1983 season recap

1983 proved different than the previous two NASCAR Winston Cup Series seasons as Bobby Allison held off Darrell Waltrip's late season charge to win the first NASCAR Winston Cup championship of his 23-year career. Allison had finished second in the point standings five times before winning his first title.

For the fifth straight year, the chase for the championship came down to the final race of the season.

FIVE RACES TO GO: North Wilkesboro, NC - Darrell Waltrip looks to threaten Allison's point lead and come from behind for the third straight season after winning the event at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Bobby Allison's third place finish would keep Waltrip at bay, however, and the points margin stood at 91 points heading to Charlotte.

FOUR RACES TO GO: Charlotte, NC - Darrell Waltrip finished runner-up to Richard Petty at Charlotte Motor Speedway and narrowed Bobby Allison's lead to 67 points. Allison finished the race in seventh, and NASCAR fans nationwide were certain they would see Waltrip sneak up on Allison and snatch the title once again.

THREE RACES TO GO: Rockingham, NC - Just like the years before, Darrell Waltrip bit into Bobby Allison's lead late in the year. Again he finished ahead of Allison, taking fifth place at Rockingham while Allison came in 16th. The lead was down to 27 points with two to go.

TWO RACES TO GO: Hampton, GA - Darrell Waltrip's ninth place finish at Atlanta would leave him with an outside chance at the title going into the season finale. Bobby Allison finished third and his lead was 64 points.

FINAL RACE: Riverside, CA - Darrell Waltrip would not catch Bobby Allison this time. Allison finished the Winston Western 500 in ninth place and clinched his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship. Two-time champion Darrell Waltrip finished the race in sixth place to finish 47 points behind Allison on the season. Allison had turned the tables on Waltrip this season to get his hands on that elusive champion's trophy.