Bobby Allison Dies at Age 86; NASCAR Hall of Famer Won Daytona 500 3 Times

Bobby Allison, a NASCAR Hall of Famer who won the Daytona 500 three times, died at 86 on Saturday, per the Associated Press.

NASCAR announced that Allison died peacefully at his home.

Allison, who became full-time on the Grand National circuit in 1965, is fourth on NASCAR's all-time win list for its premier series. He made 718 career starts, the 14th-most in series history, and finished inside the top five 336 times, the most of any driver besides the legendary Richard Petty.

He was the 1983 premier-series champion and won 85 races during his career.

He won the Dayton 500 in 1978, 1982 and 1988 and the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway four times (1971, '72, '75, '83). Allison also claimed victory at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway three times ('71, '81, '84).

Allison helped propel NASCAR to the national stage both with his performance on the track and his personality off it, which added entertainment value to the sport. During the 1979 Daytona 500, his fight with Cale Yarborough in the final laps made headlines and sparked a new era for NASCAR.

Allison was a founding member of the legendary "Alabama Gang," a racing group started by Allison, his brother Donnie and Red Farmer. The group gained and lost members over the years, but all of the original members have been inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.