Collapses returns after almost 1 year hiatus and today's return episode features a year that Dale Earnhardt was on verge of starting the greatest dynasty in sports history but rough ending to the season is where championship literally got away after major up and down results which allowed competition to get the ring that Dale Earnhardt lost.
Dale Earnhardt was sitting 1st in points after Martinsville with only 6 races to go in 1989 season but Dale Earnhardt was leading points by 75 points over Rusty Wallace but Dale Earnhardt's 1989 season was fantastic season with 4 wins,12 top 5's and 16 top 10's after 24 races but his season took turn for worst following Martinsville. Dale Earnhardt started Charlotte fall race in 12th place but early stages of the race Dale Earnhardt would fall off pace which forced him come down pitroad for his pit crew to fix the issue on they couldn't resolved the issue camshaft broke which day in 42nd (Last Place) and cost him points lead as Rusty Wallace became the points leader by 35 points over Dale Earnhardt.
Dale Earnhardt started on pole for North Wilkesboro after qualifying was canceled which postponed the race weekend as the field was set by points after Martinsville but Dale Earnhardt dominated the day by leading 343 laps and potentially giving Dale Earnhardt the points lead back but then his season would get altered on final lap when Ricky Rudd who was batting to win the race from Dale Earnhardt would clip him and sent both cars spinning which placed Dale Earnhardt into 10th place at start/finish line but kept him 2nd in points but now 37 points behind Rusty Wallace. Dale Earnhardt started 5th for fall Rockingham race while championship rival Rusty Wallace started 21st which gave 3 team opportunity to takeover the points lead but instead Dale Earnhardt missed his opportunity after falling 1 lap down due after caution came out while Dale Earnhardt was doing his Green Flag pitstop then fell 8 laps down after getting involved in late race wreck which placed him 20th at start/finish line but stayed 2nd in points but now 109 points behind.
Dale Earnhardt would start 7th at Phoenix and consistently ran top 10 throughout the day while Rusty Wallace would have mediocre day at Phoenix as Dale Earnhardt would finish 6th while Rusty Wallace finished 16th but Dale Earnhardt fell to 3rd in points as Mark Martin finished 3rd in the race and now 79 points behind Rusty Wallace heading into season finale. Dale Earnhardt needed Rusty Wallace to have worst day possible while he needed to have the best day which came true as Dale Earnhardt started in 3rd place for season finale at Atlanta then proceeded to dominate the race by leading 249 of 328 scheduled laps and winning the race but Rusty Wallace would manage the race perfectly as Rusty Wallace finished 15th which was enough for Rusty and entire 27 team to win the championship by 12 points over Dale Earnhardt.
Lady Luck didn't dance with Dale Earnhardt in final 5 races of 1989 season and missed opportunities due to bad luck biting him in the races he needed was major factor on Dale Earnhardt losing the championship but 1989 was the original start of greatest sports dynasty that never happened due to lady luck saying no to Man in Black
Comments (2)
If Dale and Ricky hadn't wrecked, Dale would've won the championship, and he would've gotten 8
Yeah that's the biggest moment that effected him and that untimely caution at Rockingham is another factor that cost him but it's truly shame that mistakes cost of winning 8 or 9 championships in his career