On this date 41 years ago, Dale Earnhardt made his first NASCAR Premier Series start in the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
After much convincing by Earnhardt, explained in the video above, car owner Ed Negre put him in the No. 8 1974 10,000 RPM Speed Equipment-sponsored Dodge for NASCAR’s longest race.
In a race won by Richard Petty with only three cautions for a total of 12 laps, Earnhardt came home 45 laps down in 22nd place.
Earnhardt’s future car owner, Richard Childress in the No. 96 Tom Garn Chevrolet, finished right behind him — 45 laps down in 23rd.
Little did the 90,600 in attendance or anyone else now at the time, that the driver later known as “The Imtimidator” would tie Richard Petty with seven championships and collect 76 career wins on his way to becoming one of the first five members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
