Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt had a love/hate relationship with the sport’s marquee track – Daytona Int’l Speedway.
From 1979 through 1997, The Intimidator recorded 34 victories at Daytona, including wins in the 125-mile qualifying races, the Xfinity Series events, the IROC races and the Busch Clash.
But when it came to the Daytona 500, Earnhardt couldn’t buy a victory.
NASCAR’s most prestigious race was a roller-coaster ride for the Kannapolis, N.C., native. He finished eighth in 1979, fourth in ’80, fifth in ’81, 36th in ’82, 35th in ’83, second in ’84 and 32nd in ’85.
Then in 1986, Earnhardt was again in position to win when he overshot his pits during a late pit stop and blew his engine leaving pit road. In 1987, he finished fifth. He was 10th in ’88 and third in ’89.
In 1990, Earnhardt was leading when he ran over a piece of bell housing that ended up on the track when another car suffered a blown engine. The debris cut Earnhardt’s right-rear tire on the final lap and he settled for fifth.
In 1991, Earnhardt finished fifth again after hitting a seagull on the backstretch early in the race. The following year, he ended up ninth. He was second behind race winner Dale Jarrett in ’93, was seventh in ’94, second in ’95, second in ’96 and 31st in ’97 after a multi-car accident sent his car upside down.
In the summer of 1997, work began at Richard Childress Racing in Welcome, N.C., on a new Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the 1998 Daytona 500. The car was taken to the wind tunnel several times and tested at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway by Dave Marcis and Mike Dillon.
Marcis, a five-time Cup Series winner with more than 850 races under his belt, was hired as a test driver for RCR and noted some special remarks about the car, including its smooth handling and how it didn’t lose RPMs in the turns.
Earnhardt tested the car at Daytona Int’l Speedway in January 1998 and immediately felt he had a masterpiece under him. As the track lost grip as it routinely does during races, the car’s handling improved. His confidence level was extremely strong that he may finally win the Daytona 500.
Then came the usual Daytona glitch that haunted RCR every February. This time, it was with Earnhardt himself. Between the 125-mile qualifier he won on Thursday and the 500, Earnhardt developed a stomach bug. Crew chief Larry McReynolds opted to skip the Friday morning practice to allow Earnhardt to see a doctor and get some much-needed rest. McReynolds set his sights on installing the race engine and concentrated on the Friday afternoon practice. A rainstorm canceled that session, leaving only Happy Hour practice on Saturday.
Earnhardt completed only a half of a lap before a broken rocker arm and bent push rod were discovered. After 20 minutes for repairs, the car proved to be the best it had been all week. A fresh engine was installed race morning, giving Earnhardt the strongest Daytona 500 ride of his career.
Earnhardt started fourth and led 107 of 200 laps, including the final 61. During the last lap, John Andretti and Lake Speed crashed on the backstretch, prompting Earnhardt, Bobby Labonte, Jeremy Mayfield and Rusty Wallace to race in a pack back to the start-finish line. Earnhardt was a car length ahead, making the elusive victory official.
After climbing from his famed black No. 3 Chevrolet, Earnhardt said, “Yes! Yes! Yes! Twenty Years! Can you believe it? This win is for all the people that told me, ‘Dale, this is your year.’ You can’t believe all the people that have told me that from the top of the garage to the bottom. Team owners, crewmen – Bill France (president of NASCAR),
Todd Parrott (Dale Jarrett’s crew chief).
“There was a lot of hard work that went into this and I have to thank every member of the Richard Childress Racing team. I have had a lot of great fans and people behind me all through the years and I just can’t thank them enough.”