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The following is a production of Dirty Moe Media.
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This episode of Becoming Earnhardt is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops,
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North America's premier outdoor and conservation company.
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Playing your next adventure at a Bass Pro Shops near you or online at BassPro.com.
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Later in the episode, my sister Kelly shares her unique perspective on life with Dad away from
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the racetrack. Now buckle up, here's a brand new episode of Becoming Earnhardt presented by Bass Pro Shops.
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It's hard to imagine Dad as an up and comer. I think most of us remember him as the larger
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than life figure that he would become, the kind of guy who could change the feel of a room when
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he walked into it. But at this point in our story, he's just a 30-year-old stock car
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nipping at the heels of giants. Trying to make a name for himself in the big leagues
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before he finds himself back in Carolina racing the short tracks.
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On this episode of Becoming Earnhardt, Dad looks to start the 1980 season off with a bang,
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proving he belongs in the NASCAR cup garage for years to come.
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All right, it's time to start the 1980 season. Remember back then in 1980,
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the season didn't start in Daytona like it does now. The teams are going to drive all the way out
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to California to start the season at the famous Riverside International Raceway in January.
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Now in the first episode, I mentioned there was an interesting tie between the Reagan campaign
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and Dad and here is where all that comes into play. Mike Kerb, who to date is a very well-known
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car owner in motorsports and record label executive, was at the time serving as the
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lieutenant governor of California and in 1980 he also served as the co-chairman on Ronald Reagan's
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presidential campaign. He was invited to serve as Grand Marshal at the Riverside event by Les
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Richter. It's Les Richter, the president of Riverside International Raceway, unless you have to be
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enjoying this one today. Either would represent our sport in a super way. In January of 1980,
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Les Richter had been one of the co-chairmen of my campaign where I was elected the lieutenant
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governor. Here's Mike Kerb explaining how it all went down. Bill Fran said, I want to talk to you.
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We want you to get involved with the car. I said, who do you want? He said, Dale Earnhardt. Dale
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wants to run the whole season and Australin is only committing a partial season at this point. Maybe
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he'll run the full and we're wanting you to come in as essentially as a sponsor. So starting the
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season at Riverside, Dad's car would carry Mike Kerb Productions as a sponsor and it'd be on the
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car for most of the year. Dale Earnhardt, he's in the Mike Kerb Hodgdon Oldsmobile today.
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The race began on January 13th, but it was stopped on lap 26 because of rain and wildly
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postponed a whole week later on January 19th. Gotta wonder what did the teams do during that week?
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I mean, obviously they probably all went back home. I wonder what they did with all their
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equipment. I guess maybe it stayed at the track. Well, rain has washed away the concluding laps
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of the Winston Western 500 here at Riverside International Raceway. An interesting tidbit
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of history here is that Australin Racing is going to fill the car for the legendary Dan Gurney.
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Dan's been retired for 10 years. There's a really cool picture of Dad and Dan chatting during the
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weekend. I'd love to know what they talked about. I think Dad had a lot of respect for Dan and his
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history and success and he was actually going to race all the way up to second place in that
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Australin car, which was numbered 48 for this race, but he would retire with transmission problems on
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lap 79. Mechanical problems for Dan Gurney. That'll end his day. Now, Dad and Darryl Waldtrip are
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going to end up being the story here for this race. Strongest car in the field right now appears
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to be the Gatorade car of Waldtrip. He is pulled away from Earnhardt, the second place machine by
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about 15 car lanes. First, Darryl Waldtrip had a flat tire. And he took a backdoor shortcut
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to get back to Pit Road. And this would result in a 30 second penalty from NASCAR.
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Now, he'd eventually make up the lost time during a caution and resume the lead.
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Meanwhile, Dad's going to charge from fifth and begin challenging Darryl as the laps wind down.
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Earnhardt has really just suddenly run right up through the packs and run up to try to catch
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Darryl Waldtrip. He ends up losing time when he goes off course into the dirt and has to
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settle for a runner up finish. But considering this is only the third time on a road course,
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this is a pretty impressive performance. And we aren't the only ones who noticed this improvement.
