Where It All Started for Dale Earnhardt

^{Nov 16, 2024 | Edition #98}

👋 Dear Motorheads,

We get it…
It's strange kicking off a weekend without a NASCAR race to get pumped about.
Just like you, we're counting down the days till February 2025 too.

But that doesn't mean the Lucky Dog is gonna leave you high and dry. In fact, we've got a whole slew of exciting stories lined up to fill that NASCAR-sized void.

And since we're talking throwbacks, current events, and everything in between, you'll also see some fresh formats and segments in the newsletter.
So, let us know what you think of them!

Today, We’ll Uncover the Following Stories From the NASCAR Universe:

🏁 The Moment It All Turned Around for Dale Earnhardt

🤬 Denny Hamlin Unleashes Anger on NASCAR Analyst

🛠️ NASCAR’s Already Preparing for the 2025 Season

🎂 Celebrating NASCAR’s Iceman’s 68th Birthday

🗝️ From the Vault

When Earnhardt Turned His Naysayers Into Fans

Gather around, folks! The Lucky Dog is about to tell a story that probably doesn’t get as much attention as it should. And yes, as you would have guessed by the header, today we’re talking about the rise of the NASCAR great - Dale Earnhardt - and arguably the year that made him the household name he is today!

Deep in the heart of the 1960s American Southeast, where stock car racing was king, a first-generation racer by the name - Ralph Earnhardt - ruled the dirt tracks. So naturally, watching him tear up the tracks with a fierce determination, his son, Dale, was bitten by the racing bug early on. Safe to say, the roar of the engines, the smell of gasoline, and the thrill of victory soon became Dale's lifeblood.

But the biggest turnaround in Dale’s story came in 1967 when he made a bold decision to trade his textbooks for a toolbox, dropping out of high school to chase his dreams on the track. Fortunately for him, all these years of hard work started to come together in 1975 when Dale made his NASCAR Winston Cup debut at the World 600 in Charlotte.

The bright lights of the big league shone bright, but Dale wasn't ‘intimidated’. (See what we did there?) By the way, here is a video that tells how exactly Dale Earnhardt became ‘The Intimidator’.

In the coming years, Dale proved himself a force to be reckoned with, racing part-time until he landed a full-time ride in 1979. That rookie season, he left it all on the track, collecting 17 top-10 finishes and earning the coveted Rookie of the Year title. However, that was just the start of something special!

Being on the rise, Dale entered 1980, with his sights already set on the NASCAR Winston Cup championship. However, things weren’t all sunshine and rainbows, as there were still a few off-track hurdles he had to overcome.

Just a year prior, Dale was struggling to make ends meet, wondering if he'd ever make it big. But then, Rod Osterlund came calling with a five-year contract that changed everything. Now, nobody thought these young guns could take down the likes of Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip. But Dale and his team had other plans.

They hit the track, determined to win, and boy, did they deliver! Dale snagged his first superspeedway win at Atlanta, beating Rusty Wallace by a country mile – nine seconds, to be exact. Then, he followed it up with another win at Bristol. But just when things were cookin', Dale's crew chief, Jake Elder, up and left. Seeing this, everyone thought the Osterlund team would implode, but 20-year-old Doug Richert stepped up and proved his genius.

On the racing front, the reigning champion Richard Petty made a run at Dale, but his Chevy’s engine troubles shut him down during the latter part of the season. Then Cale Yarborough came gunning, But Dale’s big win at Charlotte kept the 3-time Champ at bay.

Eventually, it all came down to the final race at Ontario. Although Cale won and Dale finished fifth, there were still 19 points between them that helped the Intimidator clinch the title. Shout out to the old days when the current playoff system wasn’t in place. Which meant… exactly 44 years ago, on Nov 15th, 1980, five wins that season was all Dale Earnhardt needed to become a champion!

That year was a defining moment for Dale Earnhardt. While no one saw it coming, Dale, with his young, scrappy team, proved they were the real deal.

