Jeff Gordon Reminisces Good Old Times With Dale Earnhardt

^{Nov 2, 2024 | Edition #92}

👋 Dear Motorheads,

Did you catch the buzz surrounding NASCAR’s plans to go racing in the Middle East? Well, most of you who did, didn't really appreciate the idea. But in the wake of those developments, Jeff Gordon recently told one of his own heartwarming stories from the time NASCAR skipped oceans nearly three decades ago!

But that's not all, as there’s an exciting announcement waiting for you in today’s newsletter!

In Today’s Newsletter, We’ll Uncover These Hottest Stories From the NASCAR Universe:

🗼 Jeff Gordon’s Unforgettable Memory of Tokyo & Dale Earnhardt

⚖️ Kyle Busch’s the Reason 23XI Racing Has Sued NASCAR

😥 When Ross Chastain Got Scared After Wrecking Fellow Driver

🏆 Remembering Real ‘Doc Hudson’ Who Rewrote History Books

👀 Must-See Moments

When Gordon Got a Glimpse of Earhnardts’ Classy Lifestyle

Blessed are those who witnessed NASCAR’s last great rivalry. Yes, we said it! Eleven combined championships, 258 races against each other, hundreds of highlight-reel-worthy moments, and a hint of camaraderie—all of this shaped the unforgettable rivalry that was between Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon. But for all their differences, those two had a lot more in common than you’d think.

To begin with, the Wonder Boy had that same relentless drive to win as our blue-collar Intimidator. And you can bet Dale saw a bit of his younger self in Gordon. That’s probably why their duels never got nasty. To be fair though, the two had their own set of challenges.

But what may be shocking for some is that, outside the tracks, the two owned a real estate company and a clothing line together. They also held shares in NASCAR’s official Diecast partner, Lionel Racing. “Shoot, we even went fishing together,” beamed Jeff Gordon as he sat down with Kevin Harvick for the latest episode of his ‘Happy Hour’ podcast.

Knowing all that, it is safe to say their brotherhood ran much deeper. In Gordon’s own words, “[Dale] showed me not only the business side, he showed me a different side of the lifestyle.” Expanding on that, he even told ‘The Closer’ an interesting story from the 90s.

It was 1996. NASCAR was making its first foray across the Pacific to Japan for the Suzuka Thunder Classic. It was a 100-lap non-points exhibition race, where a fresh-faced Gordon was representing the Red-White-and-Blue contingent alongside, you guessed it, Dale Earnhardt. It was another Earnhardt ‘frenemy’ who won that race—Rusty Wallace. Meanwhile, ‘The Man in Black’ and Gordon finished second and third. But it was after the race, at a Tokyo Steakhouse, where the banter truly took place. 

Gordon elaborated, “They brought out shrimp that were still alive and put them on the grill and cooked them right in front of you. And then they served it to somebody at the table. And of course, [Dale] picked me… He’s like, ‘No, Jeff, this is for good luck. This is a delicacy…” 

The Boy Wonder didn’t love it but eventually relented. And it didn’t stop there. “He got me into drinking Vodka and Grapefruit juice too,” revealed Gordon. For him, the Intimidator was simply trying to teach him how to enjoy the fruits of his labor. And Earnhardt surely did it right, as his ways seem to have stuck with his rival even till now.

Continue Reading: Dale Earnhardt Taught Jeff Gordon to Live Life Beyond Racing

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Poll 🏁

Last Poll’s Result: We asked if you'd want to see NASCAR host an event in the Middle East, and y’all spoke loud and clear! A solid 86% of you said ‘No, thanks’ to a race in Saudi Arabia. Considering our good old North American roots and the obvious cost concerns, fans rallied to keep that N in NASCAR stateside.

📈 Trending News

Kyle Busch Claims Crazy Connection With 23XI Racing

It's getting crazy out here in NASCAR. And if we look closely, everything might’ve started with Kyle Busch.

Ever since that lawsuit hit the federal court in Western North Carolina, it’s been kicking off heated debates about how fair and profitable NASCAR’s charter system truly is for the teams. Now, that’s a subject Busch knows all too well, given his past struggles with sponsorship and charter assets.

Earlier this year, Kyle Busch Motorsports had to sue their Truck Series benefactors, Rev Racing for $325,000 in unpaid fees, which was dropped later, likely after an out-of-court settlement. But two years before that happened, Busch lost his ride with Joe Gibbs Racing when his primary sponsor, M&M’s, exited the sport. Here is a great refresher video from NASCAR content creator Eric Estepp, in case the whole debacle is not fresh in your memory.

Reflecting back on that, Busch believes it was a turning point for NASCAR’s current charter kerfuffle. “I was sort of the catalyst to this process of what’s going on in the charter agreements,” Busch told Front Office Sports.

Alright. Maybe Kyle Busch is taking too much credit for the whole mess. But his brief unemployment highlighted how sponsorship and charter issues trickle down to the teams and drivers. While NASCAR’s yearly revenue estimates figures of $3 billion on average, only $400 million goes to the teams under the sport's current model. A number like that is almost shameful compared to the more lucrative payouts in other professional sporting leagues, like the NBA or NFL.

Regardless, we’re here now. His former teammate Denny Hamlin has filed the Anti-trust lawsuit demanding ‘equitable revenue distribution’ and ‘charter permanency.’ They want a bigger piece of the pie. And they must want it badly, considering how far they’ve let things go.

