Cale Yarborough’s Closest Call

Cale Yarborough had seen it all, from wild flips to championship glory, but nothing compared to what happened at Talladega in 1979. On just the fourth lap of the Winston 500, a crash broke loose that would test the limits of speed, chaos, and pure survival. What followed was one of the most harrowing moments ever captured in NASCAR history.

• How did a routine battle at the front turn into a 17-car melee in seconds?
• What horrifying twist nearly ended Cale’s life after he had already climbed out of the car?
• Which photographer’s aerial shots immortalized the scene that shook the sport?
• And how did Cale respond in the only way a true legend could?

This wasn’t the fight with Bobby Allison, this was a fight for his life. As smoke settled and wreckage lined the front stretch, Yarborough lay injured, thinking his legs were gone. Yet, in true Cale fashion, he was back in victory lane just one week later at Nashville.

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