Continue Reading: Dale Earnhardt’s Ex-Partner Lets Out Bill France Jr’s Genius Behind The Intimidator’s Big Break

🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Poll 🏁

🌪️ Cause for Controversy

Denny Hamlin Hits Back at NASCAR Mogul

If you thought the off-season was going to be dull. Well, think again, because it seems like we've got ourselves a good old-fashioned Twitter tussle brewin' between NASCAR's Denny Hamlin and Fox Sports analyst Larry McReynolds.

As you know, Hamlin's 23XI Racing is locked in a lawsuit with NASCAR over monopolistic practices. But some folks, like McReynolds, aren't too pleased with Hamlin's stance. Back in October, he even expressed his discontent by saying, “We’ve got an organization [23XI] that’s been here not even four years that all of a sudden is saying ‘we gotta change the way NASCAR’s run’.” 

Now, this is not what the Twitter feud in question was about (at least initially). However, the Lucky Dog feels this may have been the tipping point for Hamlin in what was about to come. 

Fast forward to this Thursday, seeing all the outrage surrounding Joey Logano winning the 2024 title with a 17.1-average finish, Hamlin decided to propose a new playoff format. He suggested, “Double regular season points, seven races to make the Championship 4, and three races to determine the champion.” But just like 23XI’s decision to sue NASCAR, McReynolds was not ready to agree with Hamlin's take. 

He snarked, "Our champion could go through the entire 10-race playoff, not win a race, might not need to..."

This time around, though, Hamlin wasn't having any of it. He clapped back at McReynolds, saying, "Hey Larry, I know facts are hard to comprehend, but we actually had a Champion crowned in [Truck Series] by a driver who didn't win AT ALL during the season..." Ouch!

However, the fight just didn’t end there. Hamlin, who was apparently still mad about McReynolds’ comments from October, took another swipe at the 65-year-old, asking him to stop spreading "disinformation" about the lawsuit. Here is the entire Twitter thread for you to check out.

If you ask us, it is hard to not take Hamlin’s side here. And that is what NASCAR also did. Well… kind of. While Elton Sawyer, NASCAR's Senior VP of Competition has defended the playoff system on many occasions, he recently came out to say that NASCAR will take a “deeper dive” into things to see if the current system is “the best way to do it?”.

Continue Reading: Denny Hamlin’s Cryptic Tweet Leaves Fans Second Guessing

📈 Trending News

NASCAR’s Preparing for Its 2025 Season Opener

Although NASCAR handed Joey Logano the Bill France Cup just last week, it seems they’ve already started working toward 2025. 

Remember Bowman Gray Stadium? The iconic quarter-mile track in Winston-Salem that was named the new home to ‘The Clash’? It is gearing up for a major facelift.

First off, the lighting system's getting a complete overhaul, courtesy of Musco, a brand that works with top-notch LED lights, the same ones used by NASCAR's top tracks. With Musco's Total Light Control (TLC) technology, we're looking at some serious special effects – think light shows, color changing, and music synchronization. It's gonna be a spectacle!

But that's not all. The SAFER barriers are getting a major upgrade too. Crews started removing the old guardrails last month, and the new installation is expected to be done by early January. The venue is gonna be safer and more thrilling at the same time!

Ben Kennedy, NASCAR's executive VP and chief venue and racing innovation officer, said, "Part of being good stewards of Bowman Gray Stadium includes preparing it to host compelling events that rightfully place it in the national spotlight."

The City of Winston-Salem's thrilled, too. Mayor Allen Joines said, "We value the partnership with Musco, NASCAR, and WSSU to provide enhanced stadium lighting... This lighting system complements the $9 million that the City invested in improvements to Bowman Gray Stadium a few years ago."

So, mark your calendars for February 2nd, 2025, folks! The NASCAR Clash is coming to Bowman Gray Stadium, and it's (hopefully) gonna be a wild ride!

Continue Reading: NASCAR Schedule 2025: Start Times, Broadcast Networks & Night Races

🫡 The Lucky Dog Salutes

Celebrating the Legacy of Terry Labonte!

