'That's the Toughest Man Alive Right There'

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Liz Clarke on "One Helluva Ride"

Washington Post reporter Liz Clarke talks about her new book about "One Helluva Ride: How NASCAR Swept the Nation," an excerpt of which appears in Sunday's editions.

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But Gordon's learning curve accelerated faster than most anyone thought possible. No driver won more NASCAR races than Gordon in 1995. He visited Victory Lane seven times and proved a quick study in racing with restrictor plates, winning the 400-mile race at Daytona in July. And though Gordon would squander most of a 205-point lead down the stretch, he became, at 24, the youngest driver in the modern era to win a Winston Cup championship. Gordon edged Earnhardt for the title by 34 points. In doing so, he denied Earnhardt the eighth championship that would have broken his tie with Richard Petty and established him, without dispute, as history's greatest stock-car racer.

Gordon was sensitive to the awkwardness of the occasion as NASCAR's top drivers, accompanied by their bejeweled wives, donned tuxedos to fete him at the season-ending awards banquet in New York that December. So from the stage of the Waldorf-Astoria's ballroom, the young champion proposed a toast to Earnhardt, who looked on from his table, dressed to the nines. On cue, a waiter carrying a silver tray strode on stage and presented Gordon with a crystal flute filled with milk. Gordon turned to Earnhardt and raised his glass, conceding he probably was too young for champagne, anyway.

Earnhardt roared.

And the seven-time NASCAR champion raised a glass of champagne in reply, saluting the driver who was, undeniably, stock-car racing's future.

Daytona Beach, Fla. -- February 1997

Drivers spend lifetimes dreaming of the Daytona 500 trophy. Engine builders indulge in the same fantasy, as do NASCAR mechanics, who live for a chance to have a hand in assembling the winning car.

But if 38 runnings of the Daytona 500 had proved anything, it was that the trophy didn't necessarily go to the most courageous driver or the fastest car or the hardest-working crew. Winning the Daytona 500 was as vexing a challenge as there was in stock-car racing. Few knew this better than Earnhardt, who had won everything else on Daytona's high banks -- 125-mile qualifying races, 300-mile Grand National races, 400-mile Winston Cup races -- but never the 500.

Earnhardt had fallen short 18 times, and his record of futility included some memorable gaffes and misadventures. He ran out of gas with three laps to go while leading the race in 1986. He led on the final lap in 1990 only to cut a tire and limp home fifth. In 1991, he plowed into a seagull on the back straightaway, damaging his car's snout and doing far worse to the bird. He led on the final lap again in 1993 but was passed by Jarrett, who had studied the champion's drafting technique over the years as closely as Gordon would later.

In 1997, Earnhardt found himself again in a position to win. Two-time Daytona 500 winner Bill Elliott led the race with 11 laps to go. On his bumper were five cars running nose to tail at more than 190 mph. Earnhardt was second, followed by Gordon, Jarrett, [Ernie] Irvan and Terry Labonte, each separated by less than a car length.

That's when Gordon made his move, pulling up on the inside of Earnhardt. "Ooh, this is gonna be close," Gordon thought as he squeezed past. Earnhardt's car skimmed the outside wall, bounced back and brushed the No. 24, then got rear-ended by Jarrett. The contact turned Earnhardt's Chevy sideways, and it flipped end over end down the backstretch before finally coming to rest, a smoking wad of sheet metal.

The caution flag flew. Amid the hush that followed, Earnhardt crawled from the wreckage, waved to the screaming fans and headed toward the waiting ambulance. He took one last look at his car and stopped. All four wheels were on and reasonably aligned. He walked over and asked a track worker to try firing the ignition. The motor roared to life.

"Give me my car back!" Earnhardt snapped. And he climbed in the window, steered back onto the track and fell in line under the caution, determined to complete all 200 laps and earn whatever points were still in play for his run at the season's title.

Meanwhile, up at the front of the field, Elliott had no teammates to help fend off the Hendrick [Motorsports] onslaught. It was one car against three, and Elliott knew it was hopeless.