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So did his boss, Rod Oswald. Why was Dale successful? Because he could run at every
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track there was, right? And he had a natural talent for it. That's the voice of Doug Richard,
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who in this race is just a tire changer and a mechanic on Dad's car. I really think he adapted
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more than most people. I don't think he saw it as a challenge. He just
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saw it as this is what I've got to do. You know, that's the only thing I can really explain it.
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So with the team's full time sponsorship locked up through Mike Kerb and a strong start to the
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1980 season, Rod Osterland signs Dad to a five year extension on his contract with a three year
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option. This will extend him through the 1986 season.
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At this time in NASCAR, long term contracts weren't really all that common.
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Darrell Waldtrip with DieGuard was about the only other one in the garage. Driver deals had always
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been done on handshakes. Again, Deb Williams. If anybody has seen the movie Stroker Ace,
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Bert Reynolds has this huge contract that he's going through from, I think it was Clyde Torcal.
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That's a spoof on the Darrell Waldtrip DieGuard contract. Dad was quoted as saying,
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we're building a team and I think we'll reach 100% this year. When five years are up,
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we'll probably sign another five year contract.
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Another explosive rumor floated by the Greensboro Daily News in January of that year
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was that Junior Johnson and Bush Beer may have interest in Dad taking over Kale Yarborough's
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ride for the 1980 season.
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Earnhardt, who has really become an overnight sensation, so to speak, the fans have adopted
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him as the newest hero to come along in Winston Cup racing. Kale Yarborough.
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Yeah, that was the most coveted ride at that particular time. You had the 11, you had the 43,
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the 21. Everybody respected Bud Moore too. That Bud Moore was a coveted ride as well.
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Here's a quote from that article.
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Perhaps the best compliment Earnhardt received was after the season,
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when feelers were extended, inquiring if he might be available to replace Kale Yarborough
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in the Junior Johnson car this year. Earnhardt wouldn't confirm the rumors
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that sprouted in early December that Johnson's sponsor, Bush, wanted him in the car.
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So the teams have returned from the season opener at Riverside and Dad has a brand new
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five-year contract, a full season sponsorship, and a runner-up finish to his name.
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Now it's time to head to Daytona for Speed Weeks, starting off with the second running
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of the Bush class. From Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, this is MRN,
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the Motor Racing Network, with coverage of Daytona 500, full position quantifying,
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and the Bush class of 1980. Remember at this time, the class was limited to poll winners of
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the previous year. Dad had picked up four polls in 1979, and he's going to start fifth in the race,
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trailing some heavy hitters like Bobby Allison, and the Hodgden Moore Mercury, and Buddy Baker,
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Charlotte, North Carolina has the outside front row, and that NAPU, Daryl Waldrop,
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and Neil Bonnet, the die guard Gatorade Oldsmobile in the Purelater Mercury. That makes up the
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feel for the Bush class of 1980. Well, we're getting down to it, the Bush class with 12 of the
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best Winston Cup stock car drivers in the world, over a million dollars worth of equipment moving
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down the back straight. In just a moment, that safety car will dive on the pit road, and we will
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be underway with probably the fastest race that has ever been run here at the Daytona International
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Speedway. On the front row, Bobby Allison and Buddy Baker, Daryl Waldrop and Neil Bonnet back in
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row two, and here they come. And they drop the green flag. Bobby Allison gets the jump,
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as there was a little mix up on the start. Some of the drivers get caught back in the pack,
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and Allison sets sail down in turn number one. Daryl Waldrop going fourth, fifth is Dale Earnhardt,
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sixth Kale Yarbrough, Harry Gantt is seventh, going eighth as Joe Milligan running partial.
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Single file, they come out of that fourth corner, and they are screaming as they come down to the
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start. Let's keep a eye on Dale Earnhardt. They have a real tight draft with Waldrop Earnhardt and
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Bonnet. Three cars have established a little bit of breathing room. They are Waldrop Earnhardt and
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Bobby Allison. They have three car legs on fourth place Kale Yarbrough. The white flag is waving
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their intern, one on the final lap. Earnhardt trying to draw in for the lead as they head to three.
