It’s February of 1980, and Dale Earnhardt is hungry to return to victory lane. The Osterlund-2 car hasn't brought home a win since David Pearson filled in for Dale at the Southern 500 the previous year. Plus, with a new contract and sponsorship comes expectations, so needless to say, he’s eager to hold up his end of the bargain. Thankfully, he won’t have to wait long, as he overcomes adversity at Atlanta for his first speedway win and follows it up with a repeat at Bristol. He quickly goes from a potential flash-in-the-pan, one-time winner to etching his name into the NASCAR history books.

But racing is a humbling sport, and his jubilation won’t last long. More engine problems and a lack of speed would relegate him back to the middle of the pack, and that pressure to perform would build up again. Unfortunately, this time, the pressure pushes Dale to make a blunderous mistake on the opening lap of the spring Martinsville event, and he has a run-in with a fella you never want to cross: King Richard Petty.

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