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The Dale Jr. Download
Becoming Earnhardt 1980 Vol. 5 - Dale vs. Cale
00:37:09
Dale Earnhardt has been leading the NASCAR Cup season points for most of 1980, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing. In fact, stock car legends Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough have all been within striking distance at one point or another, but attrition has kept the field even.
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- [00:00]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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- [00:52]
Ned Jarrett
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- [01:02]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The following is a production of Dirty Mo Media. This episode of Becoming Earnhardt is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, North America's premier outdoor and conservation company. Plan your next adventure at a Bass Pro Shops near you or online@bass pro.com later in episode the My sister Kelly shares her unique perspective on life with dad away from the racetrack. Now buckle up. Here's a brand new episode of Becoming Earnhardt presented by Bass Pro Shops.
- [01:38]
Ned Jarrett
Dale Earnhardt, the current Western cup point leader who is out of the race and very dejected right now. Dale, was it an engine? Yeah, Ned, it smelt on the back stretch. You know it's been mechanical problems as hell. Just for that would really be have a good lead but you know, I reckon you have to take everything the way it comes. Well, that's the disappointment that you hear in Dale Earnhardt's voice.
- [02:02]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The history books of racing don't always tell the full story and that's certainly true of 1980. All of the major players in the cup series are going to face adversity at one point or another. Especially dad.
- [02:16]
Ned Jarrett
Problems on Darrell Waltrip machine indeed. Waltrip's 88 car having problems. The smoke comes out from behind. The car spins around. What didn't go wrong? Let's put it like this, dad gum. Oh, double. Petty just spoke up front. He's hit the wall. Flying up in the air. So Richard Petty, who will not take any chances on his neck healing up very properly. He did some severe muscle pulls in the neck. Very wisely he has elected to put Joe Milliken in the car. Cale Yarborough has been reported as Going to the garage area with a broken left rear axle housing.
- [02:47]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Fresh off of his championship winning crew chief quitting, he's now left to defend his small points lead. With Doug Richard, a 20 year old unproven rookie, on top of the pit box.
- [02:59]
Ned Jarrett
Well, here's a young fellow that has certainly a bright future ahead of him. 20 year old Doug Ryckert.
- [03:06]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The season continues on through the summer months with several drivers within striking distance of the crown. But as we reach the final stretch, the picture becomes more clear.
- [03:17]
Ned Jarrett
We talk about strategy. I hadn't really pulled or had any kind of strategy any time of the, you know, year, but we go all out to win anywhere we go anytime. And that's just Austin racing. That's Dale Earnhardt and Austin racing. We won't go to the front and be there when the race is over. After you at their philosophy to win.
- [03:45]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
So through 1980, dad had several challengers for the points lead. But as I mentioned, they'd all face problems in one shape or another. Richard Petty was rapidly closing in on dad throughout the middle of the season and had 12 top five finishes with two wins. He would be on a streak of fifth place place finishes when he suffers a terrible crash at Pocono.
- [04:11]
Ned Jarrett
Oh, double. Petty just broke a front. He's hit the wall. Flying up in the air right in front of Chuck Bown who's sliding up into the wall. Waldorf is in it. He has just slammed into the side of Petty.
- [04:20]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
They're sliding off the turn while leading the race. He has a right front failure on lap 56 which causes his car to shoot straight into the boilerplate wall. This is at one of the most dangerous turns on the course called the tunnel turn.
- [04:34]
Ned Jarrett
That was where the bad crash happened last year on Dale Earnhardt's. Drivers have really smacked that wall and come together over in turn number two.
- [04:42]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
And when the car goes sailing through the air, it lands right side up and the King appeared to be motionless inside the car.
- [04:50]
Ned Jarrett
Something broke. The car just dropped down. Spark showered underneath the right front side. He went right straight into the wall. The car hit, bounced up in the air, turned around. Petty's car after hitting the wall, slid up and rode the top of the retaining wall for about 60, 75ft and looked as if it might go on its roof.
- [05:07]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
He's taken to a local hospital where it's reported that he had a severely sprained neck. Much later it's revealed that the King actually had broken his neck and he kept the extent of his injuries under wraps so he could continue Competing he would actually be seen back in competition the following week with a neck bracelet receiving help from relief drivers like Joe milliken.
- [05:34]
Ned Jarrett
Probably about 50 or 60 yards, I knew it was going to hit. So after I got about halfway there, I got my eyes shut real tight and I don't know if it hit anything. If it hit anything. I didn't see it. You can bet on that.
- [05:48]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
But the setback is going to allow Cal Yarborough to get ahead of him in the point standings for the runner up position behind dad.
