Ten NASCAR Drivers Who Had Their Careers Cut Short

Davey Allison

Davey Allison started his NASCAR career by working on cars for his father, Bobby Allison’s race team. After working on his dad’s car all day, Davey would work on his own car, a Chevy Nova and would race it at local tracks in the area. He got his first victory at Birmingham International Raceway and then moved on to the ARCA Series where he won rookie of the year honors in 1984.

After cutting his teeth in The ARCA Series, Allison moved on to the lower rungs of the NASCAR circuit, finishing tenth in his very first race at Talladega Superspeedway. Allison continued to turn heads in 1987, where he became the very first rookie to sit on the front row for that years Daytona 500.  He beat out Dale Earnhardt for his very first victory later that year at Talladega Superspeedway.

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Despite 19 wins, a career best points finish of third and countless memories to last a lifetime, Davey Allison sadly died in a Helicopter crash at Talladega Superspeedway  in 1993. He died when the helicopter nosed up during final approach and crashed abruptly. The crash was later said to be due to Allison’s inexperience as a pilot.