The rivalry between Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jeff Gordon in the 1990s was a matter of two extremes. On one end, the drivers competed against each other with maximum intensity. On the other end, they carried great respect and care for each other. A great display of their relationship came during the 1995 Cup Series season.
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The Cup Series field had been out on the Michigan International Speedway for a qualifying session when dark clouds began appearing overhead. Gordon was on a lap around the track in his No. 24 Chevrolet when the press approached Earnhardt with some questions on pit road. The Intimidator made some comments that remain memorable to this day.
He said, “It’s starting to rain on Turn 1, though. Let’s see what happens here. Gordon is going out and testing the range.” When asked what advice he’d give to the Hendrick Motorsports driver about the rain, Earnhardt simply replied, “Stay on pit road.” He reasoned that the track was a bit wet and that it wasn’t a good surface to qualify on since the car would become loose.
“See the raindrops hitting the top there?” he added. “That shows us that the track is going to be a little bit loose. See it raining over there? It’s not a good time to qualify.” He went on to express that Gordon wouldn’t follow his advice since, in Earnhardt’s words, “He ain’t too smart.” It is easy to guess how things ended up seconds later.
Gordon lost control of his vehicle and smacked into the wall with great force. Earnhardt, who’d been teasing and smirking about the young driver thus far, immediately turned concerned for his well-being. Fortunately, Gordon was able to get out of his car and walk to the pace car.
“He ain’t too smart.”
Dale Earnhardt jokes around about @JeffGordonWeb’s qualifying run at @MISpeedway in 1995, which resulted in Gordon’s No. 24 car hitting the wall. pic.twitter.com/df9LoQCnNl
— NASCAR Classics (@NASCARClassics) July 1, 2025
Gordon’s iconic toast to Dale Earnhardt Sr.
The first of Gordon’s four Cup Series championships came in 1995. Interestingly, he was barely 24 years old at the time, and this fetched him a fair share of bullying. The older drivers in the garage, including Earnhardt, used to joke that he wasn’t old enough to have an alcoholic drink. After winning the championship, Gordon made sure to build on the fun.
Gordon offered a toast to Earnhardt with a glass of milk for his relentless efforts to secure an eighth Cup Series championship. He said, “Sorry, man. You have been having so much fun with me all year, and I have been straight-faced and all tight. I had to loosen up a little bit.” The payback was well-received by Earnhardt and the room, with rounds of laughter.
