Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough’s fight happened in the 1979 Daytona 500.
Cale and Bobby’s infamous fight included the latter’s brother, Donnie Allison. All three were in the first NASCAR race to be televised live from start to finish.
Highlights
- After colliding with Allison’s car, Yarborough got frustrated.
- Yarborough blamed Bobby for the unfateful end of his race in the 1979 Daytona 500.
- Allison’s brothers and Yarborough shared harsh words right before they ended up in a bloody altercation.
Sadly, Bobby passed away on November 9, 2024, at the age of 86. He was a celebrated driver in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Likewise, Cale is also no longer between us. The three-time Cup champion lost his life on December 31, 2023, at 84 years old due to a rare genetic disorder.
Currently, Donnie is the only survivor of the infamous trio fight. At 85 years old, the former NASCAR driver is grieving the loss of his older brother.
Cale Yarborough Rush Toward Bobby Allison And Struck Him With His Helmet
The Daytona 500 on February 18, 1979, drew 15 million viewers, and when Cale Yarborough fought with Allison’s brothers, it became one of NASCAR’s most memorable races.
Before the fight ignited, Yarborough and Donnie Allison crashed on the final lap, sending both cars off the track and into the infield.
After that, Allison and Yarborough’s car remained in a state of instability and unable to compete. This made the latter frustrated, and he later shared about it with the media, saying,
“All you’ve got to do is look at the film, and it shows you exactly that he (Allison) ran me off the racetrack and I lost control.”
Cale Yarborough
On the contrary, Donnie said,
“I looked in the mirror, and I see Cale was coming down and I said, Oh no you don’t. You can have all the room on the outside but you are not going inside. He hit me in my back bumper and I went a little sideways.”
Donnie Allison
Unlike Cale and Donnie, Bobby completed the race. Upon finishing, he was quick on his feet to check on his brother, who had gotten into a crash.
@americanautosport Cale Yarborough vs Donnie Allison created arguably the greatest Daytona 500 finish in NASCAR history. The 1979 Daytona 500 set the tone for the era that was to follow. #caleyarborough #donnieallison #bobbyallison #richardpetty #darrellwaltrip #daytona500 #nascarfights #nascarfight #nascarcupseries #daytona500winner #lastlap #photofinish ♬ original sound – American Autosport
In anger, Cale rushed toward the Allison brothers and started arguing, which became a heated dispute.
Donnie explains the conversation by saying,
“We both got out of our cars and had a few words. And they weren’t very pleasant.”
Donnie Allison
Bobby also opened up about the incident and said,
“I stopped at the scene of the wreck, and Cale comes over and starts yelling at me that the wreck was my fault. How could that be? I was half a lap away.”
Bobby Allison
Yarborough hit Bobby with his helmet in a surprising turn, starting a fight that unfolded live on national TV.
Soon after, all three drivers tangled up in a messy fight. It was the Yarborough versus Allison’s brothers.
All eyes were stuck to the fight after announcer Ken Squier said,
“And there’s a fight!”
Ken Squier
As the brothers stood up for each other, they started throwing punches and helmets while millions watched in shock.
Track officials struggled to break up the fight, which had now captured the attention of the entire racing world.
Later, Bobby explained why he decided to face Yarborough, saying,
“I thought I had to address this right now or run from Cale Yarborough the rest of my life.”
Bobby Allison
Similarly to his action, Cale later shared,
“I was mad enough to fight, and I did. The only thing I’ve regretted was not winning the race.”
Cale Yarborough
Cale Yarborough, Donnie, And Bobby Allison Were Fined, But They Never Apologized
The 1979 Daytona 500 fight between Cale Yarborough, Donnie Allison, and Bobby Allison led to penalties but no apologies.
NASCAR fined each driver $6,000 for their part in the brawl. The Allison brothers received six months of probation, while Yarborough received three months.
For years after, the drivers kept quiet about the fight in public. However, Bobby has joked about it, saying,
“[Cale] started beating my fists with his nose.”
Bobby Allison
A tweet says Yarborough and Donnie met up later and later cracked a joke about it, mentioning,
“He (Donnie) resisted the urge to punch him (Cale), but only because Mike Helton was with them.”
Matt Weaver
Richard Petty, who won the 1979 race, called it the sport’s “first big thing.”
Similarly, Ken Squier described the moment with excitement, calling the race a perfect mix of surprise, shock, and suspense.
The CBS announcer added that neither he nor the sport could have devised a better story.
Additional Information
- Bobby Allison was married twice to Judy Allison; their first marriage lasted from 1960 to 1995, and they remarried in 2000, remaining together until she died in 2015.
- Unlike Bobby, Cale Yarborough had a smooth married life with his wife, Betty Jo Yarborough.
- Allison’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million, whereas Cale reportedly accumulated a net worth of $50 million at his demise.
