Clifford Allison

For the British racing driver, see Cliff Allison.
Clifford Allison
Born October 20, 1964
Hueytown, Alabama, United States
Died August 13, 1992 (aged 27)
Michigan International Speedway
Brooklyn, Michigan, USA
Cause of death Racing accident
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
22 races run over 3 years
Best finish 27th – 1992
First race 1990 Goody's 300 (Daytona)
Last race 1992 Fram Filter 500K (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 0
Statistics current as of January 28, 2012.

Clifford Allison (October 20, 1964, Hueytown, Alabama – August 13, 1992, Brooklyn, Michigan) was an American stock car racing driver. Son of NASCAR champion Bobby Allison, he was a member of the "Alabama Gang". He was killed in a crash during practice for a NASCAR Busch Series race at Michigan International Speedway in 1992.

Life and career

Son of the legendary Bobby Allison, nephew of Donnie and brother to Davey, Clifford Allison was raised in Hueytown, Alabama and was a member of stock car racing's "Alabama Gang".[1]

Allison was seen as "crazy wild" by his relatives,[2] and his brother stated he believed Clifford had the greater talent of the two younger Allisons.[3] After marrying young, he worked in a coal mine in Kentucky for a period in the 1980s, but soon returned to Alabama and shortly after was divorced. He was then briefly crew chief for his father's Busch Series race team before the team was disbanded in 1988.[4] By that time remarried,[5] Allison started his racing career in earnest in the early 1990s, competing in ARCA and NASCAR Busch Series events; he began the 1990 season competing for rookie of the year in the Busch Series, driving for Frank Cicci,[6] but was released after the season's seventh race for poor performances.[7] Allison drove for Clint Folsom on a limited basis in 1991,[8] while in 1992 he joined team owner Barry Owen, intending to run the majority of the series schedule.[9]

Allison's best finish in professional stock car racing came in an ARCA race at Texas World Speedway in April 1992, where he finished second.[10]

Death

During practice for the Detroit Gasket 200, a Busch Series race at Michigan International Speedway in August 1992,[3] Allison spun in turn four, hitting the concrete wall with the driver's side;[11] he died shortly thereafter while in transit to hospital.[12] He was the first of two Allisons to die within the space of eleven months; his brother perished in a helicopter crash at Talladega Superspeedway the following year.[13]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold - Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Busch Series

References

Citations
  1. ↑ Allison 2005, p.55.
  2. ↑ Golenbock 2006, p.289.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Golenbock 2006, p.309.
  4. ↑ Golenbock 2006, p.290-291.
  5. ↑ Golenbock 2006, p.291.
  6. ↑ Mitchell, Charlie (February 6, 1990). "LaJoie establishes own racing team". The Hour (Norwalk, CT). p. 25. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  7. ↑ Pearce, Al (April 13, 1990). "An Allison Loses His Grand National Ride For Poor Early Showings". Daily Press. Newport News, VA. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  8. ↑ "Bobby, Junior honored by Hall of Fame". The Daytona Beach News-Journal (Daytona Beach, FL). February 13, 1991. p. 7B. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  9. ↑ "Clifford Allison - 1992 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. USA Today Sports Media Group. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  10. ↑ Golenbock 2006, p.292.
  11. ↑ Golenbock 2006, p.310.
  12. ↑ Clifford Allison dies in practice run crash, The New York Times, 14 August 1992.
  13. ↑ Hinton, Ed (July 26, 1993). "Requiem For A Racing Man". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2012-01-28.
Bibliography
  • Allison, Donnie; Jimmy Creed (2005). Donnie Allison: As I Recall... Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing. ISBN 1-59670-060-2.
  • Golenbock, Peter (2006). Miracle: Bobby Allison and the Saga of the Alabama Gang. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-34002-8.

External links