Earnhardt won three times in 1988, but his aggressive style continued to ruffle the feathers of the competition. After an on-track altercation cost Earnhardt and Ricky Rudd chances to win at North Wilkesboro, Rudd erupted. “If he wants to play this game, then he can forget the championship. We have nothing to lose. Next year, too, if he wants it,” Rudd said. “I’m not going to be like Geoff Bodine. I’m not going to take this crap.”
Winning five races in 1989 was not enough to claim the championship, as Earnhardt’s friend and rival Rusty Wallace defeated the driver of the black No. 3 by 12 points even though Earnhardt won the series finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
“I drove with all my heart. I didn’t give the car a rest and it was prepared so well it stood the pace,” Earnhardt said. “I wish we’d been close enough in the points starting the race that Rusty would have had to race me for it.”
One of Earnhardt’s nine victories during his 1990 championship came at Darlington Raceway despite hitting the wall during the race at The Track Too Tough to Tame. “The old girl slapped me when I got a little fresh,” he joked.
Earnhardt earned his fourth championship, but knew he was still not in the same class as Richard Petty, a seven-time champion.
“Three more is a long way off, way out there,” said Earnhardt. “I feel at age 39, I’ve got 10 more competitive years of driving left, so I might get that many. But even if I do, Richard Petty is way away from anything I could be. He’s The King, and it makes me proud to do something only he has done.”
The following season, Earnhardt won four races and a fifth title. His nickname, The Intimidator, became more of a legend. “I’m glad they’re talking about us that way. If that’s intimidation and it gives us a little edge, we’ll take it,” Earnhardt said.
Earnhardt won only once in 1992 but returned to win a sixth championship and six races the next year.
“It’s really unbelievable to me,” Earnhardt said. “I never dreamed I would someday be in Winston Cup racing. It’s a miracle to me what we’ve accomplished. I go home to Kannapolis and Mooresville and I’m just one of the guys. It’s impressive what someone from a small town can accomplish.”
Four victories led Earnhardt to his seventh championship the following season. It was the third time he won two straight titles.
Earnhardt won five races, including the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the following season but finished second to Jeff Gordon in the title race. In addition, his winless streak in the Daytona 500 extended to 17 races. “This is the Daytona 500, and I don’t reckon I’m supposed to win the thing,” Earnhardt said.
Earnhardt won twice in 1996 but suffered the worst accident of his career at Talladega Superspeedway. He suffered a broken sternum and collarbone but earned the pole the following week at Watkins Glen and led 51 laps before finishing sixth.
The biggest slump of Earnhardt’s career followed. He went winless in 1997 as Gordon dominated the scene. “I wish they were booing me,” Earnhardt said. “If they boo you on Sunday, you go to the bank on Monday.”
The September race at Darlington saw Earnhardt suffer a bizarre fainting spell while behind the wheel. It’s an episode doctors could never explain and Earnhardt resumed racing the following week.
Finally, to open the 1998 season, Earnhardt won the Daytona 500.
“It was my time. I have been passed on the last lap, I have run out of gas and I have cut a tire,” Earnhardt said. “I knew we were coming back to the checkered.”
Earnhardt won three races in 1999, including a controversial Bristol Motor Speedway event where he spun Terry Labonte to take the lead, claiming he “rattled his cage.”
Earnhardt won twice in 2000 and finished second to Bobby Labonte in the points.
Check back tomorrow for part two of this story.