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“Bobby Isaac: What Speed Looks Like”
By Steve Lehto
Review by Gregg Leary
Category:NASCAR -> Sprint Cup
He was Dale Earnhardt’s favorite driver…won a photo finish at Daytona…his Crew Chief was played by Robert Duvall in the movie “Days of Thunder”…yet this NASCAR Cup Champion is probably the least know of all champions of the last 40 years. Bobby Isaac grew up near Hickory, North Carolina…his Dad died when Bobby was 6…Isaac dropped out of school at age 13…yet today a College Motorsports Program is named in his honor.
In “Bobby Isaac: What Speed Looks Like” author Steve Lehto documents the fascinating story of a poorly educated driver piloting a futuristic car…literally designed by rocket scientists…the Winged Dodge Charger Daytona… powered by the mythical hemi engine… teaming up with a legendary crew chief to win the 1970 NASCAR Championship. And what a year it was…11 wins…the 13 poles have not been equaled since. And the next year…Isaac took the #71 K&K;Dodge to the Bonneville Salt Flats where he set records that have STILL not been broken. He set 28 records…a “flying mile” at 217mph…100 miles at an average speed over 194 mph…in a car that anyone could buy at their local car dealership and with minor modifications run at similar speeds.
NASCAR rules forced the “Winged Warriors” out of competition…In 1973 Bobby Isaac pulled into the pits at Talladega while leading and retired…one story said a voice told him to get out of the racecar…the incident was scripted into “Days of Thunder.” Isaac “unretired” for a few races over the next three years. On August 13, 1977 Isaac ran his last race…a late model sportsman event at his home track…Hickory. With 10 laps to go he pitted… as Lehto writes, “This time it wasn’t a voice telling him to quit, it was heat exhaustion and a failing heart.” Isaac took a few steps and collapsed…he was taken to the hospital where he died late that night.
Bobby Isaac is buried in a cemetery plot donated by Ned Jarrett…in Catawba Memorial Park overlooking Hickory Motor Speedway. Pallbearers were David Pearson, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Tim Flock, Ned Jarrett and Neil Castles. Just down the highway is Catawba Valley Community College….home of the Bobby Isaac Motorsports Program.
Steve Lehto’s book is an interesting read for NASCAR fans…especially MOPAR fans. It is a bit term-paper like…with over 50 pages of footnotes…but you DON’T have to read them…concentrate on the 150 pages of text and photographs. I read it during a rainy weekend when Hickory’s races were cancelled. I’d give it a rating of 3 LUG NUTS out of a possible 5. ***