Watch: In 1986, the Intimidator’s Iconic Feat of Cleaning the Windshield While Driving

Stories of Dale Earnhardt and his bravery aren’t uncommon in the NASCAR community. The 7-time Cup Series champion is one of the evergreen superstars of NASCAR who has elevated the sport’s popularity. Occasionally, he reminded the fans of his flamboyance, and in 1986, one such incident stood out on the track.

Racing at the Richmond Raceway in his iconic No.3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, some unexpected mud on the car threatened to force Dale Earnhardt to enter the pit lane. However, to maintain his track position in the race, he climbed out of his seat with a knee on the steering wheel and cleaned the windshield. While NASCAR’s rules won’t allow such incidents to bypass any penalty, the guts to try it in the middle of a race are incredible.

Daredevil Dale Earnhardt’s ‘Fast & Furious’ stunt in Richmond

Driving for Richard Childress Racing, Dale Earnhardt pulled off an incredible comeback to finish third at the Richmond Raceway. Starting the race in P10 after a poor qualifying effort, Earnhardt had to go against the likes of Kyle Petty and Bobby Allison for the battle in the front row.

The race saw frequent close-quarter action. However, Earnhardt did have a chance to win until a big fumble in the race’s final laps. Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip fought for the win when they collided and were sent spinning into the wall. The iconic clash has still been reminisced by long-time fans who have a memory of the race.

As Earnhardt’s former crew member, Chocolate Myers mentioned in a documentary clip, “We’re racing at Richmond, and he’s got the car — it’s totally covered in mud — and he hollers on the radio, ‘Richard, I need to pit’.”

“And Richard says, ‘Dale, I’d hate to come in and pit, lose all that track position’. And Dale comes on the radio and says, ‘I’m gonna be off the radio for a few minutes’. And then you see Dale driving with his knee and got one head and he’s cleaning the windshield off.”

Despite having such an iconic moment in the race, it was overshadowed by his collision with Waltrip. However, the race was different for Waltrip. His words reflect the passion and aggression with which ‘The Intimidator’ raced.

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Darrell Waltrip recalls the Richmond battle with the Intimidator

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The Richmond race of 1986 was truly a testament to the aggression drivers showed in the earlier generations of racing. Speaking to the Athletic, Waltrip had revealed that at one point of time, he’d gotten the better of Earnhardt. However, a right rear hook destroyed his aspirations in a moment.

“I’m trying and trying to pass Earnhardt and I can’t get by him, he’s running me all over the place,” revealed the three-time Cup champion. “With two (laps) to go, Junior came on the radio and said, ‘Pass that s*n of a b***h now’. I knew he was serious so I figured I better do something.”

Junior Johnson’s words had encouraged Waltrip. On Turn 3, Earnhardt hooked the rear of Waltrip’s car and the cars locking horns started a multi-car wreck. Geoff Bodine and Joe Ruttman also suffered the consequences of the wreck. Waltrip continues his story of the crash, as he said,

“I drove off into Turn 1, dropped the tire down off the track in the dirt and slid up the hill and bump into Dale a little bit. Not hard, I didn’t wreck him or anything. Coming off Turn 2 I thought to myself, ‘Man, Junior Johnson is going to be so proud of me. I moved Earnhardt out of the way, took the lead and I’m going to win this race.’ And about that time…”

A spell of chaos unfolded as cars gathered around slowly. Following the crash, Dale Earnhardt was handed a fine of $5,000 for intentional wrecking and sabotaging. However, despite a wreck and a penalty plaguing Earnhardt’s run, the race will continue to hold an iconic status, thanks to the stunt pulled by the fan-favorite Intimidator.

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