The Dale Jr. Download - Becoming Earnhardt 1980 Vol. 5 - Dale vs. Cale

Episode Date: December 23, 2025

Dale Earnhardt has been leading the NASCAR Cup season points for most of 1980, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing. In fact, stock car legends Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, and Cale Yarborough have all been within striking distance at one point or another, but attrition has kept the field even. Engine failures, crashes, injuries, and team disharmony have plagued everyone in the Cup garage, and it appears the 1980 crown will come down to whoever can manage the chaos best. And thanks to Jake Elder’s untimely departure, Dale has to depend on a young, inexperienced, newly promoted Doug Richert to help keep things on track.As the season wages on, the championship contest really comes down to two: Dale and Cale. The two can’t stop finding each other on track, and things are getting tense. This will be Dale’s first real taste at a Cup series rivalry, and neither driver is willing to back down. Dale is going to again pick up back-to-back wins, including a triumphant hometown victory in Charlotte, but a disastrous showing in Rockingham allows Cale to close in as the season winds to a close.FanDuel: Must be 21+ and present in select states (for Kansas, in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino) or 18+ and present in D.C. First online real money wager only. $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets, which expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut, or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call [phone] for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York. Check out Dirty Mo Media on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DirtyMoMedia  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The following is a production of Dirtymoe Media. This episode of Becoming Earnhardt is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, North America's premier outdoor and conservation company. Plan your next adventure at a Bass Pro Shops near you or online at BassPro.com. Later in the episode, my sister Kelly shares her unique perspective on life with dad away from the racetrack. Now buckle up. Here's a brand new episode of Becoming Earnhardt, presented by Bass pro shops.

Earnhardt, the current Western Cup point leader who is out of the race and very dejected right now. Dale wasn't an engine. Yeah, and it smelled on the backstretched. You know, it's been mechanical problems that's helped us back all year. It wasn't for that. It wouldn't really be you have a good lead. But, you know, I reckon you have to take everything away it comes.

Well, that's the disappointment that you hear in Dale Earnhardt's voice. The history books of racing don't always tell the full story, and that's certainly true of 1980. All of the major players in the Cup series are going to face adversity at one point or another, especially Dad. Problems on Darrell Waltrip machine. Indeed, Waltrip's 88 car having problems. Smoke comes out from behind. The car spins around.

What didn't go wrong? Let's put it like it. Dead gum. Oh, Tom, Petty just broke up front. He's hit the wall flying up in the air. So Richard Petty, who will not take any chances on his neck, healing up very properly. He did some severe muscle pulls in the neck very wisely. He has elected to put Joe Milliken in the car.

Hill Yarborough has been reported as going to the garage area with a broken left rear axle housing. Fresh off of his championship winning crew chief quitting, he's now left to defend his small points lead with Doug Richard, a 20-year-old unproven rookie on top of the pit bikes. Well, here's a young fellow that has certainly a bright future ahead of him, 20-year-old Doug Rockert. The season continues on through the summer months with several drivers. drivers within striking distance of the crown. But as we reach the final stretch, the picture becomes more clear. We talk about strategy. I hadn't really full or had any kind of strategy any time of the, you know, a year.

But we go all out to win anywhere we go anytime. And that's just awesome racing. That's Dale Earnhardt and awesome racing. We won't go to the front and be there when the race is over. After you have to have a philosophy to win. So through 1980, Dad had several challengers for the points lead, but as I mentioned, they'd all face problems in one shape or another. Richard Petty was rapidly closing in on Dad throughout the middle of the season

and had 12 top five finishes with two wins. He would be on a streak of fifth place finishes when he suffers a terrible crash at Pocono. Oh, God, the Petty just broke a front. He's hit the wall. flying up in the air right in front of Chuck Bound, who's sliding up into the wall. Waldruff is in it. He is just slammed into the side of Petty.

