It’s a win that will be remembered for years to come. Even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a better track record on superspeedways, short tracks always held a special place in his heart. Having attempted to win at Martinsville Speedway nearly 15 times, the North Carolina native was hungrier than ever to secure the coveted grandfather clock trophy. He finally achieved his goal in 2014, securing a dramatic result at the 2014 Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500.

With Hendrick Motorsports listing its 40 greatest wins, Dale Jr’s triumph at Martinsville in 2014 was always going to be selected. Given the circumstances, it was not just a victory for the No. 88 Chevy driver, but a landmark achievement for both Junior and his team.

Dale Earnhardt Jr prevailed against all odds

The weekend didn’t begin on the best note for Dale Earnhardt Jr. The driver qualified 23rd on the grid, having struggled for pace on the 0.526-mile track. However, he remained optimistic about his chances at Martinsville Speedway, having previously won on similar short tracks such as Bristol and Richmond Raceway. However, the race was particularly significant for Hendrick Motorsports, as it marked 30 years since the team secured their first win, which was also at ‘the paperclip’ thanks to Geoff Bodine.

Expectations were high from Junior. Why would they not be? His father, ‘The Intimidator’ had secured six wins on the short track, while Junior also had an outstanding record at NASCAR’s shortest track. Ahead of the race in 2014, the driver had secured 17 top-10 finishes in 29 starts at Martinsville Speedway, with two runner-up finishes and a third-place result earlier that year. Moreover, time was running out for Dale Earnhardt Jr., as his crew chief Steve Letarte was moving away from the pit box to take over broadcasting duties with NBC.

The race weekend also marked the 10th anniversary of the October 24, 2004 plane crash, which occurred on its way to Martinsville Speedway and claimed the life of team owner Rick Hendrick’s brother, along with his son, nieces, and the team’s head engine builder and general manager. Dedicating the victory for those who had lost their lives, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said, “I’m just really emotional. This means so much to all of us. I lost my daddy a long time ago. And I know how hard that is. I can’t imagine losing the magnitude of people that Rick did. My heart goes out to him. This honors them.”

The win was Dale Earnhardt Jr’s fourth of the 2014 season, but it came too late. The racer had already been eliminated from the playoffs the week before, after finishing 31st at Talladega Superspeedway at the 2014 GEICO 500. However, Junior was pleased with his performance, as he overcame a poor qualifying result and climbed up to 14th place by Lap 50 and broke into the top ten, 37 laps later. Eventually, he overtook Tony Stewart with three laps to go and held off his teammate Jeff Gordon to secure the victory.

Dale Jr’s crew chief defends strategy at Martinsville Speedway

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Ultimately, it all came down to strategy. Having started the race in 23rd place, climbing the grid positions came down to more than just speed at Martinsville Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to show consistency on the half-mile track, while the No. 88 crew needed to be at the top of their game to help him gain track positions. With 12 laps to go, the race’s 15th caution was introduced after Kyle Larson and Marcos Ambrose slid into the wall, and crew chief Steve Letarte had a decision to make.

Would he bring Dale Jr. into the pits for new tires, and risk the track position, or take a gamble and let him fend for himself? It was not a straightforward choice. In the end, Junior’s Chevy came onto the pit road when the cars fired up again. Justifying the decision, Letarte said, “I knew what he was good at and he knew what I was good at and he was not good at defending. Now, at a superspeedway like Talladega or Daytona, he’s one of the best defenders of all time. But he was way better on offense than defense at other tracks. For me that day, there was a lot of doubt if it was the right call but there was no doubt it was the right call for us.”

Even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. restarted in 5th place, the Hendrick Motorsports driver had the advantage of starting from the inside row. His rivals Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and David Ragan didn’t pit, but it didn’t matter in the end, as Junior quickly climbed up the grid thanks to new tires to finish first when the checkered flag was waved at Martinsville Speedway.

Given the circumstances and the race’s importance for the driver and his racing team, it’s not a surprise that Hendrick Motorsports considers it one of their most iconic victories.