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Dale's Biography
B I O G R A P H Y
There's no denying that a competitive fire still burns in Dale Earnhardt. No one wants to win more. No one is more intense on the track. That was never more evident in the 40th Annual Daytona 500, as Earnhardt won the race in his 20th try.
Gordon,There's also little question that Earnhardt still has all the tools to win another championship: the same Richard Childress equipment with which he has won six of his seven titles, a top-notch crew chief in Larry McReynolds, and of course the driving skill and experience of a seven-time champion.
But things didn't go the way 'The Intimidator' would have liked in 1997. For the first time since 1981, Earnhardt was unable to win a race, and his fifth-place points finish was his lowest since 1992. However, that just shows how strong the No. 3 team has been over the years. Their 'down year' would be a dream season for the vast majority of competitors on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.
Besides, things definitely seemed to be coming around for Earnhardt's team late in the year. They posted four top-5s and six top-10s in the last eight races, leading many to believe that a return to Victory Lane is just around the corner.
The chemistry between Earnhardt and McReynolds continues to improve, and the additional testing and resources that came with the addition of Rookie of the Year Mike Skinner to the Childress team should help again in 1998.
Gordon is known as the youngest NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion in the modern era, having achieved that distinction at age 24. He was the youngest title holder since Bill Rexford won the title at age 23 in 1950.
Earnhardt's seven NASCAR Winston Cup Series titles offer all the proof needed to those who question his place in history. His aggressive style has helped define a generation of drivers, those who run hard on Sunday then shake hands and exchange congratulations when all is said and done.
Earnhardt was the first driver in the history of the sport to win the rookie of the year award and the series title at the NASCAR Winston Cup level.
He was the first three-time winner of the Winston Select (1987, '90 and '93) and he has won two IROC championships (1990 and '95).
Earnhardt credits Rod Osterlund with giving him his biggest break, in 1978. He won the championship for Osterlund, his first, in 1980 before moving on to drive for Richard Childress, for whom he has won six titles.
This year, Earnhardt himself will try to give a break to another young driver. Steve Park, the 1997 NASCAR Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year, has stepped into the No. 1 Pennzoil Chevrolet out of Earnhardt's new shop. It will be the Intimidator's first foray into owning on the NASCAR Winston Cup level.
Earnhardt owns a farm in Mooresville, N.C., where he has horses, dogs, cats, bulls and chickens. He owns a 76-foot Hatteras boat, bass boat, a Lear Jet 31A with two full-time pilots, and KingAir 200.
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