They're sliding off the turn. While leading the race, he has a right front failure on lap 56, which causes his car to shoot straight into the boilerplate wall. This is at one of the most dangerous turns on the course called the tunnel turns. That was where the bad crash happened last year on Dale Earnhardt's car. Now, three drivers have really smacked that wall and come together over in turn number two. And when the car goes sailing through the air, It lands right side up, and the king appeared to be motions inside the car. Something broke.

The car just dropped down, spark, showered underneath the right front side. He went right straight into the wall. The car hit, bounced up in the air, turned around. Petty's car, after hitting the wall, slid up and rode the top of the retaining wall for about 60, 75 feet, and looked as if it might go on its roof. He's taken to a local hospital where it's reported that he had a severely spraying neck. Much later, it's revealed that the king actually had broken his neck, and he kept the extent of his injuries under wraps so he could continue competing.

He would actually be seen back in competition the following week with a neck brace, receiving help from relief drivers like Joe Milliken. Probably about 50 or 60 yards I knew it was going to hit. So after I got about halfway there, I got my eyes shut real tight. and I don't know if it hit anything. If it hit anything, I didn't see it. You can bet on that. But the setback is going to allow Kell Yarborough to get ahead of him

in the point standings for the runner-up position behind that. Well, Richard Petty lost about 100 points up at Pocono last week after that early crash put him out of the race up there. And starting today's race, he's 144 points behind Dale Earnhardt. After coming up strong in the early part of the season and winning a couple of races, Bobby Allison is going to continue to struggle in Budmore's Ford and found the points race to be out of his reach. Allison was smoking when he came by the stark finish line and apparently he is shut it down and will coast the Hodgden Budmore T-bird around to the pit road. Allison is pitted on the backstretched. The right front tire on the Warner-Hodd Thunderbird is flat.

The sheet metal is severely crinkled. That tire is pushed back up under the fender well and it may be suspension damage as well. In fact, during his post-race winner's interview at the Firecracker 400 from Victory Lane, Bobby says, I'm not knocking Bud, but we are 180 degrees apart on the type of car we should be racing. There are only a few tracks the Ford is competitive on. Bud likes Ford, and I'd rather be racing a General Motors product. I feel strong enough to consider a change for next year. That's crazy. Says that in Victory Lane. On September 16th, Bobby Allison is going to announce

that he's going to leave Budmore and drive for Harry Reneer in 1981. Well, yes, Bobby is leaving us. I think he's going with the Rainer outfit. We hadn't got a replacement yet, but we are talking some people, and we'll know with them the next week what we're going to do. Now, we all know the Darrell-Waltrop and Dygard drama

and their engine failures kept them from being serious contenders in 1980, but that didn't stop them from winning their fair share of races this season. The Waltrip winning the CRC Chemicals 500. Darrow Waldrop wins the Richmond 400, and he's heading into victory lane. We won the sucker, and we had to come from behind to do it. I can't say enough for Jake and all the boys in the pits. So this really just leaves one guy, Kale Yarborough.

I always want to thank Lord for a good, safe race. Twice in the last three weeks, I've been in that same situation. so it's a turnabout fair play, I guess, Ned. Kale's coming off of three straight championships in 76, 77, and 78, and he's driving for one of the most dominant teams in NASCAR history, Junior Johnson. Junior Johnson, congratulations on a fine win here today. Thank you, Dad. We're just tickled a death.

But in September, Kale is going to shock the NASCAR world by announcing that he'll be stepping away from the Junior Johnson team. Cale Yarbrough, Junior Johnson, what can you say about their careers together? It's certainly sad in many respects to see the part after the success they've had. He said he no longer wants to chase a points schedule, and he wants to race on a part-time basis.

So he's leaving the team that he's been with for eight years. They won those three straight championships in over 50 races. He's going to join MC Anderson replacing Benny Parsons on a three-year deal. He said, Brewer, I've been doing this for a long time. That's Tim Brewer, who served as co-crew chief for Caliardboro in 1980. And he said, I come out the door with my seat casing, my hand, and one of my daughters said, Dad, when are you going to fix my bicycle?

