Here’s why Dale Earnhardt Sr. ghosted Michael Andretti despite “begging” him to join DEI

IndyCar legend Michael Andretti has unraveled a decades-old incident with Dale Earnhardt Sr., where the latter encouraged the Indy driver to join his NASCAR team, but after an on-track incident at the 1987 IROC competition, the 7x Cup Series winner backed off from his bid.

Andretti is renowned for his open-wheel racing prowess, and his staggering 42 race victories and the 1991 CART championship serve as a testament to it. Dale Earnhardt Sr. and the IndyCar star raced as rivals during the four-race event in 1987, which was held at the Daytona International Speedway, the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the Michigan International Speedway, and the finale at the Watkins Glen International.

Michael revealed that amid the 11th edition of the IROC event, the 'Intimidator' begged him to join his Xfinity Series team, Dale Earnhardt Inc., but after a Lap 12 crash at the Michigan International Speedway, courtesy of contact with the former's #2 Chevrolet Camaro, Earnhardt sidelined Andretti's potential future bid with DEI.

Kenny Wallace asked Michael Andretti if he ever considered driving in NASCAR, following which the latter revealed the instance, which apparently quashed his possible venture into the sport as he got completely ignored by Dale Earnhardt Sr.

He said (via The Kenny Wallace Show on X):

"There was a point where I was looking at it. I did IROC, I was running with Dale Earnhardt and Dale's all over me. He wanted me to drive for the Xfinity Series [for DEI]. He was begging me, 'You gotta try you gotta come you gotta run.'"

"We were at Michigan [International Speedway], we both went into turn 3 and 4 side by side, we touched and he went into the wall and never talked to me after that," Andretti added.

Despite the points-robbing crash, Dale Earnhardt Sr. was inches away from defeating Andretti in the 1987 IROC

The 11th edition of the International Racing of Champions event spanned four races. The first run started on February 13, with the Watkins Glen finale showdown wrapping the event on August 8. Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s remarkable run earned him the second spot at the Daytona International Speedway, whereas Andretti succumbed to a crash and ended his first run with a DNF.

The second dash at Mid-Ohio Sports Racing Course witnessed Michael Andretti reign supreme over the 'Intimidator'. The former finished in P3, while the latter was second last in P11. The third race proved devastating for Earnhardt owing to the crash, but the IndyCar champion finished the race. However, since Andretti finished in P11, he scored just 1 more point compared to Dale's 3.

The Saturday finale witnessed a tough battle for contention between the two and Michael ended up finishing one place ahead of Earnhardt in P8. After the four races got done and dusted, Geoff Bodine emerged as the winner, Andretti took the seventh spot, while Dale had to settle in P10, three points shy against the Indy driver's 33.