Bobby Isaac
BornRobert Vance Isaac
(1932-08-01)August 1, 1932
Catawba, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedAugust 14, 1977(1977-08-14) (aged 45)
Hickory, North Carolina, U.S.
Cause of deathHeart attack due to heat exhaustion
Achievements1970 Grand National Series champion
Holds Cup Series record for most poles in a season (20 poles in 1969)
Awards1969 Grand National Series Most Popular Driver
National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame (1979)
International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1996)
Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998)
NASCAR Hall of Fame (2016)
Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)
NASCAR Cup Series career
308 races run over 14 years
Best finish1st (1970)
First race1961 World 600 qualifier No. 1 (Charlotte)
Last race1976 World 600 (Charlotte)
First win1964 Daytona 500 qualifier No. 2 (Daytona)
Last win1972 Carolina 500 (Rockingham)
Wins Top tens Poles
37[1] 170[1] 48[1]
NASCAR Grand National East Series career
8 races run over 2 years
Best finish30th (1973)
First race1972 Hickory 276 (Hickory)
Last race1973 Buddy Shuman 100 (Hickory)
First win1972 Albany-Saratoga 250 (Malta)
Last win1972 Coalminers 200 (Lonesome Pine)
Wins Top tens Poles
4 6 4
Statistics current as of April 17, 2013.

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.[2]

NASCAR career

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).[3] 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.[4]

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.[5][6] In September 1971, he went to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and set 28 world speed records, some of which still stand.[5][6]

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 91 °F (33 °C) at mid-afternoon, and were still around 80 °F (27 °C) at the time of Isaac's collapse.[7] 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, 1977, 13 days after his 45th birthday.[8][9]

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".[9]

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 NGNC 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
18		 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 - [10]
1963 Bondy Long 90 Plymouth BIR GGS THS RSD DAY DAY
22		 20th 12858 [11]
99 DAY
DNQ		 PIF
11		 AWS
6		 HBO
20		 AUG
7		 RCH GPS
16		 SBO BGS CLB
21		 THS ASH
16
Ford ATL
20		 HCY BRI
27		 MAR
21		 NWS
8		 DAR
21		 ODS RCH CLT
11		 BIR ATL
11		 DAY
16		 MBS
18		 SVH DTS BGS OBS
5		 BRR
9		 BRI
11		 GPS
5		 NSV
14		 CLB
3		 AWS
18		 PIF
14		 BGS ONA DAR
11		 HCY RCH MAR DTS NWS THS
Smokey Yunick 13 Chevy CLT
31		 SBO HBO RSD
1964 Nichels Engineering 26 Dodge CON AUG JSP SVH RSD DAY DAY
1		 DAY
15		 RCH BRI
27		 GPS BGS ATL
2		 AWS HBO PIF CLB NWS MAR SVH DAR
27		 LGY HCY SBO CLT
25		 GPS ASH ATL
7		 CON NSV CHT BIR VAL PIF DAY
2		 ODS OBS BRR
17		 ISP GLN LIN BRI
23		 NSV MBS AWS DTS ONA DAR
20		 MAR
7		 CLT
27		 18th 13252 [12]
Louis Weathersbee 45 Plymouth CLB
11		 BGS STR HCY
26		 RCH
17		 ODS HBO SVH
13		 NWS
Owens Racing 5 Dodge HAR
4		 AUG
2		 JAC
17
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
32		 NWS
34		 CLT HBO CAR
21		 75th 980 [13]
Junior Johnson & Associates 26 Ford DTS
2*
1966 AUG
2		 RSD
29		 DAY DAY
7		 DAY
21		 CAR
37		 BRI
23		 ATL
29		 HCY
3		 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 [14]
Owens Racing 5 Dodge CAR
30
1967 K&K Insurance Racing 71 Dodge AUG RSD DAY
11		 DAY DAY
19		 AWS BRI GPS BGS ATL
5		 CLB HCY NWS MAR SVH RCH CLT
11		 ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR
16		 GPS MGY DAY
5		 TRN OXF FDA ISP ATL
33		 BGS CLB SVH DAR
6		 HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS CLT
2		 CAR
36		 AWS 14th 19698 [15]
37 DAR
8		 BLV LGY
King Enterprises 53 Dodge BRI
32		 SMR NSV
1968 K&K Insurance Racing 37 Dodge MGR
16		 MGY
3		 RSD
7		 RCH
13		 GPS
2		 CLB
1*		 2nd 3373 [16]
71 DAY
36		 BRI
5		 ATL
8		 HCY
3*		 NWS
3		 MAR
16		 AUG
1*		 AWS
2		 DAR
7		 BLV
2		 LGY
2		 CLT
5		 ASH
3		 MGR
2		 SMR
14		 BIR
2		 CAR
24		 GPS
22		 DAY
8		 ISP
6		 OXF
5		 FDA
4		 TRN
16		 BRI
4		 SMR
22		 NSV
4		 ATL
2		 CLB
11		 BGS
3		 AWS
2		 SBO
3		 LGY
3		 DAR
33		 HCY
2*		 RCH
6		 BLV
1*		 HBO
11		 MAR
5		 NWS
7		 AUG
4		 CLT
9		 CAR
17		 JFC
9*
1969 MGR
17		 MGY
4		 RSD
38		 DAY DAY
1*		 DAY
30		 CAR
7		 AUG
3*		 BRI
14*		 ATL
23		 CLB
1*		 HCY
1*		 GPS
1*		 RCH
27		 NWS
23		 MAR
23		 AWS
1*		 DAR
26		 BLV
1*		 LGY
4*		 CLT
5		 MGR
1*		 SMR
1*		 MCH
28		 KPT
11*		 GPS
1*		 NCF
10		 DAY
29		 DOV TPN TRN
3*		 BLV
17		 BRI
2		 NSV
2		 SMR
19		 ATL
33		 MCH
6		 SBO
1*		 BGS
2*		 AWS
1*		 DAR HCY
1*		 RCH
3		 TAL
4		 CLB
1		 MAR
6		 NWS
3		 CLT
41		 SVH
1*		 AUG
1*		 CAR
16		 JFC
1*		 MGR
3		 TWS
1		 6th 3301 [17]
1970 RSD
29		 DAY
2		 DAY DAY
5		 RCH
4		 CAR
14		 SVH
2		 ATL
28		 BRI
17		 TAL
2		 NWS
2		 CLB
3		 DAR
3		 BLV
1*		 LGY
1*		 CLT
7		 SMR
1*		 MAR
1*		 MCH
5		 RSD
16		 HCY
1*		 KPT
8		 GPS
1*		 DAY
9		 AST
17		 TPN
1*		 TRN
19		 BRI
3		 SMR
2		 NSV
1*		 ATL
35		 CLB
1*		 ONA
10		 MCH
4		 TAL
2		 BGS
3		 SBO
2		 DAR
2		 HCY
1*		 RCH
4		 DOV
6		 NCF
3		 NWS
1		 CLT
5		 MAR
4		 MGR
2*		 CAR
7		 LGY
23		 1st 3911 [18]
1971 RSD
4		 DAY DAY
11		 DAY
10		 ONT
4		 RCH
2		 CAR
2		 HCY BRI ATL
5		 CLB GPS
1*		 SMR NWS
13*		 MAR
3		 DAR
25		 SBO
13*		 TAL ASH KPT
1*		 CLT
32		 DOV
4		 MCH
2		 RSD HOU GPS DAY
1*		 BRI AST ISP TRN NSV ATL
33		 BGS ONA MCH
39		 TAL CLB HCY DAR
4		 MAR
1*		 CLT
2		 DOV
3		 CAR
5		 MGR RCH NWS TWS
49		 23rd 1819 [19]