Well, I'll fix it. I'll fix it. Dad, you've been telling me for a month you're going to fix my bicycle's got a flat tire on it. he just said, you know, it's time for me to go on and do something else. He said, you know, I've done this my whole life. He said, I've got to cut my schedule back. And that's one of the things work to work for MC Anderson. This is going to be some extra motivation for Kaelin Jr. To win one last time to put a cap on their successful run together.

We're leading friends, and that's the main thing. We're going to park, part friends, and go to remain friends for a long time, my home. And as all the other drivers, began to struggle due to their issues. Kale puts the heat on and begins winning races. And as we get to the final 10 races of the season, Dad and Kail are the main story. Dale Earnhardt knows the tale with our leader, Kail Yarbrough.

It's a real fight coming down the back straight. The story on the racetrack, time number 11. Dale Yawbrow, starting 21st to first. Yarbrough is trying to take an open shot at Dale Earnhardt. Yerborough, side-by-side with Earnhardt. Sticks a nose ahead and he grabs off the spot. Now, as you remember from our last episodes, Rod Osterlin had just promoted our pal, Doug Richard,

into the crew chief position. This decision came at the Firecracker 400 when the points lead was only 13. So kind of a high-pressure situation for young Doug to rise to the occasion. I mean, I had only been in racing for, what, three years? That was a lot. To take over a roll like that or whatever in a transatlose. transitioned as like, okay, I always wore a radio. I always did everything except for push the button.

Gentlemen, start your engines. Back at Daytona International Speedway is the Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Safety Car. Leads the start finish line. The yellow caution lights go out atop the safety car. But he does just that, and they bring home a third place finish at Daytona. That actually had a shot at winning once again on this Super Speedway and had a spirited battle with Bobby Allison on the, last lap. Your leaders work the back straight away midway through Allison now as Earnhardt looked

momentarily to the inside. Earnhardt went inside, then outside, back to the inside again. He's trying down low. He looks inside. He's side by side with Allison now in a turn. The time is now. Earnhardt puts the pedal to the metal. Allison goes all the way to the top of the track. They're side by side. Earnhardt will lead it out of four as they come into traffic. As they take the white flag, he and Bobby Allison draft on the outside, down the short shoot. Earnhardt may be caught on the bottom as they Hit turn one. The deck is shuffled. Allison goes upstairs.

David Pearson and Earnhardt, side by side. They have Ronnie Thomas there to make it three wide. Earnhardt is forced to lift momentarily as Ronnie Thomas pulls away. It's Allison leading. David Pearson by three car lanes and two back to Earnhardt. Bobby Allison will win it by two car lakes. Pearson will finish second. Earnhardt, third.

Dale Earnhardt's so close and yet so far. Up into the last lap, you were just in a striking position, then all of a sudden no win. Well, I more or less had a pretty clear shot down the back stretch on the next last lap. So I made my move in, and it didn't come out as smart as the one I made in the bush clash. But, you know, we finished third, and I'm tickled to death. The guys did good in the pits, and the engine ran good all day. And, you know, the crew just did a super job.

Well, you did a super job, too, Dale Earnhardt. This is Barney Hall up in the tower. I don't think you've seen any snakes in the palmetto bushes today. He was playing golf the other day and chased a snake out of a palmetto bush. Yeah. You got me on top of that snake, too, didn't you, buddy? At the next race on the schedule in Nashville, Rod's gamble on Doug is going to pay off.

Kale Yarbrough holding on to the lead, running in the second spot. Dale Earnhardt, Earnhardt, going to challenge to the low side. No, Yarbrough shuts him back. It is a challenge for the lead. Here comes Earnhardt. He's got it. Dale Earnhardt, shoot five. Kale Yarbrough going into turn three.

