[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10129]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRIBUTE TO BOBBY ALLISON

 Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, it is with great pride that I 
recognize racing legend Robert ``Bobby'' Arthur Allison upon his 
induction into the second class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Bobby is a 
founding member of the ``Alabama Gang'' and one of the greatest drivers 
of NASCAR's modern era.
  NASCAR is the most popular and competitive racing organization in the 
United States, and its premier league, the Sprint Cup Series, draws 
thousands of fans to each of its 36 races. Last year, NASCAR opened the 
NASCAR Hall of Fame to honor the sport's greatest contributors, 
inducting Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson, Bill France, 
Sr., and Bill France, Jr. In the second class of inductees, Bobby, 
along with racing greats Ned Jarrett, David Pearson, and Lee Petty, and 
team owner Bud Moore, joined these elite racers in receiving one of the 
sport's highest honors.
  Bobby Allison entered his first race while he was still a high school 
student in southern Florida, needing written permission from his mother 
to compete. Seizing the opportunity to race competitively, he and his 
brother, Donnie, left Florida along with fellow racer Red Farmer, and 
settled in Hueytown, AL. These three young men became known as the 
``Alabama Gang,'' a racing fraternity that would later include Bobby's 
son Davey Allison and NASCAR star Neil Bonnett.
  After his relocation to Alabama, Bobby garnered tremendous success on 
the track, winning NASCAR Modified Special Division titles in 1962 and 
1963. He followed this success with consecutive NASCAR Modified 
Division championships in 1964 and 1965. Bobby competed in his first 
Sprint Cup Series race at the 1961 Daytona 500, and achieved his first 
Sprint Cup win 5 years later, at Oxford Plains Speedway in Maine in 
1966. In his 25-year Sprint Cup career, Bobby won 83 additional races, 
including three Daytona 500 triumphs and four victories at Talladega 
Superspeedway. He is tied with Darrell Waltrip for the third most wins 
in Sprint Cup history. Mr. Allison is also a five-time Sprint Cup 
Series runner-up, winning the Cup once in 1983, when it was still known 
as the Winston Cup. His final win was a thrilling father-son 
performance at the 1988 Daytona 500, where he and his son Davey 
finished first and second place, respectively.
  Despite his great successes, Bobby's life has included tragedy. His 
racing career was cut short by injuries sustained during a severe crash 
at Pocono Raceway months after his final win at Daytona. In 1992, his 
youngest son Clifford was killed while practicing for a race at 
Michigan International Speedway. A few months later, his older son 
Davey Allison was killed in a helicopter crash at Talladega.
  Through both success and sorrow, Bobby has displayed remarkable 
perseverance and resilience. He is known and respected all around the 
world and many of my fellow Senators have been generous in their praise 
in this indomitable racer. Senator John McCain, a friend and admirer, 
said, ``I couldn't be prouder of Bobby. He is an inspiration for all of 
us.'' Senator Jon Kyl, a NASCAR enthusiast, noted that the Phoenix 
International Raceway named a grandstand for Bobby and declared, ``The 
Hall of Fame did well to recognize Bobby in its second class. He is a 
NASCAR legend.''
  Bobby and his wife Judy still reside in Hueytown, AL, and his two 
daughters, Bonnie Allison-Farr, and Carrie Allison, live with their 
families nearby. Selected as one of ``The 50 Greatest NASCAR Drivers of 
All Time,'' Bobby remains one of NASCAR's most respected competitors. A 
truly great Alabamian, Bobby has never forgotten his roots, and he will 
always be remembered not just as a racer, but as a beloved citizen of 
our State. It truly is a privilege to honor Bobby Allison not only for 
his tremendous success in racing's most competitive league, but also 
for his contributions to both NASCAR and the State of Alabama.

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