- [05:57]
Ned Jarrett
Well, Richard Petty lost about 100 points up at Pocono last week after that early crash put him out of the race up there. And starting Today's race he's 144 points behind Dale Earnhardt.
- [06:08]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
After coming up strong in the early part of the season and winning a couple of races, Bobby Allison is going to continue to struggle in Bud Moore's Ford and found the points race to be out of his reach.
- [06:22]
Ned Jarrett
Allison was smoking when he came by the start finish line and apparently he has shut it down and will coast the Hodgdon Butmore t bird around to the pit road. Allison is pitted on the back stretch. The right front tire on the Warner Hosden Thunderbird is flat. The sheet metal is severely crinkled. That tire is pushed back up under the fender well and it may be suspension damage as well. He is grinding out a In fact.
- [06:42]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
During his post race winners interview at the Firecracker 400 from Victory Lane, Bobby says, I'm not knocking Bud, but we are 180 degrees apart on the type of car we should be racing. There are only a few tracks the Ford is competitive on. Bud likes Ford and I'd rather be racing a General Motors product. I feel strong enough to consider a change for next year. That's crazy says that in Victory Lane on September 16, Bobby Allison is going to announce that he's gonna leave Bud Moore and drive for Harry Rainier in 1981.
- [07:23]
Ned Jarrett
Well, yes, Bobby is leaving us. I think he's going with the Rayner outfit and we hadn't got a replacement yet. But we are talking to some people and we'll know within the next week what we're gonna do.
- [07:36]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Now we all know the Darrell Waltrip and Dygard drama and their engine failures kept them from being serious contenders in 1980. But that didn't stop them from winning their fair share of races this season.
- [07:48]
Ned Jarrett
To Waltrip winning the CRC Chemicals 500. Darrell Waltrip wins the Richmond 400 and he's heading into Victory Lane, we won the sucker and we had to come from behind to do it. I can't say enough for Jake and.
- [08:00]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
All the boys in the pits. So this really just leaves one guy. Cale Yarborough.
- [08:07]
Ned Jarrett
Always want to thank Lord for good safe race. Twice in the last three weeks I've been in that same situation. So it's turned about fair play, I guess.
- [08:14]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Ned Cale's coming off of three straight championships in 76, 77 and 78. And he's driving for one of the most dominant teams in NASCAR history, Junior Johnson.
- [08:28]
Ned Jarrett
Junior Johnson, congratulations on a fine win here today. Thank you, Ned. We're just tickled to death.
- [08:34]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
But in September, Cale is going to shock the NASCAR world by announcing that he'll be stepping away from the Junior Johnson team.
- [08:44]
Ned Jarrett
Cale Yarbrough, Junior Johnson. What can you say about their careers together? It's certainly sad in many respects to see the part after the success they've had.
- [08:55]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
He said he no longer wants to chase a points schedule and he wants to race on a part time basis. So he's leaving the team that he's been with for eight years. They won those three straight championships in over 50 races. He's gonna join MC Anderson, replacing Benny Parsons on a three year deal.
- [09:16]
Ned Jarrett
He said, Brewer, I've been doing this for a long time.
- [09:20]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
That's Tim Brewer who served as co crew chief for kale Yarborough in 1980.
- [09:25]
Ned Jarrett
And he said, I come out the door with my suitcase in my hand.
- [09:29]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
And one of my daughters said, dad, when are you gonna fix my bicycle?
- [09:33]
Ned Jarrett
Well, I'll fix it, I'll fix it.
- [09:36]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dad, you've been telling me for a month you're going to fix my bicycle. It's got a flat tire on it. He just said, you know, it's time.
- [09:42]
Ned Jarrett
For me to go and do something else. He said, you know, I've done this my whole life.
- [09:46]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
He said, I got to cut my schedule back. And that's when he worked to work for MC Anderson. This is going to be some extra motivation for Cale and Junior to win one last time to put a cap on their successful run together.
- [10:00]
Ned Jarrett
We're leading friends and that's the main thing. We're going to partner and go remain friends for a long time, I hope.
- [10:12]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
And as all the other drivers begin to struggle due to their issues, Cale puts the heat on and begins winning races. And as we get to the final 10 races of the season, dad and Cale are the main story.
- [10:25]
Ned Jarrett
Dale Earnhardt nose to tail with our leader, Cale Yarborough. It's A real fight. Coming down the back straight, the story on the racetrack. Car number 11, Dale Yarborough, starting 21st to first. Yarbrough's trying to take an open shot at Dale Earnhardt. Yarborough side by side with Earnhardt. Yarborough sticks a nose ahead and he grabs off the spot.