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They have turned a wick up, and here comes Earnhardt. He is flying. He has gone past
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Waldrop on the outside. While they shuffle those positions around back there for second spot,
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here comes the rookie driver. During the last lap of a turn two and down the back stretch,
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Dad would lead a freight train in the outside line around Dale Waldrop to pick up the win.
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They all could do anything with a car, but he would do things sometimes that would absolutely
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make you tick you off. What the hell are you thinking? What the hell are you thinking?
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That little grin that he always had, he said, well, you know, I was in my way.
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Earnhardt will win the Bush Clash. Earnhardt has won the Bush Clash of 1980, collecting some $50,000.
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Let's go back down to Victory Lane and Ned Jurrant.
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They're still unhooking the safety paraphernalia on this beautiful yellow, blue,
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host mobile that Dale Earnhardt. He is so happy, Mike Joy, that he just beside himself. He can't
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even get his safety equipment unhooked. Dad said in Victory Lane, they say I'm inexperienced,
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but I got some experience racing these guys last year. They would not only talk to me,
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but I'd learn from them while we were on the track. Well, they'll Earnhardt, congratulations on a
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super run there and what a run it was. Can't believe it, Ned. Something else. This team really
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worked hard to come down here. Man, I just can't believe it. Well, we asked you yesterday if you
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had the experience to pull it off here today and you seem to have a lot of confidence. I remember
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what happened to Kelly and Donnie last year in the 500. When Darryl started to shut me off on the
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inside, I just went to the outside and it paid off. This would be Dad's first of six Bush Clash wins
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in his career. Now, next up would be the two twin qualifying races that are going to set the starting
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lineup for that year's Daytona 500. Dad is going to be in the first twin race and he started third
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and was running pretty well before blowing an engine on lap seven.
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Dale Earnhardt down the back straightaway just exploding an engine as he works his way off the
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corner. Number two, your leaders are now in turn four. Now smoke trailing from Earnhardt's machine,
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what a tough break for him as he heads down the back stretch here. The rookie driver from last
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year of the 1979 rookie of the year Earnhardt takes his car back to the garage area of the
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Australian Oldsmobile. He's going to finish 31st and that engine failure in the twin 125s will have
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him starting deep in the Daytona 500 in 32nd spot. Don't go anywhere. There's more becoming Earnhardt
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presented by Bass Pro Shops coming up. But first, check out what my sister Kelly has to share about
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our dad's love for the great outdoors. My dad picked up his love at the outdoors, I think,
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from my pep all Ralph. I think just because my dad hunted so often that it, you know, was something
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that I wanted to try and do. I mean, literally any opportunity that my dad got away from the racetrack
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in seasons of hunting, he was hunting. So he would be gone weeks at a time, you know, he would go
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hunting there in the week, hit the racetrack, wasn't anything for him to hunt the next week,
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you know, and hit the racetrack. But that's the thing about hunting is like the seasons are short.
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So you got to get it in there. And my dad did a lot of trips, you know, to New Mexico and Texas and
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fair amount of far off places. It just was always something that we knew was available and he had
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such a love for it that I think it made me want to want to do it too, you know, and make me find
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out more about it and find out why he loved it so much. A lot of the times that dad and I spent
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outdoors would be kind of on the farm when I was a little bit older, kind of in my teens and 20s.
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We really looked for any opportunity that we could spend time with our dad and because he
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enjoyed being out on the farm so much, we would do anything to kind of get on the farm with him.
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So a lot of that was like belling hay in the spring and in the fall or, you know, doing something at
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the barn when they were moving animals or cows or something like that or riding the property,
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checking property lines, checking fence lines, things like that. So, you know, that was special
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time in the truck, just the two of us on many occasions where, you know, you're just checking
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on the farm and doing different things out in the farm like that. You can be camping, you can be
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hiking, but if those places don't exist, then we have nowhere to do that. So, you know, I think
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if you're an outdoorsman, you're a conservationist. I know my dad bought up lots of land here in
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Airdale County and, you know, wasn't a fan of developing land and things like that. He wanted
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to keep and create places, you know, so that you could have wildlife and all of those kinds of things
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that you do outdoors. So he was very, very big into that and did a lot of different things with
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people in that arena like Johnny from Bass Pro and Richard Childress and people like that.
