With the next Cup Series race scheduled for next weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR has planned a tribute for Bobby Allison. The touching honor will see a parade lap ahead of the Sunday race. Allison’s grandson Robbie will take the parade lap in Allison’s 1969 Mercury Cyclone. Robbie described the tribute as a “one last ride” with his granddad.
Allison secured many NASCAR feats. With 85 NASCAR victories, including four at Talladega, and a Cup Series championship from 1983, his contribution to the sport has been immense.
He and the Alabama Gang, comprising his brother Donnie and their best friend Red Farmer, are said to be responsible for giving Talladega the identity that it carries today. All three drivers have been inducted into NASCAR’s Hall of Fame.
The NASCAR icon passed away at age 86 on 9 November 2024, the same year he received his 85th win in the Cup Series. This was possible as a race at the Bowman Gray Stadium in 1971 did not have any winners due to an alleged dispute. However, after 53 years, NASCAR crowned Allison as the winner in October 2024.
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NASCAR decided to honor him and his family this year, their first Talladega event without him. A statement from Talladega Superspeedway read:
“Talladega Superspeedway announced today that the late NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison will be honored during a special parade lap as part of pre-race ceremonies for the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link’s 500. Allison’s famed 1969 Mercury Cyclone will be driven around the track by his grandson Robbie Allison following the National Anthem.”
Talladega Superspeedway President Brian Crichton said:
“It’s going to be special honoring the late Bobby Allison with a parade lap in his famous 1969 Mercury Cyclone prior to the Jack Link’s 500. Bobby’s history racing at Talladega is worth celebrating, with four career Cup Series victories along with being an integral member of the Alabama Gang. This tribute celebrates his remarkable contributions to NASCAR and the track’s storied history, and it will make for an unforgettable moment.”
Robbie added that he and his grandfather spent a lot of time on road trips, but it was the senior who always took the wheel. This could be an emotional weekend for Allison’s family. He said:
“My granddad and I spent countless hours on road trips together. He insisted on driving every time. I can’t help but smile when I think that we’re going on one last ride together, but I’m driving this time.”
The race weekend at Talladega kicks off on Saturday, April 26.
