Bobby Isaac

Template:Short description Template:Infobox NASCAR driver Robert Vance Isaac (August 1, 1932 – August 14, 1977) was an American stock car racing driver. Isaac made his first NASCAR appearance in 1961, and quickly forged a reputation of one of the toughest competitors of the 1960s and 1970s. He was most famously associated with driving Nord Krauskopf's red No. 71 K&K Insurance Dodge Charger. Isaac was NASCAR's Grand National Series champion in 1970. Isaac abruptly retired from full-time top-level competition in 1973 and died of a heart attack during a late model race at Hickory Motor Speedway in 1977. For his achievements, Isaac was named as one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers and inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Early life

Isaac grew up on a farm near Catawba, North Carolina, the second-youngest of nine children. He finished school after the sixth grade, which led to the incorrect rumor that he could neither read nor write.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

NASCAR career

File:Bobby Isaac 71 Dodge NASCAR Hall of Fame.jpg

Isaac's No. 71 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame

He began racing full-time in 1956, but it took him seven years to break into the Grand National division. Isaac won the championship in 1970 driving the No. 71 Dodge Charger Daytona sponsored by K&K Insurance. His crew chief was Harry Hyde. Isaac and Hyde took the car to Talladega in November and set a closed-course speed record.

Isaac won 37 races in NASCAR's top series during his career, including 11 in his championship season, and started from the pole position 49 times. Isaac currently holds the NASCAR record for most poles in a single season, with 20 in 1969. In 1970 he turned a 201.104 mph lap at Talladega, a record that stood until 1983.

Isaac dropped out of the 1973 Talladega 500 mid-race in an impulsive decision which surprised his pit crew and the team owner. "I wasn't afraid I was going to wreck...I don't have anything to prove to myself or to anybody else. I know how it feels to win and lose. I know how it feels to be a champion. And now I know how it feels to quit. It just entered my mind at that moment," Isaac said. "I decided to quit and that was that. (Team owner) Bud Moore didn't know I had quit until after the race. I didn't know about (Larry) Smith at that time." (Larry Smith was the first fatality at Talladega Superspeedway, which happened earlier in the race).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Isaac did not participate in any further 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup races after Talladega, and the presumption by sports commentators in late 1973 was that he was retiring from the sport.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ultimately, Isaac did return to NASCAR racing as a driver from 1974 through 1976, on a reduced schedule.

Land speed records

Isaac also made his mark outside of NASCAR.<ref name="aerowarriors">First hand account of Bonneville Salt Flats land speed record attempts</ref><ref name="imhof">International Motorsports Hall of Fame page Template:Webarchive</ref> In September 1971, he went to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and set 28 world speed records, some of which still stand.<ref name="aerowarriors"/><ref name="imhof"/>

Awards

Bobby Isaac was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 1979, and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1998 NASCAR honored Isaac as one of its 50 greatest drivers. On May 20, 2015, Isaac was announced as a member of the 2016 induction class to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Death

On Saturday night, August 13, 1977, while running fourth, Isaac pulled out of the Winston 200 late model sportsman race at Hickory Motor Speedway with 40 laps left, and called for a relief driver, collapsing on pit road of heat exhaustion. Weather reports for the area that day showed temperatures which had reached Template:Convert at mid-afternoon, and were still around Template:Convert at the time of Isaac's collapse.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Though Isaac was revived briefly at the hospital and was conversing with friends, he later died from a heart attack caused by heat exhaustion, at 12:45 a.m. on August 14, 13 days after his 45th birthday.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=SH>Template:Cite news</ref>

Details of Isaac's pit lane collapse on the night of his death were given to reporters by friend and former racing driver Ned Jarrett. Jarrett asserted at that time that the reason Isaac left the 1973 Talladega 500 was because he "had heard a voice that told him to quit".<ref name=SH />

