To me this is what NASCAR should be about. IROC was the closest thing to stock car racing since the cars were all the same. That looked like real racing.
Yeah, you wish it could be more like the roots of the sport, but having a spec race every year is something, at least. Nascars bear zero resemblance to the consumer versions of the same brand car, because nascars are pretty much silhouette cars (a silhouette car is where the outside chassis is the same appearance and shape as the real car, but underneath the chassis it's an entirely different car with no part in common) So a spec race is about the best we can hope for. It is all about who is the best driver. The cars and set ups are all identical. So it really is a proper driver's race. Which I think is the best way to attract drivers from other series than simply stock car racing, which was kind of the whole point of calling it the race of champions. It makes me wish it would come back, and it would become less of a nascar thing, and for them to make an even bigger push to attract F1 or Indycar or rally drivers etc. It'd just be fun as hell. If you promote it right it could be huge, it'd be the one time where the best drivers from every series get to compete against each other. I think you'd need to have F1 heavily involved though otherwise they probably wouldn't allow their drivers to race in it, and they'd probably cite insurance reasons or something, when really it's just that they want their cut of the money
Rocket Man dirtiest? I’d say that title belongs to Junior Johnson, As he cheated so much that he practically wrote half the rulebook, Earnhardt just never unlearned the bump and run from watching his father race on dirt, which by the way, the bump and run is a viable and legal move
“That is prodigious!” “Whatever you said, I agree!” 😂😂 Benny Parsons is the best. He forgot he was at Talladega for a second with that start/finish line, though.
That brought back some awesome memories! Earnhardt when he was in a slump these IROC races and championships I think put an extra pep in his step the last few years of his life. I almost forgot about him and JR battling for the win at Michigan. I remember watching that race thinking Dale Jr might have him beat LOL, of course that couldn't happen! Great video thanks.
No question Earnhardt had it. That win against his son, was an ! , Nobody will ever top his Driving ability in Nascar. Nobody, and to watch him race super speedways was jaw dropping. In the 80s when nascar drivers ran dirt on the side, while some of the drivers walked around the pits with body guards, and to good to get a speck of dirt on them, there Earnhardt was wallowing in the mud and grease working on his car, he was just a racer like everyone of us there, he acted like he belonged with us racing on dirt every weekend, not out on the big money tracks making millions. That's my opinion of him, and i sure miss him...
@@DixytheGoat9 During an IROC test, on a foggy Saturday morning, at Daytona, Dale Sr and Neil Bonnett, learned about airflow as an advantage. Dale Sr was a master at it. He refused to wear a full-face helmet because he needed to feel the air on his face.
Watching this compilation never gets old - especially not the finish from the '99 Michigan race, in which Dale Sr. edged Dale Jr. in a photo finish. That's the greatest father-son moment in any motorsports event.
IROC was a great series especially with Earnhardt and Unser battling it out at so many races for the win I seen senior and Junior battle it out at Michigan Earnhardt 10th win in IROC that was a great race father and son at the end Father Beats Son by inches sure miss the old days of racing this NASCAR series now 2019 just isn't the same
Dale Earnhardt is one of the reasons why I loved my 86 IROC z28 so much now I wound up getting a 2010 Camaro transformer edition and I gave my 86 IROC to my son. I do believe 86 IROC is the year at beat the vet I believe it beat the vet in the road course slalom altogether it was a great car first thing I did when I got mine was take the damn 305 out and put a real engine in it 350 worked up to a 383 stroker a man she was fast that thing could corner like you don't know what we have a hairpin turn around where we live in I came around that thing doing about 40 and every tire was screaming bloody murder but I made it around the corner in first of course they caught up later when I stopped God bless the good old days
Win number 3 (fitting) was one of the most calculated and daring moves I've seen in any form of racing. This man was truly incredible! Sure Mark Martin won more in IRoC, but there's a reason that Dale was called "Mr. Restrictor Plate".
I'm win #5, it was sort of like when Sterling Marlin clipped Dale's Car in Daytona. Earnhardt had made a living of of doing that to Unser, Petty, Bodine, etc.
It certainly helped, I'm surprised more drivers didn't go to open face on the 2 restrictor plate race tracks. I really dug how Earnhardt leaned over to the left, it looked like he was taking a Sunday drive.
Racing wasn't the same after 02/18/01 I went to the die hard 500 in July 94 at talledega and after Mr restrictor plate lost a motor half of the crowd including myself left that's just how big Dale was truely a icon rest in peace
I loved Earnhardt he was why I watched and he by far the best of his era. However there were just as good of racers in the 60s and 70s and they competed against some of the best drivers in history. They all may not have had as many championships but that's not always what makes a great race car driver, IMHO. If Bobby Allison would have stuck with Jr. Johnson there's no telling how many championships he would have won. David Pearson was Petty's biggest thorn even petty said Pearson was one of the best he ever raced against. Again just my opinion.
mike skinner said that the cup car earnhardt drove was way heavier than most on the track. imagine how many wins and championships would he have gained if all the cup cars were equal weight.
Matthew Kowal Mark Martin was forgettable. He was always second best. Show us one highlight he had. Earnhardt is like Larry Bird...both made magic in the closing moments.
Kind of eerie watching clips of Earnhardt racing at Daytona. How many times did he go by the infield near turn 4 where his car came to rest on February 18th 2001?
My dad obviously ain't no Dale, but I remember in the 80's pulling up to the track late and missing heats and other drivers getting frustrated cause they seen us pulling up. They knew their chances of winning were alot lower. 🤣
To me Nascar died with Earnhardt. It has never been the same since. I understand the safety measures had to be implemented. But the racing all together isn't the same. Just sad. Now you got all the BS to contend with this year. I will probably never watch another Nascar race again!!
I test drove one of these new, fwd turbo-5pd cars whIle doing a brake and Alinement Job. If you really revved it hard and kept it red-lined it had some power but no low-end torque. Torque steer in turns. Give me a 3rd gen IROC or TA.