- [10:47]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Now, as you remember from our last episodes, Rod Osterlin had just promoted our pal Doug Richard into the crew chief position. This decision came at the firecracker 400 when the points lead was only 13. So kind of a high pressure situation for young Doug to rise to the occasion.
- [11:05]
Kelly Earnhardt
I mean, I'd only been in racing.
- [11:07]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
For what, three years?
- [11:09]
Ned Jarrett
That was a lot to take over. A role like that or whatever in.
- [11:13]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
A transition day is like, okay, I.
- [11:15]
Ned Jarrett
Always wore a radio. I always did everything except for push the button. Gentlemen, start your engines. Back at Daytona International Speedway as the Pontiac Turbo Trans Am safety car leads the by the start finish line, the yellow caution lights go out atop the safety car.
- [11:32]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
But he does just that, and they bring home a third place finish at Daytona. Dad actually had a shot at winning once again on this super speedway and had a spirited battle with Bobby Allison on the last lap.
- [11:45]
Ned Jarrett
Your leaders work the back straightaway. Midway through Allison now as Earnhardt looked momentarily to the inside. Earnhardt went inside, then outside, back to the inside again. He's drawing down low. He looks inside. He's side by side with Allison now on the turn. The time is now. Earnhardt puts the pedal to the metal. Allison goes off all the way to the top of the track. They're side by side. Earnhardt will lead it out of four as they come into traffic. As they take the white flag, he and Bobby Allison draft on the outside down the short chute. Earnhardt may be caught on the bottom as they hit turn one. The deck is shuffled. Allison goes upstairs. David Pearson and Earnhardt side by side. They have Ronnie Thomas there to make it three wide. Earnhardt is forced to lift momentarily as Ronnie Thomas pulls away. It's Allison leading David Pearson by three car laneson two back to Earnhardt. Bobby Allison will win it by two car lakes. Pearson will finish second, Earnhardt third. Dale Earnhardt. So close and yet so far. Up until the last lap, you were just in a striking position. Then all of a sudden, no win. Well, I more or less had a pretty clear shot down the back stretch on the second on the last lap. So I made my move then, and it didn't come out as smart as the one I made in the bush clash. But you know, we finished third, and I'm tickled. The guys did good in the pits and the engine ran good all day and, you know, the crew just did a super job. Well, you did a super job, too. Dale Earnhardt, this is Barney hall up at the tower. I don't think you've seen any snakes in the palmetto bushes today. He was playing golf the other day and chased a snake out of a palmetto bush. Yeah, you got me on top last night too, didn't you, Barney?
- [13:18]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
At the next race on the schedule in Nashville, Rod's gamble on Dug is going to pay off.
- [13:25]
Ned Jarrett
Cale Yarber holding onto the lead. Running in the second spot, Dale Earnhardt. Earnhardt going to challenge to the low side. No. Yarborough shuts him back. It is a challenge for the lead. Here comes Earnhardt. He's got it. Dale Earnhardt shoot 5. Cale Yarborough going into turn 3.
- [13:40]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dad will survive a spirited battle with Cale Yarbrough to win his third race of the season. We actually have this Nashville trophy right here in the studio. Doug brought it to us many, many months ago. So pretty cool to be sitting right next to this trophy that they won that night. In 1980, the Nashville Fairgrounds was a historic racetrack that still competes today with regional and local racing more becoming Earnhardt up next. But first, here's my sister Kelly on some of the key lessons learned from our dad.
- [14:29]
Kelly Earnhardt
One of the lessons that kind of just stands out with dad and I wrote about this in my book, was just kind of win, win situations. One of the things that, that I paid attention to a lot when I worked for Sports Image and Action Performance. And my dad was in a lot of meetings because he was the face of all of that with the sales and licensing was just how, you know, it was important when you do a deal with somebody that everybody gained something. Business deals or relationships that are one sided, really, you just don't get very far in life with them. And so kind of to have something that was sustainable, something that might produce fruit. For a long time, he always just talked about how important it was for, you know, it to be a win win. That's one of the things that I kind of take along in my day to day now, like in business and running the companies that, that he taught me. There's all kinds of lessons. Just the way you grow up and, you know, do things that so much of what we were exposed to as kids like, sticks with you through the day. Whether it's you say, I mean, we were, we were taught you know, yes ma' am and no ma'.
- [15:34]
Ned Jarrett
Am.
- [15:34]
Kelly Earnhardt
So still today, I don't care if the person's 13 or 33 or 63. I'm like a yes ma', am, no ma' am kind of person, you know, or a thank you and please or. Or whatever those kinds of things are, because that was very important. As we were growing up in our house, a lot of people talk about how much I look like my dad or my mannerisms or being in business meetings and things. You know, how I handle things and carry things. I'm straight. The point dad was kind of a straight to the point, no B.S. kind of guy. So I think about a lot of those things. Often as you just have mannerisms of your family that kind of stick, you.
