Talladega Superspeedway officials have set the date for a special tribute to the late Davey Allison. A guest driver will take his No. 28 Ford Thunderbird on a ceremonial lap around the Alabama track while celebrating the 35th anniversary of his first NASCAR Cup Series win.
A press release announced the news on April 15 and provided more information about the special tribute. Two-time Talladega winner Clint Bowyer will be the man who drives the No. 28 during the ceremonial lap, and he will do so prior to the command for the drivers to fire their engines.
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Davey Allison’s first NASCAR Cup Series win, @ClintBowyer will drive the iconic No. 28 for a ceremonial lap before the #GEICO500!
The car, which will be on display throughout the weekend, is not the exact one the Allison took to Victory Lane for the first time in his Cup Series career. It is actually the stock car that he drove during the 1993 Daytona 500. This vehicle mirrored Allison’s Talladega-winning ride from the 1992 season.
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There will be another tribute to Allison before Bowyer climbs into the No. 28. Those in attendance at the track will see a special video celebrating the 35th anniversary of Allison’s first career win, as well as his other achievements at the track.
Allison Won 3 Times at Talladega Superspeedway
GettyThe Allison family poses in front of a display to Davey Allison.
Allison, who passed away in 1993 after a helicopter crash, won three times at Talladega Superspeedway. His first win, which was also his first as a Cup Series driver, took place on May 3, 1987.
Allison made his first start at the track for Harry Rainer’s team and he led 101 of the 178 laps before winning the darkness-shortened race. He held off such names as Terry Labonte, Kyle Petty, and Dale Earnhardt among others before celebrating a major moment in his career.
The Alabama native returned to Victory Lane two more times during his short Cup Series career. He won in 1989 after leading 94 laps and then he captured the 1992 Winston 500 after leading a race-high 110 laps.
Allison performed consistently at Talladega Superspeedway during his career. Along with his three trips to Victory Lane, he also posted top-10 finishes in 66.7% of his starts while setting an overall average finish of 12.7.
Bowyer Will Take Part in Another Special Ceremony
GettyClint Bowyer will enter the Talladega Walk of Fame.
Prior to taking the ceremonial lap, Bowyer will take part in another special ceremony at the Alabama superspeedway. He will become the first driver since 2013 to enter the Talladega Walk of Fame at Davey Allison Memorial Park.
The ceremony will take place on Friday, April 22, two days before the Geico 500 Cup Series race. The Talladega Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony and Block Party will run from 5-9 p.m. CT, and it will kick off a tripleheader weekend featuring the ARCA Menards Series, Xfinity Series, and Cup Series races.
Bowyer made 30 total Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway during his career. He posted 13 top-10 finishes, as well as an average finish of 17.2, while completing all but six of the races. Bowyer also cemented his spot in track history by reaching Victory Lane during the fall of 2010 and 2011.
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Talladega Superspeedway Unveils Special Davey Allison Tribute