With the scene set, it’s off to the races in 1980. The NASCAR Cup Series heads out to Riverside, California, to begin the season, and sophomore Dale Earnhardt is hoping to improve his road course performance. He will, in fact, finish runner-up to Darrell Waltrip, who, after a narrow loss in the 1979 points race, is regarded as a championship favorite for this year. Dale caps his successful West Coast trip off with a new season sponsor and a contract extension with Rod Osterlund, and he’s understandably feeling at the top of his game.

He rolls that confidence into Daytona Beach, where he shows his first glimpses of supernatural ability on the superspeedway high banks. He makes a last lap pass on the outside of Darrell Waltrip to pick up his first victory at the track, the Busch Clash. But when all the marbles are on the line in the Daytona 500, he has to go toe to toe with Buddy Baker and the fastest stock car in the country: Waddell Wilson’s Gray Ghost.

This episode of Becoming Earnhardt is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops. North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Plan your next adventure at a Bass Pro Shops near you, or online at BassPro.com.

This project is in partnership with MRN, the Motor Racing Network, and the Appalachian State University Stock Car Collection.

Another year, another scrapbook. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back on his quest to learn the origins of his father’s legendary NASCAR career, and in this season of Becoming Earnhardt, he is unpacking the 1980 season. With the help of some family scrapbooks and his personal collection of racing artifacts, Dale Jr. is seeking to gain a deeper understanding of who Dale Earnhardt was before his seven championships and numerous wins.

In the first episode of this season, we set the scene of 1980, both in the world of motorsports and the world at large. The star of our story, Dale Earnhardt, is fresh off winning the NASCAR Cup Rookie of the Year in 1979, ready to take on the mainstays of stock car racing with his Osterlund Racing crew. His path to stardom goes through the legends of the day, such as Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, and David Pearson, but with veteran crew chief Jake Elder atop the pit box, Dale is feeling confident in his chances. The goal is a season championship ring, but before he can get there, he will have to weather the storms of competition, attrition, and personality.

This episode of Becoming Earnhardt is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops. North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Plan your next adventure at a Bass Pro Shops near you, or online at BassPro.com.

This project is in partnership with MRN, the Motor Racing Network, and the Appalachian State University Stock Car Collection.

With Dale off to Mexico City, Amy is joined by longtime friend and country singer Tim Dugger.

Amy and Tim dive into the story of how Tim first became friends with Dale, swap their favorite Key West bar spots, and reveal the ultimate drunk food picks. They also share what makes Ireland such a special travel spot, debate whether Tim qualifies as a “zaddy,” and discuss his signature mustache.

Plus, Tim dishes on helping Dale plan a surprise anniversary for Amy. They also play a hilarious round of word association, and Amy fields fan questions in Ask Amy.

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