- [16:13]
Ned Jarrett
Know.
- [16:16]
Kelly Earnhardt
I think one of the things that I constantly hear from people that either worked for him or had relationships with him was that he just kind of made you feel valued and appreciated. You know, he did that in a lot of different ways. Like I hear stories about at Dellenhardt Incorporated, how he knew everybody's name and he always was there when they opened to say hello to everybody, and he knew what was going on in their lives and their kids and all of this kind of thing. So, you know, I would probably just say just a characteristic of maybe loyalty because he really, you know, cared about people and cared about who helped him get to where he was. So whether it was the fans, whether it was people early in his career that gave him opportunity, you know, to race or whatever, it meant kind of that he was a very much a person of loyalty and making people feel kind of valued and appreciated in what they were doing. We are all the time fighting a bass pro. There's a few that we. We go in regularly, but I like to kind of go in at first thing I do is like when I go in is I kind of stop and get a lay of the land because they're all kind of laid out a little bit different, you know, and trying to figure out what in there are the things that you want to go look at, just to look at. And then what do you want to go do for shopping wise. So I usually head to the home and the decor part. Then I head over to the ladies section and look at the. The clothes. And then I kind of go. I like going to the camping section and seeing what's about because we have a camper and, you know, I'm always interested in kind of the latest gadgets and then kind of the food and snacks and they got some amazing candy options in there and all the kind of old timey candy that you can find in there and the licorice and the caramel creams and all those kinds of things. So. And I like to check out the shoe section because you may not know it, but they have a lot of fashionable kind of shoes. It's not all just for hunting or hiking or anything like that. They've got some, they got a lot of cool shoes. My husband heads straight to the hunting area and Wyatt generally likes to find. The first thing he likes to find is if they have one of those shooting ranges because a lot of the stores have the little shooting ranges that you can do and you can knock the things down and all that. And then fishing. It's kind of hard to figure out maybe what you do first because there's so much that you want to do. I also admire Bass Pro's unwavering commitment to those who serve our country. Their Legendary Salute program is one of the many ways they show Support, offering a 10% everyday discount to active duty military veterans and first responders. It's their way of saying thank you to the heroes who protect our freedom and way of life. To learn more and see full details, visit basspro.com legendary salute.
- [19:16]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Introducing family Freedom.
- [19:17]
Ned Jarrett
From T Mobile we'll pay off four phones up to 3, 200 and give you four free phones, all on America's largest 5G network.
- [19:23]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Visit t mobile.com familyfreedom.
- [19:28]
Ned Jarrett
Up $800 per.
- [19:29]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Line via virtual prepaid card typically takes 15 days.
- [19:32]
Ned Jarrett
Free phone via 24 monthly bill credits with finance agreement. Example Apple iPhone 16128 gigs 829.99 eligible.
- [19:38]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Trade in example iPhone 11 Pro for well qualified credits end and balance due.
- [19:42]
Ned Jarrett
If you pay off early or cancel. Contact us.
- [19:46]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Chasing trends is one thing.
- [19:48]
Kelly Earnhardt
But finding pieces that fit right, feel.
- [19:50]
Ned Jarrett
Good and actually last. That's a game changer. And that's where Quince comes in.
- [19:54]
Kelly Earnhardt
Quince has the kind of stuff that.
- [19:55]
Ned Jarrett
You'Ll actually wear on repeat, like breathable.
- [19:58]
Kelly Earnhardt
Flow knit polos, crisp cotton shirts, and.
- [20:00]
Ned Jarrett
Comfortable lightweight pants that somehow work for both weekend hangs and dressed up dinners.
- [20:04]
Kelly Earnhardt
And the best part, everything with Quince is half the cost of similar brands.
- [20:08]
Ned Jarrett
By working directly with top artisans and cutting out the middlemen, Quint's gives you.
- [20:12]
Kelly Earnhardt
Luxury pieces without the markups.
- [20:14]
Ned Jarrett
I love my pieces from Quince because I can wear them together. I can layer them or just wear them on their own.
- [20:19]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
And the best part about it, besides.
- [20:20]
Ned Jarrett
How comfortable and quality they are, is the price.
- [20:22]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
They really are affordable and great staples.
- [20:25]
Ned Jarrett
To have in your closet.
- [20:26]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
I stick to staples at last with.
- [20:28]
Ned Jarrett
Elevated essentials from Quince. Go to quince.comdaleJR for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Quince Q U-I-N-C-E.com DaleJR to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com DaleJR Yarbrough and Earnhardt side by side at four as Earnhardt almost lost it between three and four, Earnhardt continues to set the pace. Cale chases him, chews on his bumper. No way to get around.
