Larry McReynolds is often remembered for taking the Intimidator to the victory lane of the Daytona 500. But six years before Dale Earnhardt’s win, the veteran crew chief won the prestigious race with another driver whose career was tragically cut short after the sensational win. In the Kenny Wallace show, McReynolds recalled the 1992 triumph with Hall of Famer Davey Allison. Interestingly, their #28 Ford faced tough competition from other racing icons, including the legendary Bill Elliott. In fact, Allison was nearly swept into a wreck involving Elliott. 

How Bill Elliott turned the tide in Davey Allison’s favor after leading 91 laps

After winning 13 races in five years, Davey Allison was determined to mark his 14th win in the crown jewel of NASCAR. But the odds seemed to be stacked against him. Allison damaged his racecar in the practice session and was forced to compete in a backup car in the most crucial race of his career. Moreover, not only was he competing with the 1991 Daytona 500 winner Ernie Irvan, but also with the two stalwarts of Junior Johnson Racing, Sterling Marlin and Bill Elliott. 

Marlin and Elliott had qualified first and second in the pole and held a high likelihood of winning the race as well. As Larry McReynolds told Kenny Wallace, “It didn’t take long into that race to realize our toughest competition was Ernie Irvan in the #4 car and the two Junior Johnson cars- Sterling Marlin and Bill Elliott.” Elliott had also won the second of the twin duels prior to the race, and the two Junior Johnson drivers collectively led the first 91 laps. Their fate, and Allison’s, transformed on Lap 92.

As McReynolds scathingly described, “Those four knuckleheads were racing like it was for the 500 win and basically took each other out,” Thankfully, Allison managed to avoid getting derailed in the ‘big one’ which took out 14 cars and could have proven to be race-ending for the #28 driver as well. His crew chief declared, “So then, after Sterling, Bill, and Ernie was eliminated, it’s our race to lose.”

Watch this story: The Hidden Struggle Behind Earnhardt’s Victory

Even after the favorites crashed, Morgan Shepherd emerged as a surprise contender to battle against Allison in the final 100 laps.

Davey Allison’s Dayton 500 trophy became a relic for crew chief Larry McReynolds

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“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about it.” A few years ago, in an interview with Jordan Bianchi, Larry McReynolds revealed how his office was a shrine to his former driver and best friend, Davey Allison. “When I sit at my desk, there’s a TV on the wall, and kind of in front of me, and above the TV is a picture of Davey.”

McReynolds continued, “Then, right to my right on the shelf is the helmet he wore in his last race. And then the two Daytona 500 trophies are there too, obviously one with Davey and one I won with Dale (Earnhardt).” The first of those trophies was won on February 16, 1992, when Allison led 127 out of 200 laps to defeat Shepherd, Elliott, Earnhardt, and all the other racing luminaries who took part in the Daytona 500 that year.

It was a glistening reminder of the phenomenal racer who passed away in a helicopter crash the next year. Even though he could not win the championship, Davey Allison won four more races that year and another in 1993 before he departed from the world, leaving the racing community with the memories of his invaluable achievements. 

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