When Davey Allison took extreme measures to take part in the Talladega race despite a broken arm

Davey Allison's 1992 race at Talladega is remembered as one of the most dramatic examples of a driver pushing beyond their limits. Just a week after a harrowing crash at Pocono that left him with a broken collarbone and wrist, Allison was back behind the wheel at Talladega.

At Pocono Raceway, he not only qualified on pole but also dominated the early stages. However, trouble struck when he made a move to pass Darrell Waltrip, unseen by the latter. The two collided, triggering one of NASCAR's most horrific crashes.

The accident left Allison with severe injuries, including head trauma and additional breaks to his arm, wrist, and collarbone. He was then airlifted to the same hospital that had treated his father, Bobby Allison, after the crash that ended his career.

Despite his severe injuries, Davey Allison's spirit saw him at the starting line for the next two races, although he couldn't complete them.

Allison had to resort to using velcro to secure his broken arm to the steering wheel and shifter just to start the Cup race at Talladega. After toughing it out for 5 laps, he handed the wheel over to Bobby Hillin, who took over and drove the car to a third-place finish, propelling Davey back into the points lead.

However, the next race at Watkins Glen didn't yield similar results, with Allison and his co-driver, veteran road racer Dorsey Schroeder, finishing in 20th place.

Tragedy again struck the Allison family before the Michigan race, when Davey's younger brother Clifford died in a practice session crash for the Busch Series event at the same track. Overwhelmed with grief but driven by resilience, Davey Allison, under immense emotional strain, still managed to cross the finish line in fifth place at Michigan.

---

Davey Allison’s final time at the track where he once raced with a broken arm

The stock car racing world mourned when Davey Allison, aged 32, died from head injuries sustained in a helicopter crash, occurring just a year after the death of his younger brother. Allison was piloting the helicopter, alongside fellow racer Red Farmer, to watch a friend test drive a car for an upcoming NASCAR race.

The accident happened as Allison tried to land the helicopter within the confined space of the track's infield, leading to a nose-up and crash. Neil Bonnett was able to free Farmer from the wreckage; however, Allison was unresponsive and could not be extracted until paramedics arrived.

Following the crash, Allison was taken to Carraway Methodist Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, where he was placed in a coma and underwent emergency head surgery. His condition remained dire, described as extremely critical. Meanwhile, Farmer sustained a broken rib and collarbone but was in a stable condition.

Despite the best efforts of his medical team, Allison never regained consciousness. After a last attempt to relieve pressure on his brain, he was pronounced dead at 7:00 a.m. the following day by a neurosurgeon. Farmer, on the other hand, faced a long recovery but ultimately overcame his injuries.