# Bobby Isaac

Robert Vance Isaac (August 1, 1932 – August 14, 1977) was an American stock car racing driver. Isaac made his first NASCAR appearance in 1961, and quickly forged a reputation of one of the toughest competitors of the 1960s and 1970s. He was most famously associated with driving Nord Krauskopf's red No. 71 K&K Insurance Dodge Charger. Isaac was NASCAR's Grand National Series champion in 1970. Isaac abruptly retired from full-time top-level competition in 1973 and died of a heart attack during a late model race at Hickory Motor Speedway in 1977. For his achievements, Isaac was named as one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers and inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

## Early life

Isaac grew up on a farm near Catawba, North Carolina, the second-youngest of nine children. He finished school after the sixth grade, which led to the incorrect rumor that he could neither read nor write.

## NASCAR career

He began racing full-time in 1956, but it took him seven years to break into the Grand National division. Isaac won the championship in 1970 driving the No. 71 Dodge Charger Daytona sponsored by K&K Insurance. His crew chief was Harry Hyde. Isaac and Hyde took the car to Talladega in November and set a closed-course speed record.
Isaac won 37 races in NASCAR's top series during his career, including 11 in his championship season, and started from the pole position 49 times. Isaac currently holds the NASCAR record for most poles in a single season, with 20 in 1969. In 1970 he turned a 201.104 mph lap at Talladega, a record that stood until 1983.
Isaac dropped out of the 1973 Talladega 500 mid-race in an impulsive decision which surprised his pit crew and the team owner. "I wasn't afraid I was going to wreck...I don't have anything to prove to myself or to anybody else. I know how it feels to win and lose. I know how it feels to be a champion. And now I know how it feels to quit. It just entered my mind at that moment," Isaac said. "I decided to quit and that was that. (Team owner) Bud Moore didn't know I had quit until after the race. I didn't know about (Larry) Smith at that time." (Larry Smith was the first fatality at Talladega Superspeedway, which happened earlier in the race). Isaac did not participate in any further 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup races after Talladega, and the presumption by sports commentators in late 1973 was that he was retiring from the sport.
Ultimately, Isaac did return to NASCAR racing as a driver from 1974 through 1976, on a reduced schedule.

## Land speed records

Isaac also made his mark outside of NASCAR. In September 1971, he went to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and set 28 world speed records, some of which still stand.

## Awards

Bobby Isaac was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 1979, and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1996. In 1998 NASCAR honored Isaac as one of its 50 greatest drivers. On May 20, 2015, Isaac was announced as a member of the 2016 induction class to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

## Death

On Saturday night, August 13, 1977, while running fourth, Isaac pulled out of the Winston 200 late model sportsman race at Hickory Motor Speedway with 40 laps left, and called for a relief driver, collapsing on pit road of heat exhaustion. Weather reports for the area that day showed temperatures which had reached 91 °F (33 °C) at mid-afternoon, and were still around 80 °F (27 °C) at the time of Isaac's collapse. Though Isaac was revived briefly at the hospital and was conversing with friends, he later died from a heart attack caused by heat exhaustion, at 12:45 a.m. on August 14, 13 days after his 45th birthday.
Details of Isaac's pit lane collapse on the night of his death were given to reporters by friend and former racing driver Ned Jarrett. Jarrett asserted at that time that the reason Isaac left the 1973 Talladega 500 was because he "had heard a voice that told him to quit".