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60	61	62	Template:Tooltip	Pts	Ref
1961	Rex Lovette	27	Pontiac	CLT	JSP	DAY	DAY	DAY	PIF	AWS	HMS	ATL	GPS	HBO	BGS	MAR	NWS	CLB	HCY	RCH	MAR	DAR	CLT Template:Small	CLT	RSD	ASP	CLT	PIF	BIR	GPS	BGS	NOR	HAS	STR	DAY	ATL	CLB	MBS	BRI	NSV	BGS	AWS	RCH	SBO	DAR	HCY	RCH	CSF	ATL	MAR	NWS	CLT	BRI	GPS	HBO											158th	-	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1963	Bondy Long	90	Plymouth	BIR	GGS	THS	RSD	DAY	DAY Template:Small																																																									20th	12858	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
		99								DAY Template:Small	PIF Template:Small	AWS Template:Small	HBO Template:Small				AUG Template:Small	RCH	GPS Template:Small	SBO	BGS			CLB Template:Small	THS												ASH Template:Small
			Ford											ATL Template:Small	HCY	BRI Template:Small						MAR Template:Small	NWS Template:Small			DAR Template:Small	ODS	RCH	CLT Template:Small	BIR	ATL Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	MBS Template:Small	SVH	DTS	BGS		OBS Template:Small	BRR Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	GPS Template:Small	NSV Template:Small	CLB Template:Small	AWS Template:Small	PIF Template:Small	BGS	ONA	DAR Template:Small	HCY	RCH	MAR	DTS	NWS	THS
	Smokey Yunick	13	Chevy																																																				CLT Template:Small	SBO	HBO	RSD
1964	Nichels Engineering	26	Dodge	CON	AUG	JSP	SVH	RSD	DAY	DAY Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	RCH	BRI Template:Small	GPS	BGS	ATL Template:Small	AWS	HBO	PIF	CLB	NWS	MAR	SVH	DAR Template:Small	LGY	HCY	SBO	CLT Template:Small	GPS	ASH	ATL Template:Small	CON	NSV	CHT	BIR	VAL	PIF	DAY Template:Small	ODS	OBS	BRR Template:Small	ISP	GLN	LIN	BRI Template:Small	NSV	MBS	AWS	DTS	ONA				DAR Template:Small					MAR Template:Small			CLT Template:Small				18th	13252	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Louis Weathersbee	45	Plymouth																																																CLB Template:Small	BGS	STR		HCY Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	ODS	HBO		SVH Template:Small	NWS
	Owens Racing	5	Dodge																																																												HAR Template:Small	AUG Template:Small	JAC Template:Small
1965	Nichels Engineering	35	Dodge	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	PIF	ASW	RCH	HBO	ATL	GPS	NWS	MAR	CLB	BRI	DAR	LGY	BGS	HCY	CLT	CCF	ASH	HAR	NSV	BIR	ATL	GPS	MBS	VAL	DAY	ODS	OBS	ISP	GLN	BRI	NSV	CCF	AWS	SMR	PIF	AUG	CLB	DTS	BLV	BGS	DAR	HCY	LIN	ODS	RCH	MAR Template:Small	NWS Template:Small	CLT	HBO	CAR Template:Small									75th	980	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Junior Johnson & Associates	26	Ford																																																							DTS Template:Small
1966				AUG Template:Small	RSD Template:Small	DAY	DAY Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	HCY Template:Small	CLB	GPS	BGS	NWS	MAR	DAR	LGY	MGR	MON	RCH	CLT	DTS	ASH	PIF	SMR	AWS	BLV	GPS	DAY	ODS	BRR	OXF	FON	ISP	BRI	SMR	NSV	ATL	CLB	AWS	BLV	BGS	DAR	HCY	RCH	HBO	MAR	NWS	CLT															53rd	3438	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Owens Racing	5	Dodge																																																	CAR Template:Small
1967	K&K Insurance Racing	71	Dodge	AUG	RSD	DAY Template:Small	DAY	DAY Template:Small	AWS	BRI	GPS	BGS	ATL Template:Small	CLB	HCY	NWS	MAR	SVH	RCH				CLT Template:Small	ASH	MGR	SMR	BIR	CAR Template:Small	GPS	MGY	DAY Template:Small	TRN	OXF	FDA	ISP				ATL Template:Small	BGS	CLB	SVH	DAR Template:Small	HCY	RCH	BLV	HBO	MAR	NWS	CLT Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	AWS														14th	19698	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
		37																		DAR Template:Small	BLV	LGY
	King Enterprises	53	Dodge																																	BRI Template:Small	SMR	NSV
1968	K&K Insurance Racing	37	Dodge	MGR Template:Small	MGY Template:Small	RSD Template:Small			RCH Template:Small			GPS Template:Small	CLB Template:Small																																																					2nd	3373	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
		71					DAY Template:Small	BRI Template:Small		ATL Template:Small	HCY Template:Small			NWS Template:Small	MAR Template:Small	AUG Template:Small	AWS Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	BLV Template:Small	LGY Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	ASH Template:Small	MGR Template:Small	SMR Template:Small	BIR Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	GPS Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	ISP Template:Small	OXF Template:Small	FDA Template:Small	TRN Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	SMR Template:Small	NSV Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	CLB Template:Small	BGS Template:Small	AWS Template:Small	SBO Template:Small	LGY Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	HCY Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	BLV Template:Small	HBO Template:Small	MAR Template:Small	NWS Template:Small	AUG Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	JFC 9*
