Bobby Allison was less than two minutes into the interview when he brought up the matter.

The short version of his beef is this: Allison is officially credited by NASCAR with 84 career victories and the legendary driver feels he should have 85. That's it, in a nutshell. But as with so many other things in and around the world of NASCAR, there's a lot more to the story.

The race in question is an Aug. 6, 1971, event at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. Allison drove a Ford Mustang to victory in the event, which was the first in an experimental combination of cars from what was then known as the Winston Cup Grand National ranks running alongside smaller sedans from NASCAR's Grand American tour. Six of the top seven finishers in the Bowman Gray event were in Grand American mounts. Only runner-up Richard Petty's Plymouth broke the chokehold.

“

To me, it's so important. ... I did win the race and I should get the win.

”

-- BOBBY ALLISON

The race is listed as the 34th of 48 races run during 1971 in the historical database on NASCAR's media Web site, with Allison atop the rundown. Nevertheless, the event does not appear amongst his career victories. The inconsistencies do not end there. In the NASCAR media guide, when Allison's year-by-year totals are tallied, they add up to 85. Yet in the guide's list of all-time winners, Allison is listed with 84.

There's more.

Tiny Lund won Cup races later in the 1971 season at Hickory and North Wilkesboro, both of which came while driving a Grand American Camaro. He receives credit in NASCAR's database for those victories.

The argument that Allison shouldn't be credited with the win because he was in a Grand American car doesn't hold water, either, based on precedent. Gwyn Staley and Bob Welborn scored wins while driving convertibles in so-called "Sweepstakes" races against Grand National hardtops in the late 1950s. Both are credited for what would now be a Sprint Cup victory.

After the demise of the Convertible division at the end of the 1959 season, Darlington continued running ragtop races for three more seasons. The winner of each of those events, again, receives credit for a win at NASCAR's highest level.

If this seems like a trivial matter -- 84 or 85 wins, what's the big deal? -- think again. There are several important reasons why it should matter.

First, Allison is listed as tied with Darrell Waltrip for third on the all-time win list. Allison is not tied for third -- he's third, and Waltrip is fourth. It's a matter of historical accuracy. Jeff Gordon currently has 82 career victories, making it that much more significant.

Secondly, Allison surely will be elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame at some point in the near future. When Allison's win total is listed somewhere within the hallowed walls of the Hall, will it be 84 or will it be 85? One figure is correct, the other is not.

Finally, and maybe most importantly, it's an issue that very obviously matters to Allison himself. Allison mentions the issue in interview after interview, and some have tended to shrug it off as nothing more than some sort of quixotic mission in life. That's a shame. (Continued)