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

#### Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | NGNC | Pts |
| 1961 | Rex Lovette | 27 | Pontiac | CLT | JSP | DAY | DAY | DAY | PIF | AWS | HMS | ATL | GPS | HBO | BGS | MAR | NWS | CLB | HCY | RCH | MAR | DAR | CLT 18 | CLT | RSD | ASP | CLT | PIF | BIR | GPS | BGS | NOR | HAS | STR | DAY | ATL | CLB | MBS | BRI | NSV | BGS | AWS | RCH | SBO | DAR | HCY | RCH | CSF | ATL | MAR | NWS | CLT | BRI | GPS | HBO | | | | | | | | | | | 158th | - |
| 1963 | Bondy Long | 90 | Plymouth | BIR | GGS | THS | RSD | DAY | DAY 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20th | 12858 |
| 1963 | Bondy Long | 99 | Plymouth | | | | | | | DAY DNQ | PIF 11 | AWS 6 | HBO 20 | | | | AUG 7 | RCH | GPS 16 | SBO | BGS | | | CLB 21 | THS | | | | | | | | | | | | ASH 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20th | 12858 |
| 1963 | Bondy Long | 99 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | ATL 20 | HCY | BRI 27 | | | | | | MAR 21 | NWS 8 | | | DAR 21 | ODS | RCH | CLT 11 | BIR | ATL 11 | DAY 16 | MBS 18 | SVH | DTS | BGS | | OBS 5 | BRR 9 | BRI 11 | GPS 5 | NSV 14 | CLB 3 | AWS 18 | PIF 14 | BGS | ONA | DAR 11 | HCY | RCH | MAR | DTS | NWS | THS | | | | | | | | | | | | 20th | 12858 |
| 1963 | Smokey Yunick | 13 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 31 | SBO | HBO | RSD | | | | | | | | | | | | 20th | 12858 |
| 1964 | Nichels Engineering | 26 | Dodge | CON | AUG | JSP | SVH | RSD | DAY | DAY 1 | DAY 15 | RCH | BRI 27 | GPS | BGS | ATL 2 | AWS | HBO | PIF | CLB | NWS | MAR | SVH | DAR 27 | LGY | HCY | SBO | CLT 25 | GPS | ASH | ATL 7 | CON | NSV | CHT | BIR | VAL | PIF | DAY 2 | ODS | OBS | BRR 17 | ISP | GLN | LIN | BRI 23 | NSV | MBS | AWS | DTS | ONA | | | | DAR 20 | | | | | MAR 7 | | | CLT 27 | | | | 18th | 13252 |
| 1964 | Louis Weathersbee | 45 | Plymouth | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLB 11 | BGS | STR | | HCY 26 | RCH 17 | ODS | HBO | | SVH 13 | NWS | | | | | | | 18th | 13252 |
| 1964 | Owens Racing | 5 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HAR 4 | AUG 2 | JAC 17 | 18th | 13252 |
| 1965 | Nichels Engineering | 35 | Dodge | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | PIF | ASW | RCH | HBO | ATL | GPS | NWS | MAR | CLB | BRI | DAR | LGY | BGS | HCY | CLT | CCF | ASH | HAR | NSV | BIR | ATL | GPS | MBS | VAL | DAY | ODS | OBS | ISP | GLN | BRI | NSV | CCF | AWS | SMR | PIF | AUG | CLB | DTS | BLV | BGS | DAR | HCY | LIN | ODS | RCH | MAR 32 | NWS 34 | CLT | HBO | CAR 21 | | | | | | | | | 75th | 980 |
| 1965 | Junior Johnson & Associates | 26 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DTS 2* | | | | | | | | | | | | 75th | 980 |
| 1966 | Junior Johnson & Associates | 26 | Ford | AUG 2 | RSD 29 | DAY | DAY 7 | DAY 21 | CAR 37 | BRI 23 | ATL 29 | HCY 3 | CLB | GPS | BGS | NWS | MAR | DAR | LGY | MGR | MON | RCH | CLT | DTS | ASH | PIF | SMR | AWS | BLV | GPS | DAY | ODS | BRR | OXF | FON | ISP | BRI | SMR | NSV | ATL | CLB | AWS | BLV | BGS | DAR | HCY | RCH | HBO | MAR | NWS | CLT | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 53rd | 3438 |