Dad will survive a spirited battle with Kale Yarbril to win his third race. of the season. We actually have this Nashville trophy right here in the studio. Doug brought it to us many, many months ago. It's pretty cool to be sitting right next to this trophy that they won that

night in 1980. The Nashville Fairgrounds was a historic racetrack that still competes today with regional and local racing. More becoming Earnhard up next, but first, here's my sister Kelly on some of the key lessons learned from

our dad. One of the lessons that kind of just stands out with dad, and I wrote about this in my book, was just kind of win-win situations. One of the things that I paid attention to a lot when I worked for sports image and action performance, and my dad was in a lot of meetings because he was the face of all of that with the sales and licensing, was just how, you know, it was important when you do a deal with somebody that everybody gained something. Business deals or relationships, relationships that are one-sided, really, you just don't get very far in life with them. And so kind of to have something that was sustainable and something that might produce fruit for a long time, he always just talked about how important it was for, you know, it to be a win-win.

That's one of the things that I kind of take along in my day-to-day now, like in business and running the companies that he taught me. There's all kinds of lessons just the way you grow up and, you know, do things that so much of what we were exposed to as kids, like sticks with you through the day, whether it's you say, I mean, we were taught, you know, yes, ma'am and no ma'am. So still today, I don't care if the person's 13 or 33 or 63. I'm like a yes, ma'am, no ma'am kind of person, you know, or a thank you and please or whatever those kinds of things are because that was very important as we were growing up in our house. A lot of people talk about how much I look like my dad or my mannerisms or being in business meetings and things, you know, how I handle things and carry things. I'm straight to the point.

was kind of a straight to the point, no BS kind of guy. So I think about a lot of those things often as you just have mannerisms of your family that kind of stick, you know. I think one of the things that I constantly hear from people that either worked for him or had relationships with him was that he just kind of made you feel valued and appreciated. You know, he did that in a lot of different ways. Like I hear stories about at Dellenhorn Incorporated,

how he knew everybody's name and he always was there when they opened to say hello to everybody and he knew what was going on in their lives and their kids and all of this kind of thing. So, you know, I would probably just say just a characteristic of maybe loyalty because he really, you know, cared about people and cared about who helped him get to where he was. So whether it was the fans, whether it was people early in his career that gave him opportunity, you know, to race or whatever it meant, kind of that he was a very much a person of loyalty and making people feel kind of valued and appreciated in what they were doing. We are all the time fighting a bass pro.

There's a few that we go in regularly. But I like to kind of go in. First thing I do is like when I go in is I kind of stop and get a lay of the land because they're all kind of laid out a little bit different, you know, and trying to figure out what in there are the things. that you want to go look at, just look at, and then what do you want to go do for shopping-wise? So I usually head to the home and the decor part. Then I head over to the ladies section and look at the clothes.

And then I kind of go, I like going to the camping section and seeing what's about because we have a camper. And, you know, I'm always interested in kind of the latest gadgets. And then kind of the food and snacks, and they got some of amazing candy options in there and all the kind of old-timey candy that you can find in there and the licorice and the caramel creams and all those kinds of things. And I like to check out the shoe section because you may not know it, but they have a lot of fashionable kind of shoes.

It's not all just for hunting or hiking or anything like that. They've got a lot of cool shoes. My husband heads straight to the hunting area. And why it generally likes to find, the first thing he likes to find is if they have one of those shooting ranges because a lot of the stores have the little. little shooting ranges that you can do and you can knock the things down and all that, and then fishing. It's kind of hard to figure out maybe what you do first because there's so

much that you want to do. I also admire Bass Pro's unwavering commitment to those who serve our country. Their legendary salute program is one of the many ways they show support, offering a 10% everyday discount to active duty military, veterans, and first responders. It's their way of saying thank you to the heroes who protect our freedom and way of life. To learn more and see full visit basspro.com backslash legendary salute. Yarbrough and Earnhardt's side by side at four. Has Earnhardt almost lost at between three and four? Earnhardt continues to set the pace.

Kale chases him, chews on his bumper, no way to get around. This is the point in the story where that feud word starts to come into the picture. You see, Dad and Kale were pretty aggressive on those final laps at Nashville. Kale would bump into Dad. dad would bump kale. They'd bump into each other several times over the last 25 laps. Kale trying to get around Dad finally goes to the outside but ends up grazing the wall. Dale Earnhardt and Kale Yarborough got together a little bit coming out of that number two

quarter. Kale says I had him. I was about to go around him. Later, Kale claims that dad actually ran him up into the wall, but dad said I didn't think he would try to pass me on the outside. I was the leader anyways and I had the racetrack. These two are going to continue to find each other on the racetrack naturally as they continue to battle for points and wins and the etiquette is going to be more aggressive in nature.

