TALLADEGA, Ala. – For NASCAR Hall of Fame car owner Richard Childress, the pace laps prior to Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway were a chance to leap back in time once more.
In an instant, Childress took not only himself – but the thousands of fans in attendance at the 2.66-mile tri-oval – back nearly two decades to a time when NASCAR was much different, and “The Man in Black” still reigned supreme.
As part of the 50th anniversary of both Talladega and RCR, Childress had the honor of pacing the field for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega, with the same car that his longtime friend, Dale Earnhardt, drove to his 76th and final Cup Series win at Talladega in October of 2000.
On that afternoon, Earnhardt found himself mired in 18th with a battered car for a restart with five laps to go, but knifed his way through the field to take the lead coming to the white flag and held off longtime friend Kenny Wallace for his 10th Talladega victory (a record that still stands) by .119 seconds.
Sunday marked the first time that specific No. 3 Chevrolet was taken out of the RCR Museum since then.
“This today was a tribute to all the great fans in NASCAR and everything that they’ve given us through the years, and for Dale Earnhardt, the greatest of all,” Childress explained after climbing out once the race began. “That’s why we wanted to do this.”
While Childress had mentioned before climbing into the car and pulling out on track that he wanted to “let her eat,” it wasn’t something that was necessarily supposed to happen.
But when Childress put his foot down, it was game on after that – to a tremendous roar from the crowd.
“You know, when I went through the gears and came on around, we were supposed to pull in, but we figured we’d give the fans one more,” Childress said.” So Johnny and I, we did just that … and it was so great to have him in there with me today. Just a real, real special moment.
“While I was in there, I was imagining what Dale was thinking and what he was doing. Unbelievable,” Childress added.
While Childress was at the controls, Bass Pro Shops founder and noted conservationist Johnny Morris rode alongside Childress in the right of the driver’s compartment, hanging on for the ride – literally.
And to his credit, Morris carried a huge smile on his face after exiting the “passenger side” of the Earnhardt car. For those wondering, no, it did not have a proper passenger seat installed.
“It didn’t take much twisting buddy, for him to get me in here,” said Morris. “What an honor in my life. The emotions, there’s no track like Talladega and just being in Dale’s car, with all this history here and being with Richard … seeing those fans when we came around there. I thank him so much for doing this.
“This will be a moment I cherish for the rest of my life.”
Though only 57 racing laps were completed before the remainder of the 1000Bulbs.com 500 was moved to Monday afternoon due to rain, perhaps the most important moment of the Talladega race came prior to the storms, courtesy of one famed car at one iconic facility.
It was a moment that brought the hairs on many people’s arms to attention and sent chills – and cheers – through all in attendance.
And it was “one last ride” for perhaps the most recognizable car in NASCAR history, as well as its owner, at the place where both made their names over the last 50 years.
“Just remember, you got started here too buddy,” Morris reminded Childress, whose first Cup Series start as a driver came in Talladega’s first race back in 1969, with a hearty thump to the shoulder.
“It’s a special place to all of us,” Childress responded. “Just a special place.”