| 1966 | Owens Racing | 5 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 53rd | 3438 |
| 1967 | K&K Insurance Racing | 71 | Dodge | AUG | RSD | DAY 11 | DAY | DAY 19 | AWS | BRI | GPS | BGS | ATL 5 | CLB | HCY | NWS | MAR | SVH | RCH | | | | CLT 11 | ASH | MGR | SMR | BIR | CAR 16 | GPS | MGY | DAY 5 | TRN | OXF | FDA | ISP | | | | ATL 33 | BGS | CLB | SVH | DAR 6 | HCY | RCH | BLV | HBO | MAR | NWS | CLT 2 | CAR 36 | AWS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14th | 19698 |
| 1967 | K&K Insurance Racing | 37 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 8 | BLV | LGY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14th | 19698 |
| 1967 | King Enterprises | 53 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | BRI 32 | SMR | NSV | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14th | 19698 | |
| 1968 | K&K Insurance Racing | 37 | Dodge | MGR 16 | MGY 3 | RSD 7 | | | RCH 13 | | | GPS 2 | CLB 1* | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 3373 |
| 1968 | K&K Insurance Racing | 71 | Dodge | | | | DAY 36 | BRI 5 | | ATL 8 | HCY 3* | | | NWS 3 | MAR 16 | AUG 1* | AWS 2 | DAR 7 | BLV 2 | LGY 2 | CLT 5 | ASH 3 | MGR 2 | SMR 14 | BIR 2 | CAR 24 | GPS 22 | DAY 8 | ISP 6 | OXF 5 | FDA 4 | TRN 16 | BRI 4 | SMR 22 | NSV 4 | ATL 2 | CLB 11 | BGS 3 | AWS 2 | SBO 3 | LGY 3 | DAR 33 | HCY 2* | RCH 6 | BLV 1* | HBO 11 | MAR 5 | NWS 7 | AUG 4 | CLT 9 | CAR 17 | JFC 9* | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 3373 |
| 1969 | K&K Insurance Racing | 71 | Dodge | MGR 17 | MGY 4 | RSD 38 | DAY | DAY 1* | DAY 30 | CAR 7 | AUG 3* | BRI 14* | ATL 23 | CLB 1* | HCY 1* | GPS 1* | RCH 27 | NWS 23 | MAR 23 | AWS 1* | DAR 26 | BLV 1* | LGY 4* | CLT 5 | MGR 1* | SMR 1* | MCH 28 | KPT 11* | GPS 1* | NCF 10 | DAY 29 | DOV | TPN | TRN 3* | BLV 17 | BRI 2 | NSV 2 | SMR 19 | ATL 33 | MCH 6 | SBO 1* | BGS 2* | AWS 1* | DAR | HCY 1* | RCH 3 | TAL 4 | CLB 1 | MAR 6 | NWS 3 | CLT 41 | SVH 1* | AUG 1* | CAR 16 | JFC 1* | MGR 3 | TWS 1 | | | | | | | | | 6th | 3301 |
| 1970 | K&K Insurance Racing | 71 | Dodge | RSD 29 | DAY 2 | DAY | DAY 5 | RCH 4 | CAR 14 | SVH 2 | ATL 28 | BRI 17 | TAL 2 | NWS 2 | CLB 3 | DAR 3 | BLV 1* | LGY 1* | CLT 7 | SMR 1* | MAR 1* | MCH 5 | RSD 16 | HCY 1* | KPT 8 | GPS 1* | DAY 9 | AST 17 | TPN 1* | TRN 19 | BRI 3 | SMR 2 | NSV 1* | ATL 35 | CLB 1* | ONA 10 | MCH 4 | TAL 2 | BGS 3 | SBO 2 | DAR 2 | HCY 1* | RCH 4 | DOV 6 | NCF 3 | NWS 1 | CLT 5 | MAR 4 | MGR 2* | CAR 7 | LGY 23 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1st | 3911 |
| 1971 | K&K Insurance Racing | 71 | Dodge | RSD 4 | DAY | DAY 11 | DAY 10 | ONT 4 | RCH 2 | CAR 2 | HCY | BRI | ATL 5 | CLB | GPS 1* | SMR | NWS 13* | MAR 3 | DAR 25 | SBO 13* | TAL | ASH | KPT 1* | CLT 32 | DOV 4 | MCH 2 | RSD | HOU | GPS | DAY 1* | BRI | AST | ISP | TRN | NSV | ATL 33 | BGS | ONA | MCH 39 | TAL | CLB | HCY | DAR 4 | MAR 1* | CLT 2 | DOV 3 | CAR 5 | MGR | RCH | NWS | TWS 49 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 1819 |

#### Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | NWCC | Pts | Ref |
| 1972 | K&K Insurance Racing | 71 | Dodge | RSD 3 | DAY 33 | RCH 3 | ONT 45 | CAR 1 | ATL 3 | BRI 2 | DAR 28 | NWS 3* | MAR 19* | TAL 2 | CLT 23 | DOV 14 | MCH 26 | RSD 21 | TWS 5 | DAY 27 | BRI 18 | TRN 2* | ATL 31 | TAL 42 | MCH 3 | NSV 27 | DAR 40 | RCH | DOV | | | | | | 19th | 5050.85 | |
| 1972 | Donlavey Racing | 98 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR 35 | NWS | | | | | | 19th | 5050.85 | |
| 1972 | Matthews Racing | 27 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 28 | CAR 36 | TWS | 19th | 5050.85 | |
| 1973 | Bud Moore Engineering | 15 | Ford | RSD 27 | DAY 2 | RCH 4 | CAR 30 | BRI 15 | ATL 2 | NWS 28 | DAR 33 | MAR 3 | TAL 26 | NSV 7 | CLT 4 | DOV 29 | TWS 32 | RSD 33 | MCH | DAY 39 | BRI 22 | ATL 35 | TAL 13 | NSV | DAR | RCH | DOV | NWS | MAR | CLT | CAR | | | | 26th | 3352.4 | |
| 1974 | Matthews Racing | 27 | Chevy | RSD | DAY 8 | RCH | CAR | BRI 2 | ATL | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 33rd | 152.94 | |
| 1974 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | | | | | | | DAR 33 | NWS | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 33rd | 152.94 |
| 1974 | Ellington Racing | 28 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | MAR 25 | TAL | NSV | DOV | | | | DAY 6 | BRI | NSV | ATL 34 | POC | TAL 8 | MCH | DAR 37 | RCH | DOV | NWS 6 | MAR | | | | | | | | 33rd | 152.94 | |
| 1974 | Ellington Racing | 29 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 33 | RSD | MCH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 33rd | 152.94 |
| 1974 | K&K Insurance Racing | 17 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 32 | CAR | ONT | | 33rd | 152.94 | |
| 1975 | Ellington Racing | 28 | Chevy | RSD | DAY | RCH | CAR 29 | BRI | ATL | NWS | DAR | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 48th | 405 | |
| 1975 | Norris Reed | 83 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 35 | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL | MCH | DAR | DOV | NWS | MAR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 48th | 405 |
| 1975 | Puro Racing | 75 | Mercury | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 37 | RCH | | | | | | | | | | 48th | 405 | |
| 1975 | Ed Gibson | 3 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 7 | BRI 23 | ATL 30 | ONT | | 48th | 405 | |
| 1976 | Howard & Egerton Racing | 6 | Chevy | RSD | DAY | CAR 6 | RCH | BRI | ATL | NWS | DAR | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 114th | 49 | |
| 1976 | Neil Castles | 6 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 38 | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | ATL | ONT | | 114th | 49 | |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 1963 | Bondy Long | Plymouth | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1964 | Nichels Engineering | Dodge | 4 | 15 |
| 1966 | Junior Johnson & Associates | Ford | 14 | 21 |
| 1967 | K&K Insurance Racing | Dodge | 23 | 19 |
| 1968 | K&K Insurance Racing | Dodge | 11 | 36 |
| 1969 | K&K Insurance Racing | Dodge | 2 | 30 |
| 1970 | K&K Insurance Racing | Dodge | 3 | 5 |
| 1971 | K&K Insurance Racing | Dodge | 2 | 10 |
| 1972 | K&K Insurance Racing | Dodge | 1 | 33 |
| 1973 | Bud Moore Engineering | Ford | 10 | 2 |
| 1974 | Matthews Racing | Chevrolet | 3 | 8 |