Davey Allison facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Davey Allison
Allison at Pocono Raceway
Born	David Carl Allison (1961-02-25)February 25, 1961 Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
Died	July 13, 1993(1993-07-13) (aged 32) Birmingham, Alabama U.S.
Cause of death	Helicopter crash
Achievements	1992 Daytona 500 winner 1991 Coca-Cola 600 winner 1987, 1989, 1992 Winston 500 winner 1991, 1992 The Winston winner 1984 ARCA Talladega Super Car Series Hoosier Superspeedway Challenge Winner 1993 IROC Champion (posthumously)
Awards	1983 ARCA Talladega Super Car Series Rookie of the Year 1987 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2019) Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)
NASCAR Cup Series career
191 races run over 9 years
Best finish	3rd (1991, 1992)
First race	1985 Talladega 500 (Talladega)
Last race	1993 Slick 50 300 (Loudon)
First win	1987 Winston 500 (Talladega)
Last win	1993 Pontiac Excitement 400 (Richmond)
Wins Top tens Poles 19 92 14
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
86 races run over 10 years
Best finish	29th (1986)
First race	1983 Coca-Cola 200 (Rockingham)
Last race	1993 Havoline 250 (Milwaukee)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 31 2
Statistics current as of May 24, 2018.

David Carl Allison (born February 25, 1961 – died July 13, 1993) was a famous American NASCAR driver. He was best known for driving the No. 28 Texaco-Havoline Ford car for Robert Yates Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Davey was born in Hollywood, Florida. He was the oldest of four children of Bobby and Judy Allison. His family moved to Hueytown, Alabama. There, with his uncle Donnie, Red Farmer, and Neil Bonnett, they became known as the Alabama Gang.

Early Racing Days

When Davey was growing up, he enjoyed sports, especially football. But he eventually chose car racing. After high school, he started working for his dad's NASCAR Winston Cup Series team. He built his own race car, a Chevy Nova, with friends. He began his racing career in 1979 at Birmingham International Raceway. He won his first race in only his sixth try!

Davey became a regular winner at Birmingham. By 1983, he was racing in the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) series. He won two ARCA races at his home track, Talladega Superspeedway, in 1983. In 1984, he was named ARCA Rookie of the Year and finished second in the series championship.

In 1985, Davey continued to race in the ARCA series, winning eight races. Four of these wins were at Talladega Superspeedway. He also competed in some of NASCAR's smaller races. In July 1985, car owner Hoss Ellington gave Davey a chance to drive a NASCAR Winston Cup Series car. This was at the Talladega 500. Davey started 22nd in Ellington's Chevrolet and finished 10th in his very first Winston Cup race.

His wins led to more NASCAR Cup Series chances in 1986. He raced four times in the No. 95 Sadler Racing Chevrolet. Davey also filled in for injured racer Neil Bonnett in Junior Johnson's No. 12 Budweiser Chevy. He finished 7th in the Talladega 500.

NASCAR Career Highlights

Starting in Winston Cup

Before the 1987 season, car owner Harry Ranier chose Davey to replace veteran driver Cale Yarborough. Davey would drive the Ranier-Lundy No. 28 Ford Thunderbird. Ranier made a deal with Texaco's Havoline motor oil for sponsorship.

Davey showed he was ready for Winston Cup racing right away. He qualified second for the 1987 Daytona 500. This made him the first rookie ever to start on the front row for NASCAR's biggest race. A mistake during a pit stop ended his chances for a good finish in that race. But success was just around the corner.

May 3, 1987, was a big day in NASCAR history. Davey Allison qualified third for the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. His father, Bobby, started second. On lap 22, Bobby Allison's car crashed into the spectator fence. Bobby was not hurt, but the crash led to new rules for smaller carburetors. Later, restrictor plates were added to engines at Daytona and Talladega to slow the cars down.

When the race restarted, Davey stayed at the front. He passed leader Dale Earnhardt on the backstretch and won his first Winston Cup race. Davey became the first rookie since 1981 to win a Winston Cup event.

Just 28 days later, Davey won again at Dover International Speedway. This made him the only rookie at that time to win two Winston Cup races. In 1987, Davey raced in 22 of 29 Winston Cup events. He won twice, had nine top-five finishes, and 10 top-ten finishes. He also won five pole positions (starting first).

The 1988 season started well. Davey again started near the front for the Daytona 500. His father, Bobby, won the race, with Davey finishing second. It was a special moment for father and son to celebrate together.

Davey had some struggles in the first half of 1988. He was racing on some shorter tracks for the first time. The team also had engine problems. Then, in June, his father Bobby had a very serious crash at Pocono International Raceway. This crash ended Bobby's racing career.

With his father recovering, Davey continued to race. The team improved, and Davey scored his first win of the season at Michigan International Speedway. He also won the first race at the new Richmond International Raceway. In October 1988, Harry Ranier sold the team to Robert Yates. Davey finished eighth in the final Winston Cup standings that year.

