The 1979 Southeastern 500 race at Bristol is perhaps one of the favorites for NASCAR enthusiasts. It was the first-ever Cup Series win for NASCAR’s favorite Dale Earnhardt Sr. He then paved the way and became an inspiration for loads of aspiring drivers, his son being one of them. Though he won on April Fool’s Day, his win was no joke. NASCAR saw The Intimidator transform raw skill into success for the first time that day. 

His son Dale Earnhardt Jr has striven to carry forward his father’s legacy, not just on the track, but off it as well by sharing anecdotes about Dale Sr’s life. This includes recalling the finer details about the factors that actually led his father to bag his first win ever. Recently, Dale Jr revealed the special secret that led his father to win the memorable race at Bristol.

Dale Earnhardt Jr reveals an unexpected factor in his father’s Bristol win

In a recent video clip posted by Dirty Mo Media on Instagram, Dale Earnhardt Jr gives an honest account of what facilitated the very first win of his father. And, it seems like the secret ingredient to his victory had been hiding in plain sight all along. The audience saw it, but probably couldn’t figure that that would be the reason for his win.

“It’s a big big deal to get that first win. It’s a really huge deal to finally get that out of the way. It’s awesome. But it’s also this sort of a necessity that has to happen for you in your mind to continue down this sort of path. Your vision of where you want to go as a driver. You know, you make a lot of mistakes and you frustrate veterans around you. And finally, it all comes together,” began Dale Jr. Indeed, bagging the first win is bound to solidify any rookie’s position in the Cup Series aisle. It is the key to being noticed. But what exactly clicked in time to make this happen?

“The right people wreck out of the race and open up this sort of pathway for you. In Dad’s case at Bristol, Cale, and Baker wrecked. You know, a bunch of people sidelined themselves which happens in every race right? And that paves the path for whoever is going to win it. And so all these little things happen and Dad moves on to victory lane and I think as a driver, you kind of lose that urgency and that panic sort of posture that you go with every day and you move with every day. You can kind of walk with a little confidence,” Junior concluded. The wrecks may seem like an unwanted nuisance, but it plays a huge role in deciding who gets to win. The timing gets altered with each wreck, which is what helps clear the path for the cars that have the greatest chance of winning. 

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Dale Sr became the next Richard Petty

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Dale Sr was perhaps the only NASCAR driver who got the kind of dedicated hero worship that Richard Petty did, and it was purely fueled by the fact that his career skyrocketed from 1979 onwards. He won the Cup Rookie of the Year award that season and the Championship title in the year that followed. 

Richard Petty won his last Championship title in 1979 itself and retired, while the legacy seemed to be continued by Dale Sr. While Dale Jr correctly pointed out that the timely wrecks played a huge role in helping his father win at Bristol, Dale Sr’s sheer raw talent and thirst for success cannot be overlooked. 

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