One of NASCAR’s biggest and brightest stars, Cale Yarborough, breathed his last on Sunday, aged 84. Over a career that spanned from 1957 to 1988, Yarborough won 3 Cup Series championships, 4 Daytona 500s, and 5 Southern 500s. His trophy cabinet speaks volumes about his legacy and impact on stock car racing. Let’s take a look at the moments that define this South Carolina native’s name in history.
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On November 19th, 1978, Yarborough reached the checkered flag runner-up at the Ontario Motorspeedway. Though he couldn’t get the better of his rival Bobby Allison in that season finale, he was already much above him on the points table. Courtesy of his incredible run that season, Yarborough picked up his 3rd consecutive title with a lead of 474 points over Allison. This day also marked him to be the first driver in NASCAR history to have 3 consecutive titles, a feat that would later be matched only by Jimmie Johnson.
Yarborough’s skills behind the wheel catapulted above questions when he won the Daytona 500 in 1984. It was the fourth time he was taming the event, and he did it in some fashion with a last-lap overtake over Darrel Waltrip. Even before the 1st of the 500 miles began, his Chevrolet Monte Carlo had sent shivers down the grid by breaking the 200 miles per hour speed barrier and clocking 201.828 mph during the second qualifying.
The 130,000-odd crowd that was in the stands knew all too well to expect a Yarborough show that day and that’s exactly what he delivered. He stands second only to Richard Petty with 4 wins in the Daytona 500.
The 1979 Daytona 500 that echoes the Cale Yarborough name
When the sun set on February 18, 1979, NASCAR fans across America had witnessed one of the most memorable and iconic Daytona 500s, courtesy of a final lap battle between Yarborough and the Allison brothers that leaked into becoming an infield brawl.
As the announcer Ken Squier expertly narrated the scenes on the 2.5-mile oval, Yarborough and Donnie Allison vied for the lead in the final lap of the race. Just like when it seemed one of them would take home the win, they wrecked each other and made way for Richard Petty to cruise to the finish line.
Anger seething, the duo found each other in the infield and began fist-fighting, only to quickly be joined by Donnie’s brother Bobby, who was racing behind them. Squier’s infamous words came at the moment, saying, “And there’s a fight between Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison! The tempers, overflowing. They are angry. They know they have lost. And what a bitter defeat.”
These three key moments from Cale Yarborough’s career reflect the tough and gritty winner that he ended up being in stock car racing. We join the NASCAR world in mourning the passing of this incredible driver.
