Nascar Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Bobby Isaac, Driver
 Bobby Isaac (Credit ISC Archives/Getty Images) |
SEE ALSO: Complete List Of Finalists - Includes Official NASCAR Bio's and Pictures
(b. 8-1-32 -
d. 8-14-77)
Hometown:
Competed:
1961-76
Starts: 309
Wins: 37
Poles: 49
Bobby Isaac knew one speed: Fast.
His uncanny skill at
qualifying a race car proves that. His 49 career poles ranks tied for
eighth all-time. Maybe more impressive: Isaac captured 19 poles in 1969,
which still stands as the record for poles in a single season. Only 37
drivers have 19 or more poles in their entire career.
Isaac
began racing in NASCAR’s premier series in 1961. He finished
runner-up in the series standings in 1968 behind NASCAR Hall of Famer David
Pearson. In 1969 he finished sixth in the standings after posting 17 wins
and those 19 poles.
In his breakthrough
season, 1970, Isaac won the championship posting 11 victories, 32 top fives
and 38 tops in 47 starts.
A year later, in
September 1971, he set 28 world class records on the Bonneville Salt Flats
in his Dodge. Many of his records still exist to this
day.
Isaac won 37 races in
NASCAR's top series during his career, which ranks 19th on the all-time
wins list.
In 1998, Isaac was named one NASCAR's 50 Greatest
Drivers.
Year
Age
Races
Win
Top 5
Top 10
Pole
Laps
Led
Earnings
Rank
AvSt
AvFn
RAF
Miles
LLF
1961
29
1 of 52
0
0
0
0
2
0
$50
15.0
18.0
0
3.0
0
1963
31
27 of 55
0
3
7
0
4991
30
$8,385
11.3
14.6
12
4352.8
1
1964
32
20 of 62
1
5
7
0
3163
134
$25,750
8.5
14.5
7
3411.6
3
1965
33
4 of 55
0
1
1
1
699
183
$1,660
5.5
22.3
1
478.8
0
1966
34
9 of 49
0
2
3
0
1387
21
$5,530
10.8
20.1
3
1386.9
2
1967
35
12 of 49
0
3
5
0
2625
65
$22,635
11.6
15.3
7
3931.3
0
1968
36
49 of 49
3
27
36
3
12947
1384
$44,530
5.7
8.1
38
9459.8
10
1969
37
50 of 54
17
29
33
19
12308
5053
$80,560
3.6
10.0
31
9530.6
22
1970
38
47 of 48
11
32
38
13
12726
3179
$121,470
3.3
6.8
38
11458.6
17
1971
39
25 of 48
4
16
17
4
6856
1753
$106,425
4.1
10.8
17
7710.6
7
1972
40
27 of 31
1
10
10
9
5636
1325
$85,574
3.4
19.3
11
6975.0
5
1973
41
19 of 28
0
5
6
0
4177
62
$48,950
6.7
20.2
8
4648.2
0
1974
42
11 of 30
0
1
5
0
1907
11
$22,942
11.7
20.4
5
2490.1
0
1975
43
6 of 30
0
0
1
0
1101
0
$6,695
51
12.7
26.8
1
1213.6
0
1976
44
2 of 30
0
0
1
0
512
0
$4,190
116
23.5
22.0
1
539.5
0
15 years
309
37
134
170
49
71037
13200
$585,346
6.3
12.9
180
67590.4
67