Any fan of NASCAR knows that Dale Earnhardt Sr. would have done whatever was needed to finish a Cup Series race. One of the most memorable moments that put this formidable character of his in the spotlight played out during the 1990 Mello Yello 500 in Charlotte.
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He overcame a big blunder by his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing pit crew to finish the race and eventually win his fourth championship. Earnhardt was already a legend of the sport when the 1990 season began. But his hunger for trophies was nowhere near being satisfied.
Having lost the 1989 title to Rusty Wallace by a mere 12 points, he strong-armed 1990 with incredible wins and results. Mark Martin did the same driving the No. 6 Roush Racing Ford. When it all came down to the final four races, only 16 points separated the two.
They had pulled away from the likes of Geoff Bodine and Bill Elliott and had a championship to fight over between them. This was when the Charlotte race landed.
Both drivers had issues in the race but Earnhardt’s were more severe. 101 laps into the race, he was forced to the pit road for repair after Alan Kulwicki shoved Ernie Irvan’s car into his right rear.
The No. 3 crew made quick repairs and sent him on his way but he hit the wall off Turn 4 in Lap 115. He came to the pit again and was sent back out following repairs.
But this time, his crew had made a terrible mistake. As he exited the pit, his left wheel flew off from the car having not been secured properly. The icon was left stranded in the middle of the track with absolutely nothing to do.
October 7, 1990: At Charlotte, a miscommunication sent Dale Earnhardt on track with left side wheels loose. The wheels came off, leaving him stranded on track. Instead of towing the car back to the garage, Earnhardt’s crew ran on track and changed the tires on the apron. pic.twitter.com/V5nOMbp2e0
— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) October 7, 2024
Instead of waiting for the tow truck to get him back to the pit, all five members of his crew grabbed their equipment and ran to the car. The effort resulted in the driver being able to continue his race and finish in 25th place.
Martin completed the race in tenth place and leaped ahead of Earnhardt in the standings with a 49-point advantage. Had the Intimidator not finished the race, Martin would’ve won the title.
However, the three races that followed saw Earnhardt perform better than his counterpart and ultimately clinch the championship. A mere 27 points separated the two at the end of the schedule, and it was the closest that Martin ever came to winning a Cup Series title.
This is quite the story to remember ahead of the 2024 Cup Series race in the Charlotte Roval. Active drivers can only dream of matching Earnhardt’s Charlotte expertise, which rewarded him with eight wins on the track.
