Bobby Allison, founder of auto racing’s “Alabama Gang” and member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, died Saturday. He was 86 years old.

NASCAR released a statement from Allison’s family that he died at his home in Mooresville, North Carolina. The cause of death was not given, but Allison had been in failing health for years.

Allison moved to fourth on NASCAR’s Cup Series wins list last month when President Jim France recognized him as the winner of the Meyers Brothers Memorial at Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina in 1971. sanctioning body updated its record book to reflect this decision, giving Allison 85 victories and moving him out of a tie with Darrell Waltrip.

France and longtime NASCAR executive Mike Helton presented Allison with a plaque commemorating the victory. With that, Allison is behind fellow Hall of Famers Richard Petty (200), David Pearson (105) and Jeff Gordon (93) in Cup wins.

Allison was inducted into the second class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011. He was NASCAR champion in 1983, finished second in the series title race five times and won the Daytona 500 three times.

“Bobby was the ultimate fan drive,” Allison’s family said in a statement. “He truly enjoyed spending time with his fans and stopped to sign autographs and chat with them wherever he went. He was a devoted family man and friend, and a devout Catholic.

He helped put NASCAR on the map with more than just his driving. His infamous fight with Cale Yarborough in the closing laps of the 1979 Daytona 500 was one of the sport’s defining moments.

“Cale started punching my fist with his nose,” Allison said repeatedly, often using that phrase to describe the fight. “Cale understands, as I do, that it was really an advantage for the sake of the race. This proves that we were sincere.

Born in Miami in 1937, Allison began seeking more racing opportunities outside of the Sunshine State. He landed in central Alabama, where he found a number of small dirt tracks.

He returned to Florida to reunite with his brother Donnie and his close friend Red Farmer. They settled in Hueytown, Alabama, and dominated regional racing throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. They were later joined in the Alabama Gang by Jimmy Mears, Neil Bonnett and Bonnett and Sons of Allison, Davey and Clifford.

Allison retired in 1988 following an accident that nearly killed him. In June 1987, he wrecked on the first lap at Talledega Superspeedway. He hit the exterior wall, then hit the driver’s side door. He was initially pronounced dead on arrival at the local hospital, but was later resuscitated.

He eventually regained his memory, relearned daily activities and attempted a return. But a series of tragedies led Allison to retire. His son, Clifford, was fatally injured in a crash during second-tier Busch Series testing at Michigan International Speedway in 1992. A year later, his son Davey was killed in a helicopter crash at Talladega .

Three years later, Bobby and his wife Judy divorced. They met again four years later at their stepdaughter’s wedding and remarried in 2000. They remained together until Judy’s death in 2015.

Allison was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame along with Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, Pearson and Lee Petty.

“Bobby Allison personified the term ‘runner,'” France said in a statement. “While he is best known as one of the winningest drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history, his impact on the sport extends far beyond the record books.

Allison is one of 10 drivers to win NASCAR’s career “grand slam” which includes the Cup Series’ most iconic races: the Daytona 500, Winston 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500.

Allison made six IndyCar Series starts for Roger Penske, including two Indy 500s.

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AP Sports Writer Mark Long contributed to this report.

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