A couple of weeks later at Talladega for the Talladega 500, the two would actually make contact slapping doors on the last lap, allowing Neil Bonnet to pick up the victory. Two by two. It looks like a Noah's Ark procession as the rain is also headed this way, but it is Yarbrough with Earnhardt. Now working the backstretch, make it two and forget the deficit. Four cars tightly in a bunch they work the backstretch.

Earnhardt showed us something on that last maneuver. He might be saving something to the last lap. There may be a new winner, but who is it going to be? They haven't decided yet. Bondett now leads him into turn three. Earnhardt looks to the inside. Yarbrough follows him as lightning, flashes over the speedway. Imagine what's going through Dale Earnhardt's mind right now.

This is the same position he was in behind Buddy Baker in May. Can he go now? Does he wait one more lap? He's following Bonnet into turn four. The next to last time through the 33-degree banking, Neil Bonnet leads the way, dives down into the middle racing lane. Earnhardt tucked right under his rear deck. Earnhardt tightly in second.

Yarnborough right there and third. Many Parsons fourth. They swing out and Bonnet cuts to the inside. Earnhardt goes Yarbrough now along with Penny Parsons. They make it three, four wide on the back stretch. Three wide. It's coming into turn three. Bonnet, tried his serpentine move.

Earnhardt is down inside of. Earnhardt, Bonnett, side by side, Parsons in Yarbrough. Parsons low, Yavro high. Earnhardt down, though, Bonnet high. They come off to turn four under a blanket. They pull out all the stops as Bonnet moves out in front with Earnhardt, wedged out of traffic. Yarbrough gets by Earnhardt to dash to the checkered flag with Bonnet leading. Can they do it?

Neil Bonnet comes to the line. One car link the head. He will win. The Talladega 500. Yarlborough will finish second. Just about a half a car link the head of Earnhardt. Winston Cup racing. Unbelievable here at Talladega as Bonnet has won.

The points battle would get pretty close again when Dad loses another engine at Michigan in August. Scary moment for Dale Earnhardt as he went shuffling off into the number one corner. The engine apparently has let go. It's going to be a costly day for Dale Earnhardt. He's going to finish a dreary 35th place. And wouldn't you know it, Kale's going to pick up his third win of the season. Kale Yarborough notches his third win of the season by beating Neil Bonnet, Donnie Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty and Buddy Baker, the six cars on the lead lap.

For Michigan International Speedway, this is MRN, the Motor Racing Network. Shrinking the points lead, down to just 33. The two are going to carry their battle into the Coliseum the next week at Bristol, and man, they would fight it out for the win. And they've been hammering away on each other for the last couple laps. They seem to kind of said, hey, let's run nose to tail your minute and catch her breath. We can't do this all day. A little competitiveness, lean.

on the other guy just a bit. You know how far you can go and he's going to lean right back. It's really an exciting show to watch. Kale is going to come out on top for his fourth victory on the year. They're just inches apart as they cross the start, finish line and the winner will be again, Kale Jarborough. Dad actually pulled alongside Kale on the last lap. He had to back out of the gas due to a lapped car, Roger Hamby, being in Dad's racing line.

Dad would get a little bit of points relief at the same. Southern 500 when Kale has his own mechanical problems. Being able to build up Dad's point margin back to 98 points. And we have trouble on the racetrack. Over in turn two. It's Kail Yorba. Kail Yorba's car caught on fire coming off of turn two. He's jumped out of the car.