Continue Reading: After Losing First Bout, Denny Hamlin and Team Targets NASCAR’s Absurd Regulations Over Their Future

🎙️ Podcast of the Week

Dale Jr Gets Up and Personal With Ross Chastain

The ‘Melon Man’ met up with the ‘Junebug’ on the Dale Jr Download recently and gave the Lucky Dog the podcast of the week! Remember when Chastain pulled off that insane video game-style move at Martinsville in 2022, clinching his spot in the Final Four? Well, this season hasn't been as sweet for him. But the 31-year-old isn't letting it get him down. Rocking a fresh new look, he seems to have a revamped outlook as well. And with his sights already set on 2025, we had a blast listening to his stories!

The Busch Light Connect (26:52): Do you think the #1 car was the best place for the Busch Light, post Kevin Harvick’s retirement? Well, Chastain doesn’t care about that. He’s been a Busch guy through and through, even before the giants came calling with their partnership offer. And here’s a spicy tidbit: he is going full national with a Busch Light TV commercial soon!

That Rick Hendrick Phone Call (37:07): Now, Ross isn’t necessarily a fearful guy, but getting on Rick Hendrick's bad side was a line even he didn’t dare to cross. That’s why Chastain was looking for Mr. H’s number after he’d wrecked Kyle Larson at Darlington last year. But this begs the question: how much of his Magic did that phone call take away?

Balancing Recklessness and Reputation on the Track (40:58): Speaking of ‘Magic’, some would term it as Chastain being reckless. So where does he draw the line? As the wise heads would say, ‘It’s okay to make mistakes, but it's not okay to stay down and live out that mistake.’

Managing Rivalries and Media Perception (44:46): As Dale said, Chastain has made some real ‘rocky relationships’, because of his racing style. (We’re looking at you, Denny Hamlin) But “driving slower wouldn't help,” so does that mean we’re still yet to see the ultimate form of the ‘Melon Man’?

Oh, and must we forget. For those whispering sweet nothings about a Hail Melon demotion to the lower series, better watch out. Chastain reaffirmed his plans to race at the top level for at least the next two decades, loud and clear.

Continue Reading: Ross Chastain Confesses Intentional Kevin Harvick Crash That Left Him Fearing for His Well-Being

🗝️ From the Vault

Looking Back at NASCAR’s First Two-Time Champion

On November 1st, 1953, NASCAR revved at Atlanta’s historic Lakewood Speedway. Although we’ve lost the track forever, the legacy of Herb Thomas and his #92 Fabulous Hudson Hornet will forever remain in the history books.

That day, Thomas secured the 1953 Grand National championship by a hefty 646-point margin over Lee Petty on the 1-mile dirt oval, despite finishing 14th. During the season, Thomas notched 12 wins, 27 top-fives, and 31 top-10 finishes in only 37 races. As payoff, he won the Grand National title in 1953, becoming NASCAR's first multi-time champion. He had won his first championship in 1951, thanks to crew chief legend Smokey Yunick and a late-season manufacturer switch to Hudson. 

Now, the 1953 championship finale at Lakewood was itself a wild ride. Pole-sitter Tim Flock, who gave Herb a run for his money the year before, had to retire early because of overheating issues. Had Tim not blocked Herb Thomas’ championship advances the year prior, Thomas could have gone down in history as NASCAR’s first three-peat champion.

Once Tim Flock retired from the race, his brother, Fonty, took the lead. But Herb rushed to the front of the pack to dominate for the next fifty-two laps. Unfortunately, mechanical gremlins forced him to relinquish the lead to Buck Baker with just 20 laps to go.

Even Lee Petty was seen making a last-ditch effort but spun out off turn four in a mad dash before the finish line, and placed third. Talk about late drama! But despite the rollercoaster turn of events, Herb's second championship was secure by the end of the race. 

Fortunately for Herb, NASCAR didn’t have the current playoff system in place back then. And if you’d look at the 1953 season as a whole, you’d see that he rose to the occasion whenever required. And for that, his #92 Hudson Hornet even influenced the character of ‘Doc Hudson’ in the beloved Disney movie, ‘Cars’. And how can we forget the famous documentary that’s there on YouTube? Now that’s what you call immortal. And you best believe this pioneer deserves it.

🎉 Our Community Just Got Bigger! 🎉

We're still pinching ourselves, folks, as we are 200,000 subscribers strong now! Reaching here was a dream. But we clearly didn't get here on our own. It was your unwavering passion for NASCAR and trust in our coverage have been the fuel that's driven this journey.

While we worked tirelessly to bring you the best of the NASCAR world, it was your engagement, feedback, and loyalty that has made 'Lucky Dog on Track' the go-to newsletter for all things NASCAR.

And since you have been riding shotgun with us all along, our YouTube Team has put together a video for you to relive the drive here as we all celebrate this surreal moment!

📰 More Stories to Check Out

1. Dale Jr Takes A Sarcastic Dig At His Media Empire's Co-Founder & Close Aide - Full Story

2. Kyle Busch’s Wife, Samantha, Went All Out This Halloween - Full Story

3. Kurt Busch’s Loses Driving License as He Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges - Full Story

4. Racing Community Trashes NASCAR’s Latest Phoenix Addition - Full Story

5. Kevin Harvick Claims Richard Childress’ Grandson Failing to Curb His Ego Caused Kyle Larson’s Homestead Misery - Full Story

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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