Bobby Allison
Episode 142
18 OCT 2021
A NASCAR Hall of Famer who was the 1983 champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and had three Daytona 500 victories, among numerous other titles and championships. He won on 27 different tracks and had at least three wins in every NASCAR major. He ended his career with 85 victories and was named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers.” He was also a seven-time Most Popular Driver Award-winner.
Notable guest quotes:
“I had nine brothers and sisters… We also had three babies who died as babies, which in those days was accepted a little bit more readily than it is in today’s world…. And we were Catholic. We went to Mass on Sunday as a family. My mom and dad were great Catholic parents.”
“I went to… a kindergarten through twelfth grade Catholic high school in downtown Miami. And in… my junior high school year, the bishop built a Catholic boys school and a Catholic girls school just north of the downtown area and I switched over to Archbishop Curley High.”
“My mom was a great, great Christian… and my dad was the best Christian Catholic man that I ever knew.”
“I felt like bad situations, bad luck in racing, whatever, might be partial punishment for some misdeed that I had done. And I felt like I was one of those people that was successful with God being merciful.”
(On dealing with the death of his son Clifford) “I spent many hours and tears and just tried to come up with some equation that would give me some peace. I did continue to go to Mass, and I tried to stay within the sacraments… I prayed for peace for myself, peace for the family… just general prayer, and lots of it.”
“I was so devoted to my career and the racing industry that I could not put up with people — owners or mechanics — (with) any kind of negative attitude toward whatever went on. I was there to do the best I could and if we had a bad day I would say, ‘Thank you, Lord. Things could’ve been worse’. And when we had a good day, I tried to share that with everybody that was involved with me.”
“One special priest, when he could get a day off every now and then, he’d show up at a racetrack and give the invocation… and he was a delight to me too… we got to meet and talk and became great friends. And I talk to him even frequently right now.”
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