It's November 16th, 2024! Which means we're celebrating a birthday fit for a king - or in this case, a NASCAR legend! Today, the one and only "Texas Terry" Labonte turns 68. So to honor the racing icon, the Lucky Dog is taking you on a trip down memory lane, sharing stories and highlights from his remarkable career.

Just like Dale, Labonte too found his calling early on. In his case, it was legends like AJ Foyt and Johnny Rutherford, who inspired him to walk in their footsteps. It was during an interview from last year, where he talked about what all brought him closer to NASCAR. 

Reminiscing about the past, or as we’d like to call it a ‘core memory’, he said, “We’d go to the beach and listen to the NASCAR races.” Back then, the races were not televised. But hey, Terry is not complaining because his dad, Bob Labonte (who we recently lost back in April), took him to his first Daytona 500 in 1967. And that was probably the biggest turning point for the 11-year-old.

As he remembered, "I thought it was the coolest thing... I never dreamed I'd have the opportunity to move to North Carolina and actually race in the NASCAR series."

Once he turned 21, Labonte made the decision to chase his dreams, which led him to debut full time in the 1979 Daytona 500, driving Billy Hagan's No. 44 Stratagraph Buick. Recalling the infamous Donnie Allison-Cale Yarborough brawl from that race, Labonte chuckled, "It was quite one to remember."

But safe to say, it was the 1980s when Labonte really stood out. He won his first Cup race at Darlington in 1980 and went on to claim the championship in 1984. With Hagan's team, he racked up six wins and consistently finished top-10. Then, in 1987, he joined forces with Junior Johnson's legendary No. 11 Budweiser team, notching two more wins at North Wilkesboro.

Though a manufacturer change to Ford in 1989 brought challenges, Labonte persevered. And boy, did it pay off. In 1996, he won his second championship, proving that the "Iceman" still had plenty of fire in his belly. 

Throughout his 37-year career, the NASCAR Hall of Famer earned 22 Cup wins, 182 top-5 finishes, and 361 top-10s. So today, as we celebrate his birthday, we're reminded of his incredible journey. From Texas short tracks to NASCAR's biggest stages, Labonte's determination, talent, and Texas-sized heart made him a champion.
Here's to you, Terry – Happy Birthday, and thank you for the memories!

Continue Reading: When Dale Earnhardt ‘Rattled’ Terry Labonte With Last-Lap Antics

📰 Lucky Dog's Recommended Reads

1. Dale Jr Caught Off-Guard by Ken Schrader’s ‘Bargaining’ Tactic - Full Story

2. “New Player”- Kyle Petty Warns the Entire NASCAR Garage - Full Story

3. Kurt Busch Breaking Silence After Criminal Charges Forced 3-Month Hiatus - Full Story

4. Denny Hamlin Tears Up, Delivering Heartwarming Send-Off to Martin Truex Jr - Full Story

5. Angered Fans Question Controversial Shakeup at Dale Jr’s Media Empire - Full Story

✨ Featured Comment

Looking back at the controversy that took place at Charlotte Roval, Super Fan – Sharon Jones shared a ‘hot take’ with us…

Lucky Dog's Take: The Lucky Dog surely knows how it feels to see one's favorite fail to move forward. But, if NASCAR didn't penalize the drivers, then the teams would keep coming up with illegal modifications till they see their driver lift the Bill France Cup.
With this, all they would have to do is change crew chiefs now and then and pay NASCAR monetary fines (which is not very tough for teams, like HMS and JGR).

To share your thoughts with us, participate in our polls. And who knows? The next Lucky Dog on Track 'Featured Comment' could be yours. You can also write back to us.

🗞️ In Our Next Edition…

Our next stop, November 18th - the same day Richard Petty made history, clinching his record-breaking 7th NASCAR championship in 1979. So Join us as we pay tribute to "The King" and relive the glory days of his remarkable racing career.

💌 Feedback