Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip both changed teams in 1981, and both tangled for the Winston Cup title. Waltrip prevailed over Allison as the the championship battle came down to the final race of the season at Riverside, CA's road course - a season without lucky dogs, stages, or a playoff.
In 1982, Waltrip remained with his green, Mountain Dew-sponsored team. Allison left the #28 Harry Ranier team and got a green, beverage-sponsored car of his own. He joined the #88 DiGard, Gatorade team - the car Waltrip vacated after the 1980 season. Despite the move, Allison again challenged Waltrip for the Cup in '82. He was seeking his first title as Waltrip looked to repeat.
As the season hit the two-thirds mark, the teams arrived at Michigan International Speedway for the Champion Spark Plug 400. Waltrip had banked seven wins through that part of the season, and Allison had notched five victories - including the Daytona 500.
As an indication of what was to come over the rest of the 1980s, Bill Elliot won the pole in his #9 Melling Tool boxy Thunderbird with Waltrip lined-up alongside him. Ricky Rudd and Buddy Baker made up the second row, and Buddy Arrington qualified an impressive fifth in his Chrysler. The starting spot was the third best of his career.
Kyle Petty timed eighth - easily his best start in his limited 1982 schedule in the #1 STP/UNO, Hoss Ellington car. He raced a Pontiac - the only time he did so when racing for Ellington. It's possible the Ellington car was actually from the Petty Enterprises fleet as Hoss normally fielded a Buick or Chevrolet in other 1982 races.
Country singer Marty Robbins attempted to make his first Michigan start in three years. He could not, however, muster enough speed. His qualifying lap ranked 37th for a race that only slotted 36 cars. Two other drivers - Al Loquasto and Ronnie Thomas - had qualifying speeds slower than Robbins. They earned provisional starts over Robbins based on higher ranking owners' points.
Marty returned to start one more race in his #22 purple and yellow, self-sponsored Buick, the Atlanta Journal 500 in November, before sadly passing away from a heart attack in December.
When the green fell, Elliott seized the early lead. After six laps, however, Waltrip went to the point for nine laps. Then Yarborough led - then Allison - then Geoff Bodine - then Dave Marcis - then Arrington, Tim Richmond, and Morgan Shepherd. Yes, nine drivers led at least one lap before one of them took the top spot for a second time (Richmond). Through the first third of the race, Allison was the only driver to lead more than a dozen laps in one stretch.
Elliott's plan for a solid day ended early when he clobbered Loquasto. Ricky Rudd made a move to pass Waltrip. He couldn't quite pull it off, tried to slide back into line, and nicked Loquasto as they overtook him. Loquasto then spun and collected Elliott in the process.
Rudd and Richard Petty also spun but straightened their cars and continued onward. Elliott went to the garage for extensive repairs. He returned to the track and finished the race but no longer as a factor in it.
Fans saw things settle down a bit during the second half of the race. Rather than a large number of drivers leading a small number of laps, a few controlled the final 100 circuits. Waltrip, Petty, and Allison were the lap bullies, and they let Bodine lead only a single lap of the last 100.
As the raced near its end, Waltrip developed an engine issue. He finished the race but faded to 7th, two laps down to the leaders. With about 25 laps to go, the King trailed the leader Allison by almost 4 seconds. But Petty focused, found another line that worked, and began cutting into Allison's lead.
With two to go, Allison's mirror was full of the day-glo red and Petty Blue 43. Petty had recovered from his spin on lap 20 and was looking to win for the first time since the 1981 edition of the Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan.
As Allison took the white flag, Petty was all over him and made a couple of moves to set Allison up for the winning pass. Allison twitched as he came out of turn 4 - his car losing grip - and perhaps doing a bit more mirror driving than forward facing racing.
Allison held on to his lead and flashed across the start-finish line with Petty just a half car-length or so behind.
The race was the 51st and final time Petty and Allison finished in the top two positions of a Grand National / Winston Cup race.
Allison pulled to within one victory of Waltrip by besting the 43 at Michigan. He'd win two more times in the final third of the season. Waltrip, however, won five more times in the final 10 races of the season and claimed his second consecutive title at Riverside. Petty, on the other hand, unfortunately went the rest of the year without a win.
I never tire of seeing Margret Claud in victory lane. Best miss Winston ever.
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