Bobby Allison holds his trophy high after winning the Citrus 250 at Daytona.
Daytona Beach, Fla. (February 18, 1972) – Despite gale-force winds and pelting rain that made the race seem like a comic book caricature at times, Bobby Allison splashed to victory in Friday’s Citrus 250 auto race at Daytona International Speedway.
It was the second victory in as many days for Allison, a 34-year-old veteran from Hueytown, Ala., who Thursday captured one of two 125-miler qualifiers for Sunday’s $178,000 Daytona 500.
Allison beat out DeWayne “Tiny” Lund of Cross, S.C., by three miles and collected $4,050 for his efforts.
Allison averaged 98.339 miles per hour for 67 circuits of a 3.81-mile course over the outer 31-degree banked oval and twisting flat infield road.
The heavy rain and 40-mile-an-hour winds that buffeted cars for about 10 minutes midway through race created some problems. Car after car spun off the course and several others were left bogged down in the muddy infield at the end of the race.
“I spun off four or five times on one lap before I could get to the pits for rain tires,” said Allison. “That just added to the fun, and the only thing that worried me was stalling. I knew that it was over if I did because my battery was nearly dead.”
Allison, starting in the third spot, was at or near the front the entire race. He dueled polesitter H.B. Bailey of Houston through the early laps. Bailey was out front for the first seven laps and then Allison took over for the next 14 circuits.
Mechanical problems and a spin eliminated Bailey, but Allison wasn’t free yet.
Wayne Andrews of Siler City, N.C., borrowing Red Farmer’s car, moved into contention from his 18th starting position and took over the lead for 13 laps until rain showers moved in.
Allison led from the 38th to the 66th and final lap. He steadily pulled away from the rest of the field and only Lund was on the same lap when the checkered flag waved.
Andrews, a perennial second-place finisher, was running about one minute behind Allison two laps away from the finish, when his car rolled to a stop on the final infield turn and sat there while others went past.
Even though he failed to finish, Andrews had two laps on the rest of the field and was credited with third place. Joie Chitwood of Tampa was fourth and Jimmy Lee Capps of Jacksonville took fifth.
Results –
1. Bobby Allison, Hueytown, Ala.
2. DeWayne Lund, Cross, S.C.
3. Wayne Andrews, Siler City, N.C.
4. Joie Chitwood, Tampa
5. Jimmy Lee Capps, Jacksonville
6. Max Berrier, Winston-Salem, N.C.
7. Jimmy Vaughn, Greenville, S.C.
8. Paul Tyler, Charlotte, N.C.
9. Jeff Haar, Minneapolis, Minn.
10.Baxter Price, Monroe, N.C.
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