NASCAR has always had a dynamic mix of talent, from fresh-faced rookies to legendary veterans. For example, Harrison Burton’s surprise victory at Daytona is a moment fans won’t soon forget. But then there’s Cale Yarborough—a true icon and the first driver to clinch three consecutive Cup Series championships. Yarborough’s legacy continues to inspire, standing as a pillar of NASCAR’s storied history.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., through The Dale Jr. Download, offers fans a rare glimpse into the sport’s rich past and the personalities that shaped it. In one such episode, Dale Jr. welcomed Cale Yarborough’s former crew chief, Travis Carter, to share stories from NASCAR’s golden era. During the conversation, the 84-year-old revealed a fascinating tale about a sponsorship deal that, in his words, “saved NASCAR,” and helped secure the sport’s future for generations to come.

Things got interesting when, after talking about how NASCAR has changed over the years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. asked Travis Carter, “You know, you end up kind of developing that iconic program with the Skoal Bandit and Harry Gant. Why would you want to get into ownership?”

Carter then revealed what he had been thinking all along. “That was always my goal when I was working for Mr. DeWitt. I said, ‘Well, I can’t be a driver.’ I remember Buddy Baker telling me early on, ‘You need to do what you do because you’ll have a lot better chance to have a better career.”

Next, as the two discussed Cale Yarborough’s sponsorship hurdles and how help from Junior Johnson was always there, Dale Earnhardt Jr. emphasized his importance in NASCAR and asked Travis how JJ influenced the entire NASCAR scenario.

Travis Carter agreed that the sponsor was responsible for saving NASCAR in the early ages. Carter also in reply to Dale Jr., said, “Well, I mean, you probably know it, but he’s the one that took R.J. Reynolds to NASCAR to be the series sponsor. I mean, they went to him talking about sponsoring four or five cars, and he said, ‘You need to talk about sponsoring this series.’ Between you and me, and you probably know it, that saved NASCAR.” 

Here, Carter is talking about what later turned out NASCAR’s biggest support system for more than 3 decades. Starting in 1971, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and their “Winston” brand kicked off a game-changing, 33-year sponsorship that indeed helped NASCAR shift into high gear as a top-tier spectator sport during the second half of the 20th century.

From 1971 to 2003, the sport’s premier series proudly carried the Winston name, officially branded as the Winston Cup Series. For those first 15 years, it was known as the Winston Cup Grand National Series—until they dropped the “Grand National” in 1986. But no matter the name, the Winston Cup era became legendary, shaping NASCAR as we know it today, with Winston’s deep pockets fueling everything from track improvements to marketing that brought more fans to the stands and glued them to their TVs.

Similarly, Cale Yarborough holds the distinction of being the winningest driver in Cup Series history with the iconic No. 11. Over eight seasons, he racked up 55 wins and three championships, edging out other greats like Ned Jarrett (49 wins, two titles), Denny Hamlin (44 wins), and Darrell Waltrip (43 wins, three titles).

And, Travis Carter was a big reason behind the success of Cale Yarborough.

Cale Yarborough: the legend that changed NASCAR forever

There are many things that fans call Cale Yarborough; from being a legend to a team owner, he has done way too much for the sport than we can talk about. Not only was he the first driver to win three back-to-back championships in 1976, 1977, and 1978, he won at Daytona 4 times and the Southern 5 times. With a staggering total of 84 wins in NASCAR, he stands as the 6 winningest driver of all time.

His other achievements included being the record holder for the most poles in a season, starting in the front 14 times in 1980. This record still stands as Yarborough is the quickest qualifier in NASCAR’s modern era. Beyond his achievements, he was also inducted into NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998 and became a Hall of Famer in 2012. What more can one expect from a NASCAR career?

Even after quitting racing, he couldn’t leave the sport behind; he started his own team, Cale Yarborough Motorsport, and also dove into the agriculture sector.

Considering all of this, have you watched some of Yarborough’s iconic races from the past? Share your thoughts in the comments below.