He pulled it to a stop. Just at the entrance to Pitt Road, we didn't see what caused it, but Kale jumped out of the car as it was still rolling. Now, Kale himself, gripped the water hose from the safety truck, He is showering down that automobile. Now a crewman takes it back, but Cail didn't want to let that car sit there. Just a side note here, Texas Terry Labani is going to pick up his first NASCAR victory in this race at the age of 23. He was two seconds behind Dad and none other than David Pearson, who were fighting for the win,

when the two hit some oil slick that had been laid down on the track by Frank Warren's blown motor. David, Dad, and even Benny Parsons all hit the oil and spun into the wall. Terry, he's able to slow down enough to work through the chaos, passing Pearson's wounded car in the final turn to pick up the wind. It's going to be a battle, and we've got one smoking going into turn one, Frank Warren's car. And getting in that old, though, Lauren Hart, missing him, spinning his many Parsons. Bonnett comes through, Parsons down on the apron. David Pearson got through.

Neil Bonnet got through. Up pinned on the wall is Dale Earnhard over at the exit of turn two. They're waving and they're happy and they're celebrating down in one of the crews and we're trying to pick out which crew it is.

44, Terry Lamani. He passed David Pearson. Second flag has come out and it waved in the word weekend and it's waived for Terry Lamani. Car number 44 out of Corpus Christi, Texas. The second Richmond

race of the year brings an interesting development in the points battle. And it shows just how much the margins could sway during this point in NASCAR history. Kale is again going to have mechanical problems and he's going to fall to third in the points battle, a total of 173 points behind. Man, he was just 33 points away from the lead a few races ago. Everybody thought Dale would start to fall out or something would happen and Dale wasn't there.

K.O. We come on. You're on the pole. You're running out front. You're looking real good. And all of a sudden problems start happening. What was the problem? Well, after the first hit stop, Bobby, we got the running hot. And I guess we had a head that cracked. And, you know, when you get a cracked head, the engine gets so hot. It starts pumping the water out under the fires. Then you don't handle it good.

And the car's running hot, too. So we tried to put some stop leaking in and stop it, but it just got worse. So we just parked. Who's going to move into second place in points passing kale? It's none other than Richard Petty. Richard has been nursing that broken neck, but getting relief help from drivers like Joe Milliken along the way, putting together consistent enough results to stay in this point's battle.

This will continue to stay interesting as the series returns to Dover, and Dad will suffer again more engine problems, allowing King Richard to close the points lead down to 60 points. Earnhardt, second. Earnhard, shows smoke in front of us on the back straightaway, takes the car low on the racetrack onto the apron, everybody else behind gets by going to the high side as Earnhard is off speed and smoking in turn three.

He is going to the garage, and it looks like he may call it a day, and this is going to be a break for both Richard Petty and for Cale Yarborough, Ned Jarrett. And Barney Hall of up to Dale Earnhardt, the current Western Cup point leader, who is out of the race and very dejecture. right now. Dale, was it an engine?

Yeah, I need it. You know, just one of those things happened, but I tell you it's getting bright and disgusted us. Dale, you made the statement before the race that you was going to run flat out regardless of what happened. Do you feel that as hard as you was running had anything to do with it?

I don't think so. At first race, my car was a little loose, and I couldn't run as hard as I wanted to, so we had just got the car dialed in pretty good. We was running a second behind and a narrow, and the car felt better and better. So, you know, it was just a situation that just blew up. I don't know. The style of racing in that day was different than Dale's style of racing.

And I say that is everybody had races where they just kind of rode along. They were biding time. They were saving their breaks. They were saving their time. Whatever it was. Dale wasn't. We had to earn this one. I'll guarantee you that Dale was all.

anybody wanted to handle. Dad is going to make a championship statement at Martinsville. Well, a good, good day, everyone, from Martinsville Speedway here in beautiful Martinsville, Virginia. Today, the 27th race on the $6 million Winston Cup tour will unfold here at Martinsville, the Old Dominion 500. It's the richest short-track race in the nation, and it's pulled the nation's finest stock car drivers to the Speedway today. The dogwood and azale your trees and the duck pond, the shrubbery that line the turns,

instead of just having a bare concrete wall and everything has a new coat of white paint every time we come here. It's a treat to come here every time. Back under Green at Martinsville, Earnhardt, comes up through the gears in a heartbeat, so to speak, and pulls away from the field by about three carlings. He gets away from Dave Marcus in a hurry this time.