- [20:58]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
This is the point in the story where that feud word starts to come into the picture. You see, dad and Cale were pretty aggressive on those final laps at Nashville. Cale would bump into dad, dad would bump Cale. They'd bump into each other several times over the last 25 laps. Cale trying to get around. Dad finally goes to the outside but ends up grazing the wall.
- [21:24]
Ned Jarrett
Dale Earnhardt and Cale Yarborough got together a little bit coming out of that number two quarter.
- [21:28]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Cale says, I had him. I was about to go around him. Later. Cale claims that dad actually ran him up into the wall, but dad said, I didn't think he would try to pass me on the outside. I was the leader anyways and I had the racetrack. These two are going to continue to find each other on the racetrack, naturally, as they continue to battle for points and wins and the etiquette is going to be more aggressive in nature. A couple of weeks later. Later at Talladega for the Talladega 500. The two would actually make contact, slapping doors on the last lap, allowing Neil Bonnet to pick up the victory.
- [22:06]
Ned Jarrett
Two by two. Looks like a Noah's Ark procession as the rain is also headed this way. But it is Yarborough with Earnhardt now working the back stretch. Make it two and forget the deficit. Four cars tightly in a bunch. They work the back stretch. Earnhardt showed us something on that last maneuver. He might saving something for the last lap. There may be a new winner, but who is it going to be? They haven't decided yet. Bonnet now leads him into turn three. Earnhardt looks to the inside. Yarbrough follows him as lightning flashes over the speedway. Imagine what's going through Dale Earnhardt's mind right now. This is the same position he was in behind Buddy Baker and May. Can he go now? Does he wait one more lap? He's following Bonnet into turn four. The next to last time through the 33 degree banking. Neil Bonnet look leads the way. Dives down into the middle racing lane. Earnhardt tucked right under his rear deck. Earnhardt tightly in second. Yarborough right there in third. Benny Parsons for it. They swing out in. Bonnett cuts to the inside. Earnhardt goes Yarbrough now along with Benny Parsons. And they get three, four wide on the back stretch. Three wide. It's coming into turn three. Bonnet tried to serve a team move. Earnhardt is down inside of Earnhardt. Bonnett side by side. Parsons and Yarrow. Parsons low. Yarbrough high. Earnhardt down low. Bonnet high. They come off the turn four under a blanket. They pull out all the stops as Bonnet moves out in front with Earnhardt wedged out of traffic. Yarborough gets by Earnhardt. The dash to the checkered flag with Bonnet leading. Can they do it? Neil Bonnet comes to the line one carlink the head. He will win the Talladega 500. Cale Yarborough will finish second, just about a half a car length ahead of Earnhardt. Winston cup racing. Unbelievable here at Talladega as Bonnet has won it.
- [23:42]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The points battle would get pretty close again when dad loses another engine at Michigan in August.
- [23:48]
Ned Jarrett
Scary moment for Dale Earnhardt as he went shuffling off into the number one corner. The engine apparently has let go. It's gonna be a costly day for Dale Earnhardt.
- [23:58]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
He's gonna finish a dreary 35th place. And wouldn't you know it, Cale's gonna pick up his third win of the season.
- [24:06]
Ned Jarrett
Cale Yarborough notches his third win of the season by beating Neil Bonnet, Donny Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty and Buddy Baker. The six cars on the lead lap. From Michigan International Speedway, this is mrn, the Motor Racing Network, shrinking the points.
- [24:21]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Lead down to just 33. The two are going to carry their battle into the Coliseum the next week at Bristol. And man, they would fight it out for the win.
- [24:31]
Ned Jarrett
And they've been hammering away on each other for the last couple laps. They seem to kind of said, hey, let's run those and catch our breath. We can't do this all day. Little competitiveness, lean on the other guy just a bit. You know how far you can go. And he's going to lean right back. It's really an exciting show to watch.
- [24:47]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Cale is going to come out on top for his fourth victory on the year.
- [24:51]
Ned Jarrett
They're just inches apart as they cross the start finish line. And the winner will be again, Cale Yarborough.
- [24:57]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dad actually pulled alongside Cale on the last lap. He had to back out of the gas due to a lapped car. Roger Hamby being in Dad's racing line. Dad would get a little bit of points relief at the Southern 500 when Cale has his own mechanical problems, being able to build up Dad's point margin back to 98 points.
