Davey Allison - 1991 and The Hiring of Larry McReynolds

1991 and The Hiring of Larry McReynolds

The 1991 season began with much promise. Davey won the pole for the Daytona 500 and was in contention for the win until the final laps. After a late race restart, eventual winner Ernie Irvan passed Dale Earnhardt for the lead. Davey tried to follow Irvan around Earnhardt but could not make the pass and the two drivers battled side-by-side for a few laps. As the cars came off turn two, Earnhardt's car spun, collecting Allison and Kyle Petty. Davey was unable to continue and finished a disappointing 15th. From there, things went downhill. Davey finished 12th at Richmond, 16th at Rockingham, then crashed hard early in the Motorcraft 500 at Atlanta, finishing 40th. Davey was openly feuding with crew chief Elder and, after the crash at Atlanta, Robert Yates decided to make a change.

Elder was fired, and Larry McReynolds was hired away from the Kenny Bernstein team to replace him. In his first race with McReynolds at the helm, Davey finished second at Darlington. A third place finish followed at Bristol, then a sixth at North Wilkesboro and an eighth at Martinsville. The team finished 22nd at Talladega due to a large accident triggered by Ernie Irvan but there was no doubt the team had improved and was destined for bigger things.

Two weeks later, Davey dominated The Winston all-star race at Charlotte, and continued his domination by winning the Coca-Cola 600 the following week, leading 263 of the race's 400 laps. Two races later, Davey won his first road course event at then Sears Point International Raceway in a controversial finish with Ricky Rudd. He won again at Michigan then finished third in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona. At the halfway point of the 1991 season, Davey had climbed to fifth in the Winston Cup point standings.

After finishing 14th at Pocono, the series moved to Talladega. As the race wound down, Davey Allison was poised for yet another win behind leader Dale Earnhardt. But Davey was unable to get drafting help from fellow Ford Motor Company drivers and he slipped to ninth place after attempting to pass Earnhardt for the lead. In a fit of rage after the race, Allison punched a wall in the team's transporter, breaking his wrist. The injury failed to slow him down, however as he finished a remarkable 10th on the road course at Watkins Glen, then was second at Michigan, a photo-finish in which Dale Jarrett scored his first Winston Cup victory. Davey scored back-to-back victories at Rockingham and Phoenix and entered the final race at Atlanta second in the Winston Cup standings. But a dead battery in that race relegated him to a 17th place finish, dropping him to third in the final standings, only four points behind Ricky Rudd. Dale Earnhardt won the championship. The final tally of the 1991 season for Davey Allison; five wins, 12 top-five and 16 top-ten finishes, and three pole positions. It was also during the 1991 season that Davey and Liz welcomed their second child, a son, Robert Grey Allison.

With Larry McReynolds at the helm, Davey Allison entered the 1992 season as a legitimate championship contender.