LEBANON, Pa.: Bobby Allen walked from the front of the Shark Racing trailer toward the open door where the car rolled out and sat down in a chair. He waved and asked, “How are you doing?” with that trademark friendly grin across his face.
I stopped. Who wouldn’t for someone of his stature? We talked for roughly 15 to 20 minutes before the start of the National Open at Williams Grove, and it was typical Allen. He joked around a little bit and talked about the business of racing and his team, showing me the list of questions he needed answered to make a choice between High Limit and the World of Outlaws in 2026.
But there was more to it than that. He was engaging with a quick wit and a couple of funny anecdotes. There was no complaining or angst. It was pleasant and informative … again, typical of a visit with this Sprint Car icon.
I reflected on that Saturday evening conversation when I heard 24 hours later that Allen passed. My reminiscence encompassed everything I knew about the man people in the dirt-track community called, “Scruffy.” He was beloved and appreciated throughout the sport.
Allen was as blue collar as you can be, but he was acutely aware of the business side of Sprint Car racing … the dollars and cents to make ends meet. He was a character, pleasant and funny. And it didn’t matter how his car was running or the tenor of the season. Allen, regardless of the situation, never felt sorry for himself and was always looking ahead.
I’m not saying his accomplishments behind the wheel or his huge presence aren’t significant. It’s just not what stuck out the most to me … that is reserved for how much he helped his grandson Logan Schuchart and son Jacob Allen in their racing careers as members of Shark Racing and how he conducted himself, something I will get to a little later.
For perspective on how good Allen was as a driver, let’s look at his accomplishments and the time period in which he achieved them. The 30 World of Outlaws victories might look a little pedestrian, but he didn’t run full-time, and when Allen showed up, he had to compete against Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell and/or Doug Wolfgang … the Big Three in the sport who are on most fans’ Mt. Rushmore.
That’s not taking into consideration Dave Blaney, Bobby Davis Jr., Danny Lasoski, Mark Kinser, Keith Kauffman, Lynn Paxton, Steve and Stevie Smith … the list of heavy hitters and Hall of Fame drivers was endless. And yet, he is right next to these guys in Sprint Car lore.
The most impressive part is how Allen reached such heights. He didn’t have big sponsors or a fat checkbook. The operation was pieced together, and Allen had to scrape and claw to get to the track some nights. Still, he somehow found a way to make it work against the best in the business.
Then again, I think Allen thrived on being the underdog, at times. It allowed him to fly under the radar, even though he racked up wins in droves and gained plenty of attention with the fans who packed the grandstands across the country.
The 1990 Knoxville Nationals and 1975 National Open jump off the page. So do Allen’s 46 All Star Circuit of Champions victories and series title in 1980. His 111 wins between Lincoln and Williams Grove Speedway, the 25 victories at Hagerstown Speedway — still tops on the track’s all-time win list — and all of the higher-paying triumphs … there was no one Allen wouldn’t race against or feared.
Growing up, I was a huge Doug Wolfgang fan. The 1985 season was one of the best in history, and the Weikert-Wolfgang combination won everything. I figured 1986 would be much of the same, but some driver from Hanover had other ideas.
I remember the May World of Outlaws swing through the east. Wolfgang beat Allen in the May race before the series headed to Hagerstown. I was ready for another Wolfgang coronation at a track he seemed to own through performance, but Allen beat the best team in the country in a thriller.
Who was this guy?
That was Bobby Allen. But as much as Allen impressed me behind the wheel through my youth, college and adult years, it was his good nature and how he developed Shark Racing for Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen … that’s what made the strongest impression.
Maybe his demeanor toward fans and people, in general, was forged out of his dedication. Allen didn’t have money. There were many nights he slept in a car or truck, and sometimes even a ticket booth at a local racetrack, but he never wavered from his goal of winning races … there was a hunger to succeed.
I think that made him appreciate everything he had and did. There wasn’t a big ego, and he wasn’t the type to big-time someone, regardless of their stature or standing. Allen was grounded and had a strong affection for fans, fellow competitors, and the sport.
That spilled over to Shark Racing, which was formerly developed in 2008. Logan Schuchart was the first. Then came Jacob Allen, and the two drivers cut their teeth in the same nature as the family patriarch … a shoestring budget, stretching the dollar, and continuously building.
We’ve all heard of what I call, “The Bologna Sandwich Tour.” It was nights sleeping in the trailer, showering at truck stops, and eating bologna sandwiches to make it through their first years with the Outlaws.
And look at Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen now. One is a star with the World of Outlaws who won a million dollar race a few years ago, and the other is a crew chief on a second car that is driven by Ashton Torgerson. Their careers have Bobby Allen written all over them … the appreciation, the work ethic, dedication, the wins … everything.
I said on my SprintCarUnlimited 90 at 9 Monday morning that I can’t imagine how Logan Schuchart, Jacob Allen and all of Bobby Allen’s family and friends feel. But here is what I do know … my interactions were all positive and memorable.
More important, Bobby Allen lived life to the fullest, and he squeezed every ounce of enjoyment out of it. He left a lasting impression on the people who knew him and the thousands who watched him race.
Bobby Allen is a Sprint Car legend, and he will be missed.