- [25:22]
Ned Jarrett
And we have trouble on the racetrack over in turn two. He'll hit Cale Yaber. Cale Yarber's call caught on fire coming off of turn two. He's jumped out of the car. He pulled it to a stop just at the entrance to pit road. We didn't see what caused it, but Cale jumped out of the car as it was still rolling. Now Cale himself grabs the water hose from the safety truck and he is showering down that automobile. Now a crewman takes it back, but Cale didn't want to let that car sit there.
- [25:52]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Just a side note here, Texas. Terry Labonte is going to pick up his first NASCAR victory in this race at the age of 23. He was two seconds behind dad and none other than David Pearson, who were fighting for the win when the two hit some oil slick that had been laid down on the track by Frank Warren's blown motor. David, dad and even Benny Parsons all hit the oil and spun into the wall. Terry, he's able to slow down enough to work through the chaos. Passing Pearson's wounded car in the final turn to pick up the win.
- [26:27]
Ned Jarrett
It's going to be a battle, and we've got one smoking going into turn one. Frank Warren's car and getting in that. Earnhardt. Missing him spinning, is Benny Parsons. Bonnet comes through. Parsons down on the apron. David Pearson got through. Neil Bonnett got through. Up pinned on the wall. It's alert over at the exit of turn two. They're waving and they're happy and they're celebrating down in one of the crews. And we're trying to pick out which crew it is. 44, Terry Lamonte. He passed David Pearson. Checkered flag has come out and waved. And the word weekend that it's waved for Terry lamante, car number 44 out of Corpus Christi, Texas.
- [27:10]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The second Richmond race of the year brings an interesting development in the points battle. And it shows just how much the margins could sway during this point in NASCAR history. Cale is again going to have mechanical problems, and he's going to fall to third in the points battle, a total of 173 points behind. Man, he was just 33 points away from the lead a few races ago. Everybody thought Dale would start playing, fall.
- [27:40]
Ned Jarrett
Out or something would happen.
- [27:41]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
And Dale wasn't there or Kale would come on.
- [27:44]
Ned Jarrett
You're on the pole, you're running out front, you're looking real good, and all of a sudden, problems start happening. What was the problem? Well, after the first pit stop, Bobby, we got to running hot, and I guess we had a head that cracked. And, you know, it just got. When you get a cracked head, the engine gets so hot it starts pumping the water out under the tires, and then you don't handle good. And the car's running hot, too. So we tried to put some stop leak in it and stop it, but it just got worse. So we just parked in it.
- [28:12]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Who's going to move into second place in points passing Cale? It's none other than Richard Petty. Richard has been nursing that broken neck, but getting relief help from drivers like Joe Milliken along the way, putting together consistent enough results to stay in this points battle. This will continue to stay interesting as the series returns to Dover. And dad will suffer again. More engine problems, allowing King Richard to close the points lead down to 60 points.
- [28:42]
Ned Jarrett
Earnhardt second. Earnhardt shows smoke in front of us on the back straightaway, takes the car low on the racetrack onto the apron. Everybody else behind gets by going to the high side as Earnhardt is off speed and smoking in turn three. He is going to the garage, and it looks like he may call it a day. And this is going to be a break for both Richard Petty, Patrick Yarborough, Ned Jarrett, and Barney Hall. Dale Earnhardt, the current Western cup point leader, who is out of the race and very dejected right now. Dale, was it an engine? Yeah, Ned, it. You know, just one of those things happened. But I tell you, it just. It's getting brighter. Disgusting. Dale, you made the statement before the race that she's going to run flat out regardless of what happened. Did you feel that as hard as you was running had anything to do with it? I don't think so. At first race, my car was a little loose and I couldn't run as hard as I wanted to. So we had just got the car dialed in pretty good. We was running second behind Darrell, and the car felt better and better. So, you know, it's just a situation. It just blew up. I don't know.
- [29:41]
Kelly Earnhardt
The style of racing in that day.
- [29:45]
Ned Jarrett
Was different than Dale's style of racing.
- [29:49]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
And I say that as everybody had races where they just kind of rode along, they were biding time, they were.
- [29:57]
Ned Jarrett
Saving their breaks, they were saving their time.
- [29:59]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Whatever it was, Dale wasn't.
- [30:02]
Ned Jarrett
We had to earn this one. I'll guarantee you that Dale was all anybody wanted to handle.
- [30:08]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dad is going to make a championship statement at Martinsville.
