Michigan Throwback: Dale Earnhardt makes rookie mistake in 1979

In the spirit of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s latest podcast project, Becoming Earnhardt, I thought we’d go back to that 1979 NASCAR season this week. For our Michigan throwback, we’re going to the Gabriel 400, AKA, the Michigan 400. We’re going to get a little bit ahead of Junior’s podcast and talk about the June version of this race from his dad’s rookie season.

After finding his stride between Nashville, Dover, and Charlotte, Dale Earnhardt had three straight top-5 finishes and established himself as a championship contender. However, Texas and Riverside wouldn’t be as successful.

Even though he won the pole at Riverside, an impressive feat for the rookie, he was unable to finish better than 13th in the race.

Neil Bonnett went out and won the pole. During the race, Donnie Allison, Richard Petty, and Cale Yarborough all went on to battle for the lead. The lead changed 47 times in this 400-mile race between 11 drivers. Earnhardt would lead for a single lap in the race.

Starting 13th overall, Dale Earnhardt went on to finish 6th overall. However, he received heavy criticism from Darrell Waltrip and Petty after the race. “He nearly took us all out in the third turn,” Waltrip said of an ill-advised pass-attempt Earnhardt made on Bonnett. It was a mistake fitting of a rookie, and the veterans of the Cup Series let him know about it.

Buddy Baker went on to win this race. While there isn’t much footage of the event, this wreck by relief driver Steve Pfeiffer on lap 132 is one of the lasting images of the race. A photographer suffered relatively minor injuries after the incident.

After this race, Dale Earnhardt was fifth in the standings. He would then prepare for a return trip to Daytona and Nashville for a second time before taking on the Tricky Triangle at Pocono for the first time in his career.

Dale Earnhardt “struggled” at Michigan

While it is hard to say that Dale Earnhardt ever “struggled” at any track, Michigan was not one where he had the most wins. While he could pull off top-10 finishes like they were nothing, he rarely broke through for the win. Out of 43 races, Earnhardt “only” won twice at Michigan. His first win didn’t come until the 1987 season at this track.

So, Michigan is now just a single-date track, but it is still a lot of fun. The 2-mile long, D-shaped track is loved by some and tolerated by others. Drivers such as Kevin Harvick have found out how to navigate Michigan International Speedway better than most.

Dale Earnhardt didn’t have a lot of wins at the track, but he almost always raced strong. Perhaps his last performance at the 2-mile track was one of his most impressive. Starting 37th overall, Earnhardt drove his Chevy to a 6th-place finish. The Intimidator just doing Intimidator things.

This season I think it is fitting to look back on Dale Earnhardt’s first Michigan race as Kevin Harvick, his successor, races in his final Michigan race. And make sure to tune in to Dale Jr.’s Becoming Earnhardt if you haven’t already. A great show and history of the sport’s greatest before he was the greatest. I’m sure he’ll have a lot more information about the 1979 race and more as the season continues.