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The Earnhardt family has always relied on Bass Pro shops for our outdoor adventures and that
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tradition continues with me today. I grew up shopping there and now it's a place I love
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sharing with my own family. Gearing up together for everything from weekend getaways to fishing in
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the pond. I'm also incredibly grateful for the support Johnny Morris and the entire Bass Pro team
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have shown across our business ventures, from the race team to Dirty Mo Media. They believe in
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what we're building and they've stood behind us every step of the way. They're not just great
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partners, they're great people. I also admire Bass Pro's unwavering commitment to those who serve
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our country. Their Legendary Salute program is one of the many ways they show support, offering a
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10% everyday discount to active duty military, veterans and first responders. It's their way
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of saying thank you to the heroes who protect our freedom and way of life. To learn more and see
18:18
full details visit BassPro.com backslash legendary salute.
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Well good afternoon everyone. The most prestigious race in the world of motorsports. The Daytona
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500 has 42 of the most talented drivers around ready to roll here in just a few minutes.
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There's no driver in the world of motor racing who doesn't dream of winning this one,
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but only a handful have chased that dream. Took David Pearson almost 20 years to win the 500 in
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his long career and Bobby Allison chased his first 500 win for almost 20 years before he did it.
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30 second starter, a driver who blew his engine while running the Thursday Qualifying
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race. That's why he's so far back in the field. Dale Earnhardt. Some guys out there just rookies,
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but it won't be too bad coming from back there. If I can just get up there for you know a couple
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of them get away from the pack or so what. And the Daytona 500 dad wasted no time charging to
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the front and he appeared to be the only car that had anything for Buddy Baker who's driving that
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famous gray ghost. That was just one thing you knew that you were going to have to outrun him.
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And Carter drops that green flag and the field is away at the 22nd annual day tone of 500.
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195 miles per hour Baker stands on the hammer as they come off turn four into the tower.
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Most we have smoke on Dale Walters car. Walters has definitely got severe problems.
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190 miles an hour. Keep an eye on Dale Earnhardt. Buddy Baker now has command of the Daytona 500.
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He's definitely doing everything he can to keep Dale Earnhardt at bay. Buddy Baker has
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run away from everyone but Dale Earnhardt. Jake are you giving him any instructions now
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in the closing stages? No, not right now. We won't make those moved into about the last pit stop.
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Bad luck's going to strike on the last pit stop of the race. The Australian team leaves a lug
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nut off a wheel. NASCAR forces them to bring dad back to pit road to correct it. This is going
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to be a dramatic stop. Baker is already away after six seconds. Dale Earnhardt ran about 25
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seconds on pit road. The crew, Austerland crew swarms over Earnhardt's car. This time they're
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jacking up the left side. They continue to fill the car up.
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This costly miss lug nut will be the first of many reminders of the Austerland team's youth
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and inexperience. You know in 1980 there were only two crew members on the Austerland team
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who were over the age of 32. You know they had a lot of people on that team that you'd never
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heard of before other than suitcase Jake. You know with that young team it was like a hit or
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miss thing. While they had the experience of Jake Elder at Crew Chief to work with, many of these
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crew members were still learning to perform under the pressure of the Cup Series. They might make
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it this time. They might not make it the next time. They might mess up on a pit stop. They might not
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and there just wasn't the consistency there because of their youth. Had that last pit stop
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not gone wrong it might have been interesting to see if dad had anything for the Grey Ghost
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and Buddy Baker that day. I think the answer to that scenario might come later in the season
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in Talladega. Here comes Earnhardt down to the bottom of the race track.
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Now back to the race. May well be problems in Buddy Baker's pit. Now they're worrying about
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whether they gave him enough gas or not. When it comes down we needed one can of gas. I knew
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Buddy had zero patience. Here is the great Waddell Wilson who was Buddy Baker's crew chief
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and the man behind what I believe was the greatest race car ever built. The Grey Ghost.
