Becoming Earnhardt Vol. 5 - The Lead Is Where I'll Be

It’s June of 1979 and 28-year-old Dale Earnhardt is feeling as confident as ever. With a notch in the win column and top five finishes in the last three races, the rookie seems to have found his place amongst the stock car racing elite. As episode five of Becoming Earnhardt opens, the NASCAR Cup circuit travels to the Lone Star State to take on the daunting Texas World Speedway. Dale would once again race his way into the spotlight, nipping at the heels of eventual race winner Darrell Waltrip before a mechanical failure sent him into the wall and made him settle for a 12th place finish. But the impressive showing had Ol’ DW once again admitting in victory lane, “when all the seasoned veterans retire, it’ll be Dale Earnhardt I’ll have to contend with.”

It’s during this episode that the NASCAR garage gets its first glimpse at the on-track aggression that would eventually become “The Intimidator”. In a late race hustle at Michigan International, Dale makes a daring move that sends many top contenders scrambling, bringing about the ire of the very drivers who had been singing his praises. And while this constructive feedback from his mentors may have had him reconsidering his standing in the Cup ranks, it didn’t seem to slow him down any. As the Cup schedule hits the Poconos and Dale takes on the Tricky Triangle for the first time in his career, he is dealt a turn of events that will leave his dreams of being a NASCAR Champion in doubt.