The 1982 Daytona 500, the 24th running of the event, was the first race of the 1982 NASCARWinston Cup season. It was the first time that the Daytona 500 was the first race of the season.[3]
Bobby Allison would take the win in the #88 Gatorade-sponsored Buick Regal.[2] Allison holds the distinction of leading the most laps in consecutive Daytona 500s in 1981 and 1982, and then win the next year. A live audience of 120,000 patrons was there for the 194-minute race in which five cautions would slow the field for 34 laps; there were a total of 31 lead changes over the course of the 200 laps. Allison's margin of victory over Cale Yarborough was 23 seconds, more than half a lap.[2]
This event marked the first Daytona 500 starts for Joe Ruttman, Ron Bouchard, Jim Sauter, Rick Wilson, Tom Sneva, Mark Martin, Delma Cowart, Rusty Wallace, and Lake Speed,[2] the only Daytona 500 start for Lowell Cowell,[2] and the last Daytona 500 starts for Roy Smith, Gary Balough, Tighe Scott, Stan Barrett, Bobby Wawak, Donnie Allison, Billie Harvey, and Joe Millikan.[2]
Bumpergate
Allison's win drew controversy after his rear bumper fell off very early in the race. On lap 4, Harry Gant led Terry Labonte, with Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough battling nose-to-tail for third. Going through turns three and four, Yarborough apparently tapped the rear of Allison's car. Allison's rear bumper peeled off and flew high into the air before landing back on the racing surface. Several cars took evasive action to avoid it, before it hit the windshield of Joe Millikan (running in 20th position), causing him to veer to the outside wall coming out of turn four. This triggered a much larger crash, involving several cars towards the back of the pack, and brought out the first caution of the race. Three cars were out of the race (Millikan, Lake Speed, and Geoffrey Bodine), while others suffered minor damage.
After the bumper was off Allison's car, it was consistently faster than the competition allowing him to pull away to a significant lead despite other drivers working together in the draft. Yarborough's crew chief, Tim Brewer, later intimated that Allison's team had intended for the bumper to come off because they knew it would offer a major aerodynamic advantage, either using hollow bolts or very thin wire to attach it superficially to the car. Other observers also believed that the bumper was manipulated by the team to intentionally fall off, possibly by using simple tack welds, because the result would have the car underweight and give the car improved handling.[5] Allison's crew chief Gary Nelson denied that and continues to deny it to this day. On The Dale Jr. Download, Nelson stated that crew members pop-riveted the bumper to the fenders due to the NASCAR officials stating that the bumper needed to be lower on the car instead of welding brackets to hold it on. Allison himself also denied the allegations until his death in 2024.
^Hinshaw, Lydia (February 13, 1982). "Richmond Slips By Slick For Win". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Daytona Beach, FL. p. 4B. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
