Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 9, 1994 TAG: 9410110030
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER
DATELINE: CONCORD, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
And as Dale Earnhardt cruises to his record-tying seventh Winston Cup points championship, we thought that instead of dishing up the usual ``we got a good team'' quotes from Earnhardt and ``I'm doing everything I can do'' comments from distant challenger Rusty Wallace, we would review some of the moves that have made Earnhardt the greatest driver of his era.
``I see so many incredible things he does on the track, it's hard to single one out,'' said car owner Richard Childress.
That's OK, Richard. We've done it for you.
May 17, 1987: The famous ``pass in the grass'' during the 1987 Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway actually wasn't a pass, but it remains today as the single most-celebrated Earnhardt move on the track.
It came during Earnhardt's most tumultuous years, when he was better known for wrecking his competitors than beating them.
During the final 10-lap sprint, Earnhardt became involved in a furious battle with Bill Elliott. The two drivers swapped sheet metal coming off turn 4 with seven laps to go.
All four tires of Earnhardt's Chevy got onto the grass in the tri-oval as the drivers battled side-by-side down the frontstretch. But when Earnhardt came back on the track, he still was under control - and still was in the lead. He went on to win the race.
Feb.14, 1992: Coming off turn 4 on the last lap of the International Race of Champions at Daytona International Speedway, Earnhardt seemingly was trapped behind Ricky Rudd and Harry Gant. But in the last few hundred yards of the race, he whipped his baby blue Dodge to the inside, made it three-wide with Gant and Rudd, and beat them by less than half a car-length at the finish line.
``I rate that one up there with the best of them, as far as winning races,'' Earnhardt said.
The amazing thing was that there wasn't any room for Earnhardt to pass on the low side. But he saw a little hole down next to Gant and took it, darting all the way from the outside to the inside of the track.
``It was definitely not a plan,'' Earnhardt said. ``It just worked out that way.''
May 30, 1993: Two penalties in the second half of the Coca-Cola 600 could not keep Earnhardt out of victory lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
A 15-second pit-road speeding penalty, followed by a potentially devastating one-lap penalty for rough driving simply made Earnhardt more determined. And with the help of a late-race yellow flag, he stormed through the field to steal a victory even he couldn't believe.
As he clawed his way back to the front, Earnhardt's most impressive move came on the final restart, with 45 laps to go, when he passed four cars on the outside of turns 3 and 4 to move from eighth to fourth.
``You can't keep a good man down,'' he said.
Nov.8, 1987: Although he blew an engine and finished 30th in the Winston Western 500 road race at Riverside, Earnhardt made a pass that ESPN announcer Larry Nuber called the ``move of the year.''
Earnhardt was trailing Geoff Bodine, who led much of the race, when Bodine came upon a slower car entering a left-hand arching turn in the esses. Bodine had to back off as he passed on the outside.
There was no clear track in front of him, so Earnhardt went left, ran completely off the track and through the dirt, bounced through a small depression and came back on the track ahead of both cars.
March 18, 1990: On a restart with two laps to go in the Motorcraft 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Earnhardt was trailing leader Morgan Shepherd.
When the green flag fell, Shepherd went into turn 1 side-by-side with the lapped car of Alan Kulwicki. When Kulwicki carried Shepherd high into the turn, Earnhardt went low. In one fell swoop he passed them both.
``I saw a hole open on the inside,'' Earnhardt said. ``I think I went lower than I usually do, but there was plenty of room.''
He won the race.
Feb.10, 1991: In the 20-lap Busch Clash, Earnhardt started sixth for the first 10-lap sprint. He took the lead on the second lap and won going away.
The field was inverted for the final 10-lap segment, so Earnhardt started 14th. He passed four cars on the first lap. On the second lap, he moved to the bottom groove, passed the rest of the field and regained the lead going into turn 3.
Earnhardt said he thought ``it would take King Kong to come from 14th in 10 laps and I didn't believe we could do it in two.''
Here are just a few more great moves by Earnhardt:
July 29, 1984: Passes Terry Labonte on last lap to win a 10-car battle for the Talladega 500.
Feb.24, 1985: Makes a daring, fishtailing outside pass of Tim Richmond to win the Miller 400 at Richmond.
Sept.22, 1985: Wins a fender-banging duel with Richmond at Martinsville.
Oct.5, 1986: Makes up a two-lap deficit to win at Charlotte.
July 28, 1991: Holds off four top Ford drivers to win at Talladega.
by CNB