“That was my introduction to Dale Earnhardt”: Richard Petty tells Dale Jr. about racing the Intimidator in his rookie season at Martinsville 

The 7x NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty pondered upon his first race with the then-rookie Dale Earnhardt on the Martinsville Speedway which ended on a bitter note.

Petty made his NASCAR debut at the 1958 Jim Mideon 500. Since then, until his retirement in 1992, the 86-year-old has won seven titles and 200 Cup Series races. However, during his career, he was introduced to Dale Earnhardt, who would eventually match Petty's NASCAR title record.

Back in 1979, 'the Intimidator' was observing his rookie season in the Cup Series, and ran at the Martinsville Speedway, fielding the #2 Chevrolet for Rod Osterlund Racing. His rival, Richard Petty tamed his #43 Chevrolet, driving for his team, Petty Enterprises.

During the Martinsville run, Dale Earnhardt crashed into Petty's car, as well as several others, depriving the drivers of a potentially positive outcome on the track. Petty was outraged by the incident and ran toward Dale Sr, warning him to control his uproar on the track.

Remembering his bitter stint with the Intimidator, 'the King' detailed the happenings of the run with Dale Earnhardt Jr., saying (via Dirty Mo Media on X):

"We go down I’m on the inside. I think somebody’s on the outside of me...he just turned left and went across the grass, he jumped the curb and jumped right in the middle of the whole crowd. That was my introduction to Dale Earnhardt.” (0.22)

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. slams the NextGen car's short track package with "silliest sh**" remark

With the everlasting demand for increasing horsepower, NASCAR came up with the concept of NextGen cars to curb the problem. With more emphasis on aerodynamic profile and tire degradation, the officials aimed at better performance without stressing much on the notion of a horsepower increase.

Nevertheless, despite their efforts to substitute the thrill of high horsepower racing by modifying other aspects, the outcome came as a brutal slap on the management's face as several drivers and team owners voiced their displeasure with the package's failure to meet the expectations.

The most recent sorrowful event occurred at the Cook Out 400 at the Martinsville Speedway, when, due to an intentional slowing in tire degradation, the fresh rubber failed to uncover, leading to a sloppy grip on the asphalt, and therefore, the drivers suffered greatly while making space for a pass.

Dale Jr voiced his concern during the Dale Jr Download podcast, about the "sh**" produced by NASCAR, saying:

"Everybody wanted to take a date away from Richmond last week. Silliest sh*t I've ever heard in my life. I'm about to get pissed off. It really made me angry that we walked out of Richmond and said...'we need to go to somewhere else.' That's not true."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. added:

"And then we have the race at Martinsville, and now everybody hit the panic button. Dude, I was hitting that fricking button a year ago. It's beyond panic time alright? It's panic time last week when you're taking about taking a date away from a racetrack."