But it was consistency where Earnhardt excelled. He recorded 21 top finishes in 29 starts, and in so doing easily beat runner-up Ricky Rudd by a hefty points. Harry Gant also stood out that season, but Earnhardt took away what likely would have been the most coveted accomplishment of Gant's career.
It was at North Wilkesboro that Gant was going for a modern-era record fifth straight win in a single season, a record that up to that point had been held by Earnhardt. Gant was well on his way to taking No. Earnhardt passed Gant for the win—and kept his own record intact at the same time. Earnhardt would begin what became his third and final back-to-back set of championships in , a year that brought about significant change for him.
Earnhardt and Petree meshed almost immediately, with the pair joining forces to earn Earnhardt his sixth Cup championship. Earnhardt won six races in that season, including victories in the grueling Coca-Cola , the Pepsi and the big-bucks, The Winston all-star race, en route to defeating Rusty Wallace for the title by 80 points.
After winning his first Cup championship in , it was somewhat surprising that Earnhardt struggled for several more seasons before winning his second crown in To prove that, consider how he finished in each season from through seventh, 12th, eighth, fourth and eighth.
It wouldn't be surprising if some people wondered if Earnhardt was a one-and-done wonder after his title. But after racing for Rod Osterlund for the title in and the first half of , Richard Childress for the latter half of , Bud Moore in and back to Childress for good in , it took a few more years before Earnhardt would hit his sweet spot, going on to win six championships in the next nine seasons.
Earnhardt had two sons, Dale Jr. He married his third wife, Teresa, in , with whom he had another daughter, Taylor. Known to be big-hearted and loyal beneath his intimidating facade, Earnhardt stayed true to his roots to the very end. Nearing the completion of the Daytona , he sought to protect the leads of the two drivers ahead of him, son Dale Jr.
However, his car was clipped from behind and sent flying into a wall, an accident that killed the legendary driver upon impact and stunned the racing world. We strive for accuracy and fairness.
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March 20, Atlanta International Raceway Motorcraft Quality Parts Dale Earnhardt won his only superspeedway race in '88 at Atlanta, with his other two season triumphs coming on short tracks. The season would include three total wins in his storied career. His first win came at Atlanta, where he later celebrated locking up his fourth championship.
He would also win the DieHard that year to complete the Talladega double. After four finishes outside the top 10, he jumped up for another win at Michigan. After winning the pole position, Earnhardt led of the laps. Earnhardt also won the pole for this race, which treated the fans to 20 lead changes. The only other leader during the race was Rusty Wallace, whose engine expired. It would become his fifth championship year, starting with a win at Richmond.
April 28, Martinsville Speedway Hanes A championship-caliber pit crew helps in winning four races in one season, as well as a fifth series title. His two championships in and introduced him to the NASCAR history books, and his accomplishments throughout the ensuing decade reinforced his place.
On July 2, , Earnhardt scored a popular victory at Daytona International Speedway in a throwback blue-and-yellow No. The live telecast on ABC was watched by The episode broke a series viewership record with 2. The book landed on the New York Times best-seller list for 17 weeks, and online retailer Amazon.
In , he started Hammerhead Entertainment, a one-stop-shop production company that produces shows for multiple national television networks. In April , Earnhardt extended his entrepreneurship into the Charlotte, North Carolina, entertainment scene, as he opened Whisky River, an uptown bar and nightclub located in the EpiCentre. While the obligations of being a driver and team owner occupy much of his time, Earnhardt is active in charities and non-profit organizations.
In , he launched The Dale Jr.
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