1969				MGR Template:Small	MGY Template:Small	RSD Template:Small	DAY	DAY Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	AUG Template:Small	BRI 14*	ATL Template:Small	CLB Template:Small	HCY Template:Small	GPS Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	NWS Template:Small	MAR Template:Small	AWS Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	BLV Template:Small	LGY Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	MGR Template:Small	SMR Template:Small	MCH Template:Small	KPT Template:Small	GPS Template:Small	NCF Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	DOV	TPN	TRN Template:Small	BLV Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	NSV Template:Small	SMR Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	MCH Template:Small	SBO Template:Small	BGS Template:Small	AWS Template:Small	DAR	HCY Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	TAL Template:Small	CLB Template:Small	MAR Template:Small	NWS Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	SVH Template:Small	AUG Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	JFC Template:Small	MGR Template:Small	TWS Template:Small									6th	3301	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1970				RSD Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	DAY	DAY Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	SVH Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	TAL Template:Small	NWS Template:Small	CLB Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	BLV Template:Small	LGY Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	SMR Template:Small	MAR Template:Small	MCH Template:Small	RSD Template:Small	HCY Template:Small	KPT Template:Small	GPS Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	AST Template:Small	TPN Template:Small	TRN Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	SMR Template:Small	NSV Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	CLB Template:Small	ONA Template:Small	MCH Template:Small	TAL Template:Small	BGS Template:Small	SBO Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	HCY Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	DOV Template:Small	NCF Template:Small	NWS Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	MAR Template:Small	MGR Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	LGY Template:Small															1st	3911	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1971				RSD Template:Small	DAY	DAY Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	ONT Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	HCY	BRI	ATL Template:Small	CLB	GPS Template:Small	SMR	NWS 13*	MAR Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	SBO 13*	TAL	ASH	KPT Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	DOV Template:Small	MCH Template:Small	RSD	HOU	GPS	DAY Template:Small	BRI	AST	ISP	TRN	NSV	ATL Template:Small	BGS	ONA	MCH Template:Small	TAL	CLB	HCY	DAR Template:Small	MAR Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	DOV Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	MGR	RCH	NWS	TWS 49															23rd	1819	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	Template:Tooltip	Pts	Ref
1972	K&K Insurance Racing	71	Dodge	RSD Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	ONT Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	NWS Template:Small	MAR 19*	TAL Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	DOV Template:Small	MCH Template:Small	RSD Template:Small	TWS Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	TRN Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	TAL Template:Small	MCH Template:Small	NSV Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	RCH	DOV						19th	5050.85	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Donlavey Racing	98	Ford																											MAR Template:Small	NWS
	Matthews Racing	27	Chevy																													CLT Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	TWS
1973	Bud Moore Engineering	15	Ford	RSD Template:Small	DAY Template:Small	RCH Template:Small	CAR Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	NWS Template:Small	DAR Template:Small	MAR Template:Small	TAL Template:Small	NSV Template:Small	CLT Template:Small	DOV Template:Small	TWS Template:Small	RSD Template:Small	MCH	DAY Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	TAL Template:Small	NSV	DAR	RCH	DOV	NWS	MAR	CLT	CAR				26th	3352.4	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1974	Matthews Racing	27	Chevy	RSD	DAY Template:Small	RCH	CAR	BRI Template:Small	ATL																										33rd	152.94	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Donlavey Racing	90	Ford							DAR Template:Small	NWS
	Ellington Racing	28	Chevy									MAR Template:Small	TAL	NSV	DOV				DAY Template:Small	BRI	NSV	ATL Template:Small	POC	TAL Template:Small	MCH	DAR Template:Small	RCH	DOV	NWS Template:Small	MAR
		29														CLT Template:Small	RSD	MCH
	K&K Insurance Racing	17	Dodge																												CLT Template:Small	CAR	ONT
1975	Ellington Racing	28	Chevy	RSD	DAY	RCH	CAR Template:Small	BRI	ATL	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV																				48th	405	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Norris Reed	83	Chevy													CLT Template:Small	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	DAR	DOV	NWS	MAR
	Puro Racing	75	Mercury																									CLT Template:Small	RCH
	Ed Gibson	3	Chevy																											CAR Template:Small	BRI Template:Small	ATL Template:Small	ONT
1976	Howard & Egerton Racing	6	Chevy	RSD	DAY	CAR Template:Small	RCH	BRI	ATL	NWS	DAR	MAR	TAL	NSV	DOV																				114th	49	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Neil Castles															CLT Template:Small	RSD	MCH	DAY	NSV	POC	TAL	MCH	BRI	DAR	RCH	DOV	MAR	NWS	CLT	CAR	ATL	ONT

Daytona 500

Year	Team	Manufacturer	Start	Finish
1963	Bondy Long	Plymouth	DNQ
1964	Nichels Engineering	Dodge	4	15
1966	Junior Johnson & Associates	Ford	14	21
1967	K&K Insurance Racing	Dodge	23	19
1968			11	36
1969			2	30
1970			3	5
1971			2	10
1972			1	33
1973	Bud Moore Engineering	Ford	10	2
1974	Matthews Racing	Chevrolet	3	8

External links

• Template:Racing-Reference driver
• Biography, part 1 Template:Webarchive
• Biography, part 2
• Bobby Isaac: NASCAR's First Modern Champion
• Template:Find a Grave