No, there was not a NASCAR Cup Series race held on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, but 2011 NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison, 86, did officially score another victory to add to his illustrious NASCAR Cup Series totals. Allison now is recognized as an 85-time race winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, which moves him out of a tie with Darrell Waltrip (84 wins) four fourth all-time.
Confused? Yeah, NASCAR can be confusing sometimes.
No, Allison didn’t don the firesuit one last time like Michael Keaton dawning his batsuit as Batman in 2023’s The Flash. Instead, NASCAR finally righted one of the biggest wrongs in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series, an injustice that had stood for more than 53 years.
On August 6, 1971, Bobby Allison took home a victory in a NASCAR Grand National Series (now Cup Series) and NASCAR Grand American Series combination event. While Richard Petty led the opening 112 laps of the event in his No. 43 Plymouth, which was a NASCAR Grand National Series car, Allison took the lead as Petty had to pit for gas with 138 laps remaining in the event. Allison, who ran both series at the time, opted to compete in that race in the No. 49 Ford Mustang Grand American Series car owned by Melvin Joseph, which was prepared by Holman-Moody.
After Allison took the win, many NASCAR Grand National Series competitors, including Petty, cried foul as they felt their race cars were at a disadvantage to the more nimble “pony cars” from the Grand American Series.
NASCAR officials caved under the pressure that day and made the official call that the record books would not show an official winner of the Myers Brothers Memorial 250 at Bowman Gray Stadium.
The following season was the final one for the NASCAR Grand American Series, which would shutter after a five-year run, which began in 1968.
After renewed interest in Allison being credited with his 85th win was sparked due to the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series exhibition event The Clash, which is set to be contested at Bowman Gray Stadium, NASCAR finally decided to reverse its decision from 1971.
“For 53 years, the Myers Brothers Memorial was the only race run by NASCAR that did not have an official winner,” said Jim France, NASCAR chairman and CEO, in a statement. “As we began preparations for the upcoming Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, the topic of that August 6, 1971 race returned to the forefront. We felt it was the right thing to officially recognize Bobby’s win and honor him as an 85-time NASCAR Cup Series winner. We are grateful for Bobby’s lifetime contributions to NASCAR.”
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France along with Senior Advisor to NASCAR Mike Helton met with Allison on Wednesday to notify him of the official change to the NASCAR record books.
With the 85th win finally being added to Allison’s all-time record, the 1983 NASCAR Cup Series champion only trails Richard Petty (200 wins), David Pearson (105), and Jeff Gordon (93) on the all-time win list. But don’t expect him to get back behind the wheel to chase those records.
Allison has always contended that he is an 85-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner. On Wednesday, that finally became an official statistic, which will be attached to him for eternity.