Cale is going to use up a lot of racetrack, making work that high groove, and Dale can lose some ground. Yardboro heads to pit road as now Allison. Donnie moves to second spot. Something has happened to the Cale Yarborough car, and Ed Jarrett will update it. in just a moment. Dad's right side was completely creased from on-track encounters, tire marks, and dents.

It's awesome. You can hardly read the numbers or the sponsor's name on the side of Earnhardt's car, but bent, battered and broken. He can bring it home here today. 1,000 turns around this racetrack, and he's about to take the last one. He's won in Atlanta at Bristol and Nashville. Here's Earnhardt. Last time in the turn number three, Baker closing to 10 car lanes.

It's going to be Earnhardt. Flashes across the start, finish line, checkered flag, and Dale Earnhardt will win. the old-demandient 500. He admitted that he didn't have any brakes for the last several laps of the race, and at one point during the race, he had some contact with Dave Marcus. Well, the bumping and banging started down in turn number one. Earnhardt was on the inside, and he just rooted Marcus up and out of the low groove. Well, the banging continued all the way down the backstretch to where Earnhardt spun,

and now Earnhardt is up side by side with Marcus, and they are having quiet a discussion. Dad's point lead would again grow to one. And to this he says, I'm sure not going to stroke. Kale, Benny, and Petty, they don't stroke. I got here running hard and I'll continue to do that. Stroke was a word used back in those times to describe a driver who was racing for points or taking it easy, not running as hard as he could. So his aggressive driving is actually now starting to force other people out of their comfort zone. Now he's making these guys mad because now I've got to run this, I got to run this.

I got to run so hard to not let him get so far away. Well, Dale, congratulations. Thank you, Ed. At that last caution, Keel got back in lead, I wasn't sure we could win it, but then he had a flat or thought he had a flat or something on that restart and that really gives us a good break here, and here we are in Victor Circle. Got a little sheet metal and paint damage done here. Yeah, a little bit.

It got kind of rough down the backstress one time, went around and around a few times. Did you think it was all over then? Well, nobody hit me, so I thought it would be all right, you know. It was looking bad there one time. Roland Wallatica, congratulations here. Thank you. It was a real good job. He was really on it today all the way.

Well, he certainly was, and everybody else was, too. Yeah, we didn't even have any brakes there at the beginning of the race. 25 and 30 laps out. We had brake trouble. He made it most of the way pumping the brakes all the way. That's Roland Walatica, the team manager for this Austerlin racing effort. Dad would again follow a victory with another. victory, winning consecutive races for the second time in the same season.

What's better is he'd do it in front of the hometown crowd at Charlotte. It was all thanks to a superfast pit stop by Doug and the Australon team, beating Kale and Junior Johnson's team off pit road by almost four seconds. The first of the leaders scheduled pit stops have just been made, Ned Jarrett. It was Dale Earnhardt coming in in a very quick pit stop too. He changed right side tires, filled it up with gas, so he should be ready for the rest of the race. 14-second pit stop. Earnhardt was in such a hurry to go off the road.

He almost dragged two of his crew members with him. Here's Yarborough. The junior Johnson crew ready to go to work. They go to the right side, as did Dale Earnhardt, a little bit earlier, changed those tires, as Junior Johnson's tolls they would do, versus filling it up at the Union 76 gasoline. They're working feverishly on the car to get him down. They got the tire change.

They can't get the jack down. Now, Kale had it in reverse. Now he gets it in the right gear and heads off. After this, Dad was feeling very confident in Victory Lane and remarked to the points race. Pressure? There's no pressure on me. The pressure is on them. They're the ones who are behind in points.

I'm ahead. What's a sophomore jinx? Can anybody tell me what a sophomore jinx is? Pretty cocky. Well, the blue and yellow bike curb, Austin and Racing Chevrolet is taking the ride to Victory Lane. Well, Earnhardt has pulled in. They're unhooking the safety pair of Franelia, but right now, let's talk to two. 20-year-old Doug Rockert, who has done a beautiful job, Doug, congratulations.

