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Steve Waid: Bobby Hillin’s career started – and ended – while he was young
By Steve Waid
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Former NASCAR driver Bobby Hillin Jr. won one race in NASCAR's top series.
David Griffin
NASCAR Scene
COMMENTARY
When he won the Talladega 500 on July 27, 1986, at what was then known as Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega, Ala., Bobby Hillin Jr. became the youngest driver to win a Winston Cup race in NASCAR’s post-1971 modern era.
He was barely 22 years old, and he had been a NASCAR regular for five seasons.
Since then, first Kyle Busch, and now, Joey Logano have claimed the distinction of being NASCAR’s youngest winner – ever.
The 1986 Talladega 500 was the first and only victory of Hillin’s Winston Cup career, which lasted from 1983 through 1997 – although he did compete in one race in 2000.
Hillin, from Midland, Texas, was preparing for a career in open-wheel racing when he attended the Buck Baker Driving School. That experience prompted him to pursue a livelihood as a NASCAR driver.
Of course, in NASCAR circles, no one had ever heard of him. He wanted to change that.
One day in 1982 he walked through the door of a converted country store that served as the home of a publication called Grand National Scene.
“Hello,” he announced. “I’m Bobby Hillin.”
With him was gruff, veteran crew chief Harry Hyde.
Hillin, then 18, told Scene’s writers about himself, his aspirations in NASCAR and how he relied on Hyde’s direction to help him realize them – all of which was duly reported.
But there was considerable doubt that the kid would get far.
In 1983, Hillin joined the fledgling Stavola Brothers team, owned by Bill and Mickey Stavola of New Jersey and based in Harrisburg, N.C.
The Stavolas started a second team in 1986, and Hillin’s new teammate was none other than Bobby Allison.
Allison, driving a Buick, got the first-ever victory for the Stavolas when he won the Winston 500 at Talladega on May 4. Hillin finished fourth.
The Talladega 500 in October 1986 has been recorded as one of the most competitive races in NASCAR’s history. Twenty-six drivers led the race, a NASCAR record that was tied at Talladega in 2001 and topped last October, again at Talladega, when there were 28 different leaders.
Hillin, of course, was one of the leaders in 1986. He took the lead with nine laps to go, but, being pursued by a huge pack of cars in the high-speed draft, it wasn’t likely he would hold it.
But on the final lap, Sterling Marlin hooked Allison’s bumper and triggered a multicar crash that reduced a fleet of cars to rubble.
Hillin was ahead of the melee. The majority of his challengers had been eliminated. He went on to win by three car-lengths over Tim Richmond.
Many thought the victory would be the first of many to come for Hillin. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be.
He stayed with the Stavolas through the 1990 season and then competed with such owners as Dick Moroso and Junie Donlavey – often on a limited basis – until he left Cup competition after 1997, at age 33.
Hillin was young when his career started and when it ended.
But he did indeed have his moment in the spotlight.
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6248 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -184 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -192 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -239 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -279 |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | -312 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -340 |
| 8 | Ryan Newman | -402 |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | -414 |
| 10 | Carl Edwards | -437 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | -448 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -556 |
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Comments
10 responses to "Steve Waid: Bobby Hillin’s career started – and ended – while he was young". Post a Comment.
4wide said:
Jul 1, 2009 at 3:16 PMI lived in West Texas in the late 70's and early 80's and he was known for his dirt track ability in those parts.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportdale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Jul 1, 2009 at 5:23 PMso what are you tryin to say huh!!!!!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Jul 1, 2009 at 5:40 PMhe's not sure
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbuckshot88 said:
Jul 1, 2009 at 7:46 PMhow i miss the good old days of nascar,racing at it's best before the hollywood effect took over along with nascar micromanagement!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportktgrosch said:
Jul 1, 2009 at 9:10 PMAnd of course Steve Waid tells you absolutely nothing about what has happened to Bobby for the past 12 years. Oh that must be for another article.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbhstoneman said:
Jul 1, 2009 at 9:12 PMSteve Waid is just speaking the truth about Bobby Hillin. Poor kid never could drive and he must have wrecked every driver out there at one time or another. He was well-mannered -- something some of our drivers lack today.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportspeedracer578 said:
Jul 1, 2009 at 10:29 PMAs of 2008, Bobby Hillin still races late models at short tracks in the state of Texas. He ran some races at Houston Motorsports Park, and was supposed to do a special autograph session there with the car's owner, former Houston oiler, Dan Pastorini. Something came up and he missed it, and I'm still upset because I was there that night with a diecast model of his #90 Junie Donlavey-owned Heilig-Meyers Ford!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAnonymous said:
Jul 2, 2009 at 8:40 AMSo where is he now? What is he doing now? This writer needs to go back to college and learn how to be a journalist!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmanzytrophygirl said:
Jul 2, 2009 at 12:23 PMWas it just me or was this article about Bobby incomplete and vague?
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» Confirm Abuse ReportScootin2002SS said:
Jul 3, 2009 at 12:03 PMI'd like to see a regular section about "Where are they now?" A lot of today's new fans don't have a clue about the earlier drivers and owners in NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup. Rex White, Fred Lorenzen, Buddy Baker, Pete Hamilton, Paul Goldsmith, James Hylton, Frank Warren, Bobby Johns, Lake Speed, Marvin Panch, Bondy Long, Jon Thorne (I'll bet few remember Jon), and others come to mind. A reminder of those that have passed such as Fireball Roberts, Joe Weatherly, Smokey Yunick, Banjo Matthews, Billy Wade, Larry Smith, Richey Panch, Rob Moroso, Tiny Lund, Jim Pardue, Buck Baker, Herman Beam (anybody remember?), and Curtis Turner would give new fans knowledge of who built the sport into what it is today or had promising careers cut short by tragedy. Just don't leave us hanging like the Bobby Hillin story did, please.
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