Years with Robert Yates Racing (1989–1990)

Allison's 1989 car

Davey Allison's 1989 season began with a crash at the Daytona 500. His car rolled over into the sand, but he managed to drive it back to the pits. He finished 25th.

The team bounced back at Talladega in May for the Winston 500. Davey started in pole position (first) and won his first race of 1989. This was his second victory in Talladega's spring event. He won again at the next restrictor plate race, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. By the end of the season, Davey had two wins, seven top-five finishes, and 13 top-ten finishes. He finished 11th in the final standings.

Allison signing autographs

The 1990 season also had a slow start. By the sixth race, Davey was 17th in the standings. At Bristol, Davey won a thrilling race by just eight inches! But this win didn't immediately change the team's luck. Robert Yates decided to hire Jake Elder as the team's crew chief. Davey won the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He finished the season 13th in the final standings with two wins.

Working with Larry McReynolds (1991)

The 1991 season started with high hopes. Davey won the pole for the Daytona 500. He was in the running to win until a crash on the final laps. His car spun, collecting other drivers, and he finished 15th. Things got worse with a crash at Atlanta, where he finished 40th. Davey was having problems with his crew chief, Jake Elder. Robert Yates decided to make a change.

Larry McReynolds was hired as the new crew chief. In their first race together, Davey finished second. Then came a third-place finish, a sixth, and an eighth. The team was clearly getting much better.

Two weeks later, Davey dominated The Winston all-star race at Charlotte. He continued his strong performance by winning the Coca-Cola 600 the next week. He led most of that race. Two races later, Davey won his first road course event. He won again at Michigan and finished third at Daytona. By the middle of 1991, Davey had climbed to fifth in the Winston Cup standings.

At Talladega, Davey tried to win again but couldn't get enough help from other Ford drivers. He finished ninth. After the race, he was so upset that he punched a wall and broke his wrist. But the injury didn't stop him! He finished 10th at Watkins Glen and second at Michigan. Davey then won back-to-back races at Rockingham and Phoenix. He entered the final race of 1991 in second place in the standings. But a dead battery in that race dropped him to 17th, and he finished third in the final standings. Dale Earnhardt won the championship. In 1991, Davey had five wins, 12 top-five finishes, and 16 top-ten finishes.

The 1992 Season

The 1992 season was Davey Allison's best in Winston Cup racing. He started sixth in the 1992 Daytona 500. A big crash on lap 92 took out many cars, but Davey managed to get through it. He then led 127 laps and won the race! This made him and his father the only father-son duo to win the Daytona 500.

Bill Elliott won the next four races, but Davey stayed close behind. He had four top-five finishes. A hard crash at Bristol left him with a bruised shoulder. The next weekend, he raced through the pain and won at North Wilkesboro. Another crash at Martinsville hurt his ribs again. But Davey bounced back, winning the Winston 500 at Talladega. This was his third win at Talladega. This win also put him in a position to win the Winston Million bonus if he could win another major race.

Next was The Winston all-star race. This was the first superspeedway race held at night under lights. Davey drove the same car he used to win the year before, nicknamed "007." In the final laps, Davey took the lead. But as he crossed the finish line to win, his car crashed hard into the wall. An unconscious Allison was taken from his car and flown to a hospital. He had a concussion and other injuries. When he woke up, his first words were "Did we win?" His crew chief, Larry McReynolds, told him, "Yes, Davey, we won."

The crash didn't stop Davey. He finished fourth in the Coca-Cola 600 the next week, despite his injuries. He kept his lead in the points. Davey then won the pole and dominated the Miller Genuine Draft 400 at Michigan. At the halfway point of the season, Davey had a good lead in the points.

But things changed when the series went back to Pocono. Davey led many laps but had a long pit stop. On lap 150, his car crashed and flipped violently. Amazingly, Davey survived. He was flown to the hospital with a severe concussion, a broken arm, wrist, and collar bone. This crash happened at the same track where his father had his career-ending crash. Many fans worried if Davey's career was over too.

Davey showed up at Talladega the next week with badly bruised eyes. He famously told a reporter, "You can see it, but it's ugly." His arm was in a special cast that allowed him to drive. Bobby Hillin Jr. relieved Davey after the first few laps of the DieHard 500. Hillin drove the No. 28 Texaco-Havoline Ford Thunderbird to a third-place finish. This helped Davey stay close to the points leader.

Tragedy struck again at Michigan. While practicing for a race, Davey's younger brother, Clifford, crashed and died on the way to the hospital. Davey still drove to a fifth-place finish in the Champion Spark Plug 400. He then went home for Clifford's funeral. The next weekend, he crashed again at Bristol.

Davey's chance to win the Winston Million was next at Darlington. He led many laps but rain stopped the race early. He finished fifth.

