Bobby Allen was considered one of the original Outlaws
As a history lesson, the name 'World of Outlaws' referenced the type of national traveling racer that would come into a local big money Sprint Car show back in the day and take their money and leave town.
They were literal outlaws.
Thus, when Ted Johnson founded a true national tour in 1978, he called it the 'World of Outlaws' because it featured all the outlaws that traveled to local big money shows across the country. One of those original outlaws was Bobby Allen, who died on Sunday, at the age of 81.
Allen, nicknamed Scruffy due to his haggard appearance, was a mountain of personality who won the 1990 Knoxville Nationals as part of a career that earned 75 Sprint Car features, including 30 against his fellow Outlaws, and 46 on the All Star Circuit of Champions. He won the 1980 championship in the original Sprint Car super regional tour.
He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1990 and his passing was formally announced on Monday morning by the team he founded that still competes today, Shark Racing.
"We are heartbroken to share the passing of our beloved Bobby Scruffy Allen. Our hearts are broken but we know he lived his life to the fullest and touched so many. Anyone that ever got to meet him or know him always got to share a story and/or a smile.
"Anyone that ever got to meet him or know him always got a story and/or a smile. He did it his way and that was the scruffy way. He will be loved and terribly missed by all. He was a legend on and off the race track and his contributions will live on forever.
"You could commonly find him with a glass of his favorite wine smiling and laughing, making calls about race cars, and enjoying being surrounded by beautiful women. He was a father, a grandfather, a great grandfather, a brother, a friend and so much more."
Allen was from Miami and before dabbling in dirt racing was a kart racer who prestigious races in Italy and the Bahamas. His father Joe was a Stock Car racer but he wanted to race in the Indianapolis 500, a dream that was never realized.
Shark Racing still exists today with drivers grandson Logan Schuchart and Ashton Torgerson.
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Category: General Sports
