Photo by Ted Van Pelt
Bobby Allison in Talladega
Another accident in Talladega took place in 1987 and involved Bobby Allison. During the qualifier, Bobby Allison’s car blew out the rear tire, spun sideways, and then went airborne. He was traveling over 200 MPH in a vehicle going backward at the time, due to the traction the car lifting off the ground onto the side rails. Bobby Allison suffered minor injuries, but the impact of the accident tore over 100 yards of fencing and parts of the car flew into the grandstand, injuring a few fans.
NASCAR then mandated smaller carburetors and restrictor plates for keeping speeds under 200 miles per hour, at Talladega and Daytona events. Bobby Allison is noted as the first driver to win the Daytona 500 with and without the new restrictor plates.
|