“Did he pass post race inspection?”: Fans react as NASCAR recognize Bobby Allison’s long disputed Bowman Gray win

Fans reacted to NASCAR ending the controversy stemming from Bobby Allison's 85th career win at Bowman Gray on August 6, 1971. The Hall of Famer has finally been named the winner of that race after 53 years.

With Bowman Gray Stadium expected to host the season-opening Clash next year, NASCAR CEO Jim France and vice chairman Mike Helton visited the 86-year-old, NASCAR veteran to deliver the news. Allison will now get to keep his 85th career Cup Series win and move to fourth in the all-time wins list.

Here is a photo of Bobby Allison with France and Helton (via NASCAR):

Reconfirming the news, NASCAR posted,

"Today, NASCAR announces its recognition of Bobby Allison as the official winner of the 1971 NASCAR Cup Series race at Bowman Gray Stadium. Allison, who drove a Grand American car to victory that day, now counts this win toward his NASCAR Cup total, bringing him to 85 career wins."

Several fans reacted to the news, with one saying,

"Did he pass post race inspection?"

Another fan said,

"Is it going to take 53 years to admit the playoffs reward the wrong behaviors and spotty performance?"

Here are a few other reactions to Bobby Allison getting the credit for what was his 25th career Cup victory:

"86 year old Bobby Allison should now qualify for the championship 4. Win and in or something," a fan commented.

"Sooooo what happens to the 1971 points standings...." another said.

"This is fantastic news. Finally a wrong has been righted. Thankfully it has been done while Bobby can know about it," a fan wrote.

Bobby Allison raced in the NASCAR Cup Series from 1961 to 1988. He was the founding member of the famous Alabama Gang, a group of drivers based in Hueytown, Alabama. Allison won the 1983 Winston Cup Championship (now Cup Series Championship). He is also a three-time Daytona 500 winner.

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Why did NASCAR deny Bobby Allison his win back in the day?

In the 1971 event, i.e., the Myers Brothers Memorial 250, cars from both the NASCAR Cup Series and the Grand American Series ran alongside each other. That is precisely what gave rise to one of the most long-lived controversies in NASCAR.

Bobby Allison was a regular face in the Cup Series back then. However, the Mustang he was driving was not a standard Cup Series machine. Therefore, despite leading 138 laps of the 200-lap event, Allison was denied the win.

Allison was handed the trophy in victory lane, but the win did not count toward his Cup Series total. Even Richard Petty, who finished second, was not given the credit as he too was driving a Grand National Plymouth.

Bobby Allison was one of the many drivers that year running both series. The others were Dave Marcis, Buck Baker, Jim Paschal, and the late Tiny Lund. Interestingly, Lund emerged victorious in two Cup Series races that year, driving Grand American cars in both.