1979 Daytona Epic Battle - Cale Yarborough vs. Allison Brothers!

[@mindeloman]

Part of what attributed to the legend of this race was the immense viewership. It was a live flag-to-flag broadcast which was uncommon then. A blizzard in the Northeast and Midwest kept everyone indoors in an era before cable television. There wasn't much to watch. (That same blizzard led to an uptick in births 9 months later) 16 million people were watching in 1979. No televised NASCAR race got bigger viewership until 2002 Daytona 500. So a lot of people were watching and saw the drama unfold and it all just added to the legend.

[@edmondcamp2878]

The Allison’s were nothing but crybabies Cale was tough as nails. Cale went over the wall at Darlington in 1965 came back across the track combing is hair and walked up to Banjo Matthews and said I think I broke your car Banjo. Cale drove with a broke foot, third degree burns, taped up ribs and both Allison’s had to have a relief driver every time they had a hangnail. Cale was great everywhere but especially at Daytona. He won four Daytona 500’s, Four Firecracker 400’s. Five 125 qualifying races and twelve poles at Daytona which is a record for poles all but the last pole without a restrictor plate. Bobby was good at Daytona but not as good as Cale and Bobby’s 1982 Daytona 500 was won by a back bumper coming off. Bobby said Cale tapped him in the back and made it come off but Smokey Yunick said he saw the whole thing and Cale never touched Bobby. Bobby claimed how Cale hit his face against his fist but those are mighty big words from a guy that was afraid to take his helmet off dressed up like a robot from outer space and his brother right by him and Cale didn’t seem any worse for ware if anything he just looked mad. The Allison’s are still crying about it and up until he died Cale was laughing about it. Cale did say that the fight wasn’t fair that he should have had one leg tied behind him. What Bobby doesn’t tell you is after he got out of the car Cale beat the daylights out of him with his helmet. Donnie said Cale took the only chance he ever had of winning the Daytona 500 but if Donnie had been any good he would have had more than one chance of winning the Daytona 500.

[@davidrice3337]

Donnie came down on Cale - Those guys got more mileage out of that that a win - Cale won 4 Daytonas - the only one anyone talks about is this one - this is an example of how the media takes a situation and blows it all out of proportion - I hated it when everyone jumped on the NASCAR bandwagon - ultimately the popularity and greed ruined it - now look what you have - When Gordon started winning all of the incoming sponsors wanted another Jeff - That's what you have - a bunch of young dudes who's daddy's $$ got them there - They can have it - They lost me in the mid 2000s

[@rcdyer]

Donnie's only hope was to keep pinching Cale down to the grass while Cale's only hope was to stay in it and get around before he got put into the grass and or Donnie would stop pinching him. It was Donnie's fault that wreck happened because there isn't a lot Cale could do to control the car once it hit the grass like that

[@klk1900]

So even when I started racing in the 90s blocking was still a incredible sin that warranted getting your teeth knocked out! Period! Donnie blocked Cale because of his piss poor planning. But For example 1999’ I had a massive 170-180mph crash that measured 173 & 175g on two separate meters for a millisecond or two. (I doubt my body experienced all that) but cracked my skull, ruptured/lacerated multiple organs, compound fractured my right foot-femur. I woke up 4 weeks later like “This isn’t where I parked my car!” Understand every crash you wake up or get taken off a ventilator. Your very first sight is your mother glaring and burning a hole in your soul. So yes blocking was not acceptable. It would get guys extremely emotional if you blocked them.

[@bobbymartin4446]

That famous day when Bobby Allison wound up "beating his fist with Cale's face" !!!!😁🏁😁🏁 Had rather sit & watch reruns of all those great races from the 70's - 90's than watch this bullshit stage racing nowadays !!!🏁🏁

[@edmondcamp2878]

The Allison’s were nothing but crybabies Cale was tough as nails. Cale went over the wall at Darlington in 1965 came back across the track combing is hair and walked up to Banjo Matthews and said I think I broke your car Banjo. Cale drove with a broke foot, third degree burns, taped up ribs and both Allison’s had to have a relief driver every time they had a hangnail. Cale was great everywhere but especially at Daytona. He won four Daytona 500’s, Four Firecracker 400’s. Five 125 qualifying races and twelve poles at Daytona which is a record for poles all but the last pole without a restrictor plate. Bobby was good at Daytona but not as good as Cale and Bobby’s 1982 Daytona 500 was won by a back bumper coming off. Bobby said Cale tapped him in the back and made it come off but Smokey Yunick said he saw the whole thing and Cale never touched Bobby. Bobby claimed how Cale hit his face against his fist but those are mighty big words from a guy that was afraid to take his helmet off dressed up like a robot from outer space and his brother right by him and Cale didn’t seem any worse for ware if anything he just looked mad. The Allison’s are still crying about it and up until he died Cale was laughing about it. Cale did say that the fight wasn’t fair that he should have had one leg tied behind him. What Bobby doesn’t tell you is after he got out of the car Cale beat the daylights out of him with his helmet. Donnie said Cale took the only chance he ever had of winning the Daytona 500 but if Donnie had been any good he would have had more than one chance of winning the Daytona 500.

[@LuckyDogonTrack]

Wow