The Bristol night race was mind-boggling on a lot of fronts. Firstly, Goodyear’s tire experiment paid off handsomely after 18 months of effort, although Denny Hamlin termed it ‘extreme.’ With 36 lead changes and ferocious tire wear, drivers were left scrambling for strategy. Their race night became a bit more complicated with the sheer number of caution flags involved. Its 137 caution laps were a record in NASCAR’s modern era – but that does not faze Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The 26-time Cup Series race winner retired in 2017, but he fondly remembers his racing career. Contrary to his charming and well-loved behavior on podcasts, Dale Jr. used to have a rowdy reputation as a young race car driver. But he changed, and one of the reasons lay in getting schooled by a NASCAR official.

Dale Jr. lear

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