Bobby Allison, whose life in NASCAR included both grand triumphs and unspeakable heartbreak, died Saturday, NASCAR announced. He was 86. Through NASCAR, Allison became a champion driver and a Hall of Famer. But the sport also robbed him of his two sons, who died in tragic accidents less than one year apart.

Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s "Alabama Gang" and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday at the age of 86. His family released a statement to NASCAR saying that he died at home in Mooresville, North Carolina. A cause of death wasn’t given, but Allison had been in declining health for years.