Davey and Bill Elliott continued to battle for the championship. Elliott's lead began to slip in the final races. At Phoenix, Davey won the race, and Elliott finished 31st. Davey now had the points lead for the first time since his Pocono crash! He was 30 points ahead of Alan Kulwicki and 40 points ahead of Elliott.

The 1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta was a historic race. It was the last race for Richard Petty and the first for future champion Jeff Gordon. It was also the closest championship race ever. Davey Allison needed to finish fifth or better to win the Winston Cup. Early in the race, his car had minor damage. He fought hard to stay in the top ten.

Late in the race, Davey finally reached the top five. He was in position to win the championship. But then Ernie Irvan lost control of his car, and Davey crashed into it. Allison's tough 1992 season was over, and his championship hopes were lost. Kulwicki won the championship by leading just one more lap than Elliott.

The 1993 Season

Even though 1992 was a tough year, Davey and his team were hopeful for 1993. But the season started slowly. Davey finished 28th at Daytona and 16th at Rockingham. However, he bounced back to win at Richmond the next week. Despite early struggles, Davey was sixth in the Winston Cup standings.

Davey Allison had started racing in the International Race of Champions (IROC) in 1992. His injuries made him miss the last two races.

Three days after Alan Kulwicki died in a plane crash, Davey Allison finished fifth in an emotional race at Bristol. He continued to have good finishes. He was fifth in the points standings by mid-1993. Davey and his team were confident they could make a run for the championship in the second half of the season. The first race at New Hampshire International Speedway showed their optimism was right. Davey led 38 laps and finished third.

Davey Allison's Passing

On July 12, 1993, Davey Allison was flying his new helicopter to Talladega Superspeedway. He was going to watch his friend Neil Bonnett and Neil's son test a car. Davey picked up another friend, racer Red Farmer, on the way.

Davey was trying to land the helicopter inside a fenced area at the track. The helicopter suddenly nosed up and then crashed. Neil Bonnett helped Red Farmer out of the wreckage. But Davey was not moving and couldn't be freed until paramedics arrived. Red Farmer recovered from his injuries. Sadly, Davey never woke up after suffering a serious head injury. He passed away the next morning, July 13, 1993, at a hospital in Birmingham.

Thousands of people attended his funeral in Bessemer, Alabama. His organs were donated to help others. Davey was buried wearing one of his black Texaco firesuits and a racing hat. Many other famous drivers attended the funeral. The governor of Alabama ordered flags to be lowered to half-mast.

After the final race of the 1993 season, champion Dale Earnhardt and race winner Rusty Wallace honored Davey Allison and Alan Kulwicki. They drove a special lap carrying flags for the fallen drivers. In his short NASCAR Winston Cup career, Davey Allison had 19 wins, 66 top-five finishes, and 92 top-ten finishes. He also won 14 pole positions. He was survived by his wife, Liz, and their two children, Krista Marie and Robert "Robbie" Grey.

Remembering Davey

Ten years after Davey's first win, Texaco used a special "Battlestar" paint scheme on a race car in his memory. This car even won a pole position at Talladega. Texaco often used this special paint scheme for their drivers at Talladega until they stopped sponsoring cars.

The R. K. Allen Oil Company created the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame in Talladega. Fans could vote for drivers, both past and present, to be honored there. This event continued until 2013. The Walk of Fame was brought back in 2022.

Talladega Walk of Fame Members

Notes

• The Walk of Fame induction moved from July to October in 1997, and was in September in 2003.
• In 2000, Bobby Hamilton was voted into the Walk of Fame by fans. The Board of Directors also inducted Darrell Waltrip automatically.
• The Board of Directors of the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame chose the first group of members in 1994.

Davey Allison's Legacy

Davey Allison was leading the IROC series championship when he passed away. There was one race left in the series. Terry Labonte drove the final race in Davey's place and helped him win the championship. The prize money, $175,000, was put into a trust fund for his children.

After his death, Racing Champions made special toy cars of Davey's cars as a tribute. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2019, he was also inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The mayor of Hueytown, Alabama, declared April 28 "Davey Allison Day" in 2003. It is celebrated around the time of the spring Talladega race.

Because of Davey's death, Robert Yates initially decided not to race a car in the next event. He said, "It's hard to race with tears in your eyes." Yates later returned to Talladega with Robby Gordon driving Davey's car. Later, Ernie Irvan took over the No. 28 car. Irvan won two races that fall, which was a heartwarming moment for the team after Davey's passing.

A road in his hometown is named "Allison-Bonnett Memorial Drive." It honors Davey and his friend Neil Bonnett, who also passed away.

Davey Allison appears as an unlockable legend in some NASCAR video games like NASCAR 99 and NASCAR Rumble.

In the 2021 GEICO 500, driver Joey Gase used a special paint scheme on his No. 53 car to honor Davey Allison.

Images for kids

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  Allison at Pocono Raceway

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  Allison's 1989 car

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  Allison signing autographs