- [30:12]
Ned Jarrett
Well, a good, good day everyone for Martinsville Speedway here In beautiful Martinsville, Virginia today. The 27th race on the $6 million Winston cup tour will unfold here at Martinsville. The Old Dominion 500. It's the richest short track race in the nation and it's pulled the nation's finest stock car drivers to the speedway today. The dogwood and azalea trees and the duck pond, the shrubbery that line the turns instead of just having a bare concrete wall and everything has a new coat of white paint every time we come here. It's a treat to come here every time. Back under green at Martinsville. Earnhardt comes up through the gears and on in a heartbeat, so to speak, and pulls away from the field by about three carlings. He gets away from Dave Varkus in a hurry this time. Cale is going to use up a lot of racetrack. Make him work that high groove and Dale can lose some ground. Yarborough heads to pit road as now Allison Donny moves to second spot. Something has happened to the Cale Yarborough car and Ned Jarrett will update us in just a moment. Let's go to tire.
- [31:04]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dad's right side was completely creased from on track encounters tire marks and dents. It's awesome.
- [31:11]
Ned Jarrett
You can hardly read the numbers or the sponsor's name on the side of Earnhardt's car. But bent, battered and broken, he can bring it home here today. 1000 turns around this racetrack and he's about to take the last one. He's won in Atlanta, at Bristol and in Asheville. Here's Earnhardt last time into turn number three. Baker closing to 10 car length. It's going to be Earnhardt flashes across the start finish line, checkered flag and Dale Earnhardt will win the Old Dominion 500.
- [31:35]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
He admitted that he didn't have any breaks for the last several laps of the race. And at one point during the race he had some contact with Dave Marcus.
- [31:44]
Ned Jarrett
Well, the bumping and banging started down in turn number one. Earnhardt was on the inside and he just rooted Marcus up and out of the low groove while the banging continued all the way down the back stretch to where Earnhardt spun. And now Earnhardt is up side by side with Marcus and they are having quite a discussion.
- [32:01]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dad's point lead would again grow to 105. And to this he says, I'm sure not going to stroke Cale, Benny and Petty, they don't stroke. I got Here running hard, and I'll continue to do that. Stroke was a word used back in those times to describe a driver who was racing for points or taking it easy not running as hard as he could. So his aggressive driving is actually now.
- [32:26]
Ned Jarrett
Starting to force other people out of their comfort zone.
- [32:31]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Now he's making these guys mad because.
- [32:33]
Ned Jarrett
Now I've got to run this. I gotta run so hard to not let him get so far away. Well, Dale, congratulations. Thank you, Ned. At that last caution, Keel got back in the lead. I wasn't sure we could win it, but then he had a flat or thought he had a flat or something on that restart. And that really gave us a good break here. And here we are in Victor's circle. Got a little sheet metal and paint damage done here. Yeah, a little bit. It got kind of rough down the back stretch one time. Went around and around a few times. Did you think it was all over then? Well, nobody hit me, so I thought it was all right. You know, it was looking bad there one time. Roland Woolotica, congratulations here. Thank you. It was a real good job. He was really on it today all the way. Well, he certainly was. And everybody else was too. Yeah. We didn't even have any brakes there at the beginning of the race. 25 of 30 laps out, we had brakes. He made it most of the way, pumping the brakes all the way. That's Roland Wolodica, the team manager for this Osterlin Racing effort.
- [33:31]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dad would again follow a victory with another victory, winning consecutive races for the second time in the same season. What's better is he'd do it in front of the hometown crowd at Charlotte. It was all thanks to a super fast pit stop by Doug in the Austral, beating Cale and Junior Johnson's team off pit road by almost four seconds.
- [33:54]
Ned Jarrett
The first of the leaders. Scheduled pit stops have just been made. Ned Jarrett. It was Dale Earnhardt coming in on a very quick pit stop too. He changed right side tires, filled it up with gas, so he should be ready for the rest of the race. It was about a 14 second pit stop. Earnhardt was in such a hurry to get off the road, he almost dragged two of his crew members with him. Here's Yarborough. The Junior Johnson crew ready to go to work. They go to the right side, as did Dan. Dale Earnhardt a little bit earlier changed those tires as Junior Johnson told us they would do. Of course, they're filling it up with the Union 76 gasoline. They're working feverishly on the car to get him down. They got the tire changed. They can't get the jack down now. Cale had it in reverse. Now he gets it in the right gear and heads off.
- [34:32]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
After this, dad was feeling very confident in victory lane and remarked to the points race pressure. There's no pressure on me. The pressure is on them. They're the ones who are behind in points. I'm ahead. What's a sophomore jinx? Can anybody tell me what a sophomore jinx is? Pretty cocky.
- [34:52]
Ned Jarrett
Well, the blue and yellow bike curb Oster, the racing Chevrolet is taking the ride to victory lane. Well, Earnhardt has pulled in. They're unhooking the safety paraphernalia. But right now let's talk to 20 year old Doug Reichert, who has done a beautiful job. Doug, congratulations. He's the crew chief on this car.
