would also win 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 fist-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 attempted his signature slingshot pass at the end of the backstretch, Allison attempted to block him but Yarborough refused to give ground. As he pulled alongside Allison, his left side tires left the pavement and went into the wet and muddy infield grass. Yarborough's car resultingly started losing control and contacted Allison's halfway down the backstretch. 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 grass, Allison and Yarborough started to argue. After they had talked it out, Bobby Allison, who was lapped at that point, pulled over and began to defend his brother, but a fist-fight broke out. It all happened on the first nationally televised NASCAR race. 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.

Awards

• 1967 NASCAR Grand National Rookie of the Year
• 1970 Stark and Wetzel Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year
• Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2009
• Inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame

References

1. "Donnie Allison Crash Charlotte 1981. Official Footage.".
2. White, Woody (May 27, 1982). "Donnie Allison relives World 600 accident". The Spartanburg Herald.
3. Zier, Patrick (February 15, 1986). "Donnie Allison ready to prove he belongs". The Ledger. Lakeland, Florida.

• Where Are They Now Article

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