He's the crew chief on this car. Hang it, man. Well, that big smile on your face, of course, the people on the radio can't see that to know just how happy you are. You fellas worked awfully hard for this. Yeah, we did. The car ran awful good. We had excellent pit stops all day, and the motor really run well,

and Dale drove one heck of a race, and just things couldn't have went better for us all day. Doug, the difference seemed to be that last pit stop. You beat them out bad. Well, that helped there. We beat him out. It was looking kind of grim there a little bit. They had the draft running behind us. It was running just a little bit quicker.

But we managed to stay ahead and win the race. Well, here's a young fellow that has certainly a bright future ahead of him. He's already at the top. Dale, very happy fellow. Congratulations, man. Man, I tell you, it just feels good to run the win here in front of the hometown crowd. I've dreamed and thought about it for a long time. And it's just great.

Dale, could you really feel it going in front of this, 70 or 80,000 people here today, knowing so many of them we're pulling for you. Well, yuck, I know I've got a lot of hometown fans here, and man, I tell you, it's just, I can't, you know, it's just great. Well, the story is far from over. Kale is going to strike back in terrific fashion. He's going to pick up another win at Rockingham, and Dad is going to have another disastrous race. They'll earn, Hart, into the bits and getting tires all the way around and some little extra work.

Down on that car as they sort of tape the hood down and re-tape a couple of the vendors on and try to keep it together for the rest of this race. He'll get involved in two crashes and break a tie rod, and he ends up coming home in 18th place. 424 laps completed, and they're still working on Dale Earnhardt's car in the pit area, and they want to get Dale back into this race if it all possible because of that tight Winston Cup point battle. Even with back-to-back wins late in the season, though, Dad's point lead has taken some wild swings. At its peak, Dad had a 119 point lead,

and now it's down to 44. One of the hardest races I've ran, have run all year. Gained a little bit on in today, and, you know, if we can just have another good two races, we're in pretty good shape. The table is set for a historic battle to the finish between Dad and Kale Yarbrough. Cale goes way downstairs while Earnhardt holds a steady line to the middle of the turn,

but it's going to be Earnhardt handling so well in this end of the speedway continuing to pull kale. That lead quartet with a jackrabbit start now playing a symphony of speed off turn four with Dale Earnhardt out front. Their tippers are flaring and the points battle is a tight one. I don't know what got into Earnhardt's stupid move on his part. You can't expect Earnhardt to sit tight in one. Well, right now this young driver from Canapolis, North Carolina is giving a lot. everybody a lesson. You don't give anybody a victory in Winston Cup Grand National Racing until they take the checker. There are two races left in the 1980 season, and Kale and Dad's

rivalry is about to reach its breaking point. But we asked Dale that he was still confident about winning that first title this year. We're still leading until we get behind, you know, it's when you start wearing, you know, and pressure's on the end. Dale Earnhardt and Kale Yarbrough, the two-point leaders going into this event, still very much in the thick of things. They are the right now. I think this season's a long way from being over with here. I ain't going to count ourselves out. Becoming Earnhardt is a Dirtymo Media original podcast series.

It is written and produced by me, Dellenhart Jr. With Bobby Marcos and Colby Bass. Sound design by Alex Tim's. Production assistants, Tiff Powers, Mike Davis, Michael Codwell, and Evan Vecchio. This project is in partnership with MRN, the Motor Racing Network, and the Appalachian State University Stock Car Collection.

Special thanks to SiriusXM, Silver Tribe Media, NASCAR Man, and Bob Ellis. For additional Dirtymo Media content, visit our YouTube page and follow us on all major social media platforms. Thank you to Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops for bringing us another episode of Becoming Earnhardt. They are such a great friend and supporter of everything we do, so remember to gear up for all your adventures at Bass Pro Shops, North America's premier outdoor and conservation company. Thank you.