- [35:07]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Thank you, Ned.
- [35:08]
Ned Jarrett
Well, that big smile on your face, of course, the people on the radio can't see that. To know just how happy you are. You fellas worked awfully hard for this. Yeah, we did. The car ran awful good.
- [35:17]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
We had excellent pit stops all day and the motor really ran well. And Dale drove one heck of a race. And just things couldn't have went better.
- [35:24]
Ned Jarrett
For us all day. Doug, the difference seemed to be that last pit stop. You beat him out bad. Well, that helped there. We beat him out. It was looking kind of grim there a little bit. They had the draft running behind us, was running just a little bit quicker, but we managed to stay ahead and win the race. Well, here's a young fellow that has certainly a bright future ahead of him. He's already at the top. Dale, very happy fella. Congratulations, man. Man, I tell you, it just feels good to run here in front of the hometown crowd. I dreamed and thought about it for a long time and it's, you know, it's just great. Dale, could you really feel it going in front of this 70 or 80,000 people here today, knowing so many of them are pulling for you? Well, yuck. I know I got a lot of hometown fans here and man, I tell you, it's just. I can't, you know, it's just great.
- [36:14]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Well, the story is far from over. Cale is going to strike back in terrific fashion. He's going to pick up another win at Rockingham and dad is going to have another design. Disastrous race.
- [36:25]
Ned Jarrett
Dale Earnhardt into the pits and getting tires all the way around. And some little extra work done on that car. They sort of tape the hood down and re tape a couple of the fenders on and try to keep it Together for the rest of this race.
- [36:39]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
He'll get involved in two crashes and break a tie rod and he ends up coming home in 18th place.
- [36:45]
Ned Jarrett
424 laps completed and they're still working on Dale Earnhardt's car in the pit area. And they want to get Dale back into this race if at all possible because of that tight Winston cup point battle and Bobby Johnson.
- [36:59]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Even with back to back wins late in the season though, dad's point lead has taken some wild swings. At his peak, dad had a 119 point lead and now it's down to 44.
- [37:12]
Ned Jarrett
One of the hardest races I've ran, have run all year. Game bit on in the day and you know, if we can just have another good two races, we'll be in pretty good shape.
- [37:23]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The table is set for a historic battle to the finish between dad and Cale Yarborough.
- [37:29]
Ned Jarrett
Cale goes way downstairs while Earnhardt holds a steady line through the middle of the turn. But it's going to be Earnhardt handling so well in the center of the speedway, continuing to pull Kale. That lead quartet with a jackrabbit start now playing a symphony of speed off turn with Dale Earnhardt out front.
- [37:43]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Their tippers are flaring and the points battle is a tight one.
- [37:47]
Ned Jarrett
I don't know what got into Earnhardt. Stupid move on his part. You can't expect Earnhardt to sit tight and watch. Right now this young driver from Kannapolis, North Carolina is giving everybody a lesson. You don't give anybody a victory in Winston Cup grand national racing until they take the checker.
- [38:03]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
There are two races left in the 1980 season and Kale and dad's rival is about to reach its breaking point.
- [38:10]
Ned Jarrett
But we asked Dale if he was still confident about winning that first title this year. We're still leading until we get behind, you know, that's when you start wearing, you know. And pressure's on in Dale Earnhardt and Cale Yarbrough, the two point leaders going into this event. Still very much in the thick of things. They are the leaders right now. I think this season is a long way from being over with yet. I ain't gonna count ourselves out.
- [38:45]
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Becoming Earnhardt is a dirty Mo Media original podcast series. It is written and produced by me, Dylan Hart Jr. With Bobby Marcos and Colby Bass. Sound design by Alex Timms Production assistants Tiff Powers, Mike Davis, Micah Caldwell and Evan Vecchia. This project is in partnership with mrn, the Motor Racing Network and the Appalachian State University stock car collection. Special thanks to SiriusXM Silver Tribe Media, NASCAR man and Bob Ellis. For additional Dirty Mo Media content, visit our YouTube page and follow us on all major social media platforms. Thank you to Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops for bringing us another episode of Becoming Earnhardt. They are such a great friend and supporter of everything we do, so remember to gear up for all your adventures at Bass Pro Shops, North America's premier outdoor and conservation company. Tires matter. They're the only part of your vehicle that touches the road. Tread confidently with new tires from Tire Rack Whether you're looking for expert recommendations or know exactly what you want, Tire Rack makes it easy, fast free shipping, free road hazard protection and convenient installation options. Go to tirerack.com to see Tire test results, tire ratings and consumer reviews, and be sure to check out all the special offers. Tirerack.com the way Tire buying should be.
- [40:14]
Ned Jarrett
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