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He's been told me he said I've been trying to win this race for 19 years and I have one a year.
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Well after last year's wall banging finish today we've got a real cliffhanging finish.
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Buddy Baker is in the lead but does he have enough fuel to go the distance?
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I put my arm in the windshield and got a hold of the top of his uniform like I'm going to hold him
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and hopefully he'll listen and not go. We've got a real battle going on also for that number four
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and five position between Dale Earnhardt and Terry Labotti. The pit road miscue is going to trap dad
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a lap down and he's going to have to settle for a fourth place finish. Buddy Baker would cruise
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home to victory in one of the most dominating performances in Daytona 500 history.
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Ideas going through his mind every little sound in the car sounds like a giant, giant problem
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because he sees the... We hear the trainer coming. He's coming around the bend. Here comes Waddell
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Wilson. He's passing us again. Caution is on the speedway with two laps to go. Ladies and gentlemen
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Buddy Baker has to be choked with emotion after 20 years of trying to capture the Daytona 500
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checkered flag for Buddy Baker as he comes across the... This win is going to be the crown jewel
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of Buddy Baker's career. It was his 18th attempt at the Great American Race and he had lost a few
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due to misfortune over the years. Take for example the previous year in 1979 when the Great Ghost
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made its debut. They dominated speed weeks outclassing every car in the field.
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We just noticed something on Buddy Baker's car. His windshield is completely covered in mud.
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The car is sounding very sour and apparently it is a lost cylinder in that car.
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Buddy's going to pull the Great Ghost onto Pit Road on lap 38 with engine failure.
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There are two crews just jumping up and down on Pit Road. One is of course the Waddell Wilson
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crew for Buddy Baker and they are holding aloft the other gas can. The one they did not get a chance
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to put in the car. Marty, I don't know how he could see out the windshield. There's about 30 people
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all climbed up on top of Harry Grenier's Oldsmobile.
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The chance to win the 500 so early in Dad's career had him feeling pretty discouraged after the race.
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And while this ended Buddy's streak of misfortunes, it's going to begin Dad's
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many years of hardship in the Daytona 500.
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The length of time that it took each one of them to win, the frustrations, the expectations,
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it was one where they'd almost get it in their grasp and then suddenly it would fall out.
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It seems like the more they tried the further the quest became.
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How can you go down and be so successful in the clash in the 125s and if you ran the
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Bush series race on Saturday and then things fall apart on Sunday in the Daytona 500.
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Dad said after the race, everybody said Buddy was too fast but I wanted a chance to try him.
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He was fast but so was I.
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So Dad is starting the year off with a lot of speed but inexperience is keeping him from victory
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lane. This is a storyline we are going to revisit several times throughout the season.
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The Australian team's inexperience, the pressure of a new contract extension and mounting media
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attention. They went around with the right front but they never did put it on. The Doug
26:12
Wright crew down there, you screw up, drop the jack wrong, do something wrong on a wheel,
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whatever and it's all over. And you can bet if he has the horses, he'll go after the lead in a moment.
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The road back to victory lane is going to be anything but easy.
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Here comes Earnhardt down to the bottom of the race practice. They come across the line, he's there.
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Becoming Earnhardt is a Dirty Mo Media original podcast series. It is written and produced by
26:52
me, Dylan Hart Jr., with Bobby Marcos and Colby Bass. Sound design by Alex Timbs, production
26:58
assistants, Tim Powers, Mike Davis, Micah Codwell and Evan Vecchia. This project is in partnership
27:04
with MRN, the Motor Racing Network and the Appalachian State University stock car collection.
27:10
Special thanks to SiriusXM, Silver Tribe Media, NASCARman and Bob Ellis. For additional Dirty
27:17
Mo Media content, visit our YouTube page and follow us on all major social media platforms.
27:27
Thank you to Johnny Morris and Bass Pro Shops for bringing us another episode of Becoming Earnhardt.
27:33
They are such a great friend and supporter of everything we do, so remember to gear up for
27:38
all your adventures at Bass Pro Shops, North America's premier outdoor and conservation company.
