I have a feeling we better get used to this. As we close down on the end of the year, I uncover another Dale Sr championship. This time clinched in the 2nd to last race, the 1986 Atlanta Journal 500. Earnhardt didn't only clinch his second title that day, he dominated the field and won the race. Just how dominant you ask...
Every time the series pulls up to a mile and a half track, the bitching about how boring the races are never ceases to amaze me. Hell people, just have 10 beers and it will feel like Martinsville or DEGA. C'mon people, consider yourselves lucky. You could have to have mile and a half tracks with Dale Sr still alive and winning by a couple laps, now doesn't that sound more boring?
Anyway, point being, on this championship day in 1986, Dale Senior won by over 3 seconds. How much more than 3 seconds?? Oh that's right, a whole fuckin lap. Dale Senior lapped the entire field in the 1986 Atlanta Journal 500, and went on to win by 1 lap, 3 seconds over the king.
Imagine if this happened today? NASCAR would probably change all the rules they could possibly get their grubby paws on. Say hello to quadruple file restarts and field inversions.
Anyway, take a fast forward to 2:47:00 to hear Dale's title interview. Immediately he drops a "Dale Earnhardt" third person comment. Awesome!
I watched a lot of this video, and amongst some nostalgic things I saw two really stood out, both around the 1:18:50 mark. First, Cale Yarborough's crew changes some random driver's tire right in the middle of pit road. Then, "Handsome" Harry "The Skoal Bandit" Gant stops for 4 tires and has a 26.2 second pit stop. Bob Jenkins COULD NOT BE MORE IMPRESSED with this. WOW, how the times have changed.
PS - Check out Bob and Larry's outfits at 2:00 during their opening.
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