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 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 K&K Insurance Racing 71 Dodge RSD
3		 DAY
33		 RCH
3		 ONT
45		 CAR
1		 ATL
3		 BRI
2		 DAR
28		 NWS
3*		 MAR
19*		 TAL
2		 CLT
23		 DOV
14		 MCH
26		 RSD
21		 TWS
5		 DAY
27		 BRI
18		 TRN
2*		 ATL
31		 TAL
42		 MCH
3		 NSV
27		 DAR
40		 RCH DOV 19th 5050.85 [20]
Donlavey Racing 98 Ford MAR
35		 NWS
Matthews Racing 27 Chevy CLT
28		 CAR
36		 TWS
1973 Bud Moore Engineering 15 Ford RSD
27		 DAY
2		 RCH
4		 CAR
30		 BRI
15		 ATL
2		 NWS
28		 DAR
33		 MAR
3		 TAL
26		 NSV
7		 CLT
4		 DOV
29		 TWS
32		 RSD
33		 MCH DAY
39		 BRI
22		 ATL
35		 TAL
13		 NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR 26th 3352.4 [21]
1974 Matthews Racing 27 Chevy RSD DAY
8		 RCH CAR BRI
2		 ATL 33rd 152.94 [22]
Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAR
33		 NWS
Ellington Racing 28 Chevy MAR
25		 TAL NSV DOV DAY
6		 BRI NSV ATL
34		 POC TAL
8		 MCH DAR
37		 RCH DOV NWS
6		 MAR
29 CLT
33		 RSD MCH
K&K Insurance Racing 17 Dodge CLT
32		 CAR ONT
1975 Ellington Racing 28 Chevy RSD DAY RCH CAR
29		 BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV 48th 405 [23]
Norris Reed 83 Chevy CLT
35		 RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR
Puro Racing 75 Mercury CLT
37		 RCH
Ed Gibson 3 Chevy CAR
7		 BRI
23		 ATL
30		 ONT
1976 Howard & Egerton Racing 6 Chevy RSD DAY CAR
6		 RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV 114th 49 [24]
Neil Castles CLT
38		 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

References

  1. 1 2 3 Driver's statistics at racing-reference.info
  2. ↑ Decades of Racing - Bobby Isaac
  3. ↑ "Historical Motorsports Stories: NASCAR's Urban Legends: Larry Smith & Bobby Isaac - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Archived from the original on 2018-12-11. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  4. ↑ McLeod, Mac (1973-08-20). "A Champion Quits". The Sumter Daily Item.
  5. 1 2 First hand account of Bonneville Salt Flats land speed record attempts
  6. 1 2 International Motorsports Hall of Fame page Archived 2006-05-08 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "Weather History for Hickory, NC | Weather Underground". www.wunderground.com. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  8. ↑ "Hickory victory to Ingram". Statesville Record & Landmark. August 15, 1977. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018.
  9. 1 2 "Bobby Isaac dead at 43". The Spartanburg Herald. Associated Press. August 15, 1977.
  10. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1963 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1964 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1965 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1971 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Bobby Isaac – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
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