by Meg A Wright

Created on: August 05, 2008   Last Updated: November 24, 2008

Bobby Isaac was a North Carolina native, born there on August 1, 1932, the eighth of nine children. He grew up on a farm, and quit school after the sixth grade.

His racing career was one of triumph and success. He raced full time in the NASCAR circuit starting in 1956 at the age of 24, but at first obstacles prevented him from breaking into the Grand National Division, now the elite Sprint Cup. For years he tried to find rides and further his racing skills.

In 1970, it seemed he had found his niche, driving the #71 Doge Charger Daytona he won the championship. He was sponsored that year by K&K Insurance, and backed up by the well known and legendary Harry Hyde, his crew chief. Also during that year, they set the closed-course speed record at Talladega in November.

Of the 308 races he ran during his fourteen years in the sport, he won 37 times, and a whopping 11 times during his championship run. He won the pole a magnificent 50 times. And Isaac set a single season record by taking 20 poles in 1969. This would be difficult to accomplish now due to the fact only 36 races are run in a single season. During those years, racing was almost year round, with only a week between seasons, and very few off or vacation weeks. He also finished in the top ten, 170 times, which amounts to over half of his races.

During his NASCAR career, Isaac admittedly said he heard voices while he was in the car racing that told him to quit and walk away from racing because the voice said racing would kill him.

Besides NASCAR, Isaac was well known in Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, where in September of 1971 he set 28 world speed records. Many of the records still stand today.

Because of his amazing career in NASCAR, Isaac was inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame, or National Motorsports Press Hall of Fame; and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1996. However, the most impressive accolade was NASCAR honoring him in 1998 as one of the 50 Greatest Drivers in NASCAR history.

However, Isaac never enjoyed his triumphs and awards. He died at the young age of 45 after pulling out of a race at Hickory Motor Speedway. With only 25 laps to go, that was unusually for Isaac, and he died of a heart attack. Perhaps the voices were partially right. He didn't die in a wreck, but he did die because of racing.

However, the great driver's achievements will live on in history.

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