The Five Most Significant Off-Season Moves In NASCAR History
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
NASCAR has a rich history of big-time moves that have taken place during its off-season, here are the five most impactful of all of those moves.
The NASCAR silly season is something to always look forward to and when the season rolls around most fans are excited about the possibility of a championship. Some fans are also interested to see if their driver can improve with their new team for the new season and in 2017 that is no different. Clint Bowyer, Erik Jones, Greg Biffle and Ty Dillon will all be with new teams to begin the 2017 season. Whether these moves will be have a major impact on the future of NASCAR remains to be seen.
There have been some big moves during the NASCAR offseason that have changed the course of history. We break down the five most significant off-season moves in NASCAR history.
Before we get started there are a few things I would like to mention. First the moves have to consist of full-time drivers who were with another Cup Series team at the season before they made their move. It cannot be a move where a driver was signed off from a NASCAR Xfinity Series team and brought up to the Sprint Cup Series. For example, Jeff Gordon’s move from Bill Davis Racing to Hendrick Motorsports would not count since Gordon never ran a Sprint Cup Series race for Bill Davis Racing.
The same goes for future champions Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson. Keselowski never ran full-time for Hendrick Motorsports before making his jump to Penske Racing prior to the 2010 season.
Also, not included are mid season moves. This would eliminate any move that occurred during a racing season, for example David Pearson’s sudden departure from the Wood Brothers Racing team in the middle of the 1979 season cannot be included as well.
Any move prior to 1972 is also not eligible. Back in the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s several big named drivers drove for two or more teams during a season that consisted of 50+ races. That all changed in 1972 when Winston took over the naming rights of what was then the NASCAR Grand National Series. Winston cut every race from the schedule that were 300 miles or less and made the series run just one race a week, rather than three or four races a week, which were common up until 1972. From that point forward drivers usually drove for one team during the season as the 30 race schedule was much more possible to do with one team.
With that being said, here are the top five most significant off-season moves in NASCAR history.
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Honorable Mention – Dale Earnhardt Jr joins Hendrick Motorsports.
In one of the most memorable moves in recent history, NASCAR’s most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr announced during the 2007 season that he was leaving Dale Earnhardt Incorporated to pursue other options.
Earnhardt had been driving for the team his father built since his NASCAR career began back in 1996. Earnhardt had a lot of success driving for the organization. He won two NASCAR Busch Series championships in 1998 and 1999 and moved to the Cup Series full-time in the 2000 season. Earnhardt had a great rookie season, winning two races and finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting to Matt Kenseth.
Dale Earnhardt Incorporated would change forever on February 18, 2001 when team owner and NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt was killed on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. The team would be ran by Earnhardt’s wife Tersea from that point forward. The organization was still able to find success through the 2004 season, including a six win season in 2004 which saw Earnhardt Jr narrowly miss the championship.
After losing the championship in 2004 things began to fall apart for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The team would win just two races over the next three seasons and rumors began to swirl that Earnhardt Jr wanted to buy his father’s race team and have a partnership with his step-mother Teresa. The deal never materialized and Earnhardt was NASCAR’s hottest free agent entering the 2008 season.
Rumors began early that Earnhardt, a avid Washington Redskins fan, would like to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. Those rumors were quickly shot down after JGR announced they were moving to Toyota for 2008. Earnhardt, a loyal driver to Chevrolet, was no longer a fit for the organization.
Then it became clear that Kyle Busch would not return to Hendrick Motorsports for the 2008 season. Busch, a 22 year old driver who wore his passion on his sleeve, was young but at the time an unproven driver. He had won just four races in those seasons and the possibility of Earnhardt becoming a driver at Hendrick Motorsports became more likely.
On June 13th, 2007 it was announced that Earnhardt would join the Hendrick Motorsports stable and with the announcement, paired one of NASCAR’s best drivers with it’s top race team. It looked like a match made in Heaven.
However, Earnhardt struggled in his first four years at Hendrick Motorsports winning just one race and finishing in the top ten in points just once. There was no doubt changes needed to be made.
Changes were made prior to the 2011 season and Earnhardt was now paired with crew chief Steve Letarte. Letarte and Earnhardt hit it off and the results improve dramatically. Since the change to Letarte Earnhardt has made the Chase every season and in 2014 won his second Daytona 500. He also won four races in 2014, marking his highest total since 2004.
Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated was in operation for just one more season before the team merged with Chip Ganassi Racing prior to the 2009 season to form Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing. In 2014, team owner Chip Ganassi announced that the Earnhardt name would be dropped from the team marking the official end of Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.
Earnhardt replaced Kyle Busch at Hendrick Motorsports who went on to have a stellar career at Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch has had a ton of success in his seven years with the team winning 25 races, which is in the top five in NASCAR during that time period.
The only thing holding this move back is the lack of consistency in Earnhardt’s first four years at Hendrick Motorsports.
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
No.5 – Dale Jarrett Moves to Robert Yates Racing, Bobby Labonte Replaces Jarrett at Joe Gibbs Racing.
It was prior to the 1995 season that Robert Yates Racing announced that veteran Dale Jarrett was hired to drive the No.28 Havoline/Texaco Ford. Jarrett had just spent three roller-coaster seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing. Jarrett’s three years at JGR included his infamous victory in the 1993 Daytona 500 and victory at Charlotte in October of 1994. However, Jarrett failed to finish in the top ten in points just once in his three seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing.
Jarrett’s career at Robert Yates Racing got off to a sluggish start. Jarrett crashed a lot of racecars and found himself a dismal 16th in the point standings through 16 races. However, things turned around for Jarrett in the second half of the season. He won the Miller Genuine Draft 500 at Pocono in July and from that point forward Jarrett was a different driver. He ended the season 13th in the standings and the turn around helped sell sponsorship for a second car at Robert Yates Racing in 1996. The sponsorship was from Ford, who sported their Quality Care/Ford Credit program. Being paired with crew chief Todd Parrott, Jarrett thrived in the No.88 Ford becoming a major force in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Jarrett won two more Daytona 500’s and the 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup championship. All together Jarrett won 28 races at the organization and became a Hall of Fame racecar driver. The move from Joe Gibbs Racing to Robert Yates Racing was the biggest move of Jarrett’s career.
Jarrett’s replacement at Joe Gibbs Racing was former NASCAR Busch Series champion Bobby Labonte. Labonte was entering his third season in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in 1995 after two pretty successful seasons at Bill Davis Racing. Still, Labonte was an unproven young driver entering the 1995 campaign. Labonte quickly silenced any doubters as he won three races that season and finished 10th in the point standings. Labonte’s success would continue for the next several seasons. He would win 21 races in his time at Joe Gibbs Racing including the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
No.4 – Rusty Wallace Joins Penske Racing
Rusty Wallace was one of NASCAR’s best drivers entering the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series season. He was just one year removed from winning the 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship and shown he could be a dominate force on the right team. Wallace got his break when he joined drag racing star Raymond Beadle’s Blue Max Racing team to start the 1986 season. Wallace turned into a star for Beadle’s team winning 18 races from 1986-1990. Although everything seemed to heading in the right directions there was distress between Wallace and team owner Raymond Beadle.
During Wallace’s championship winning in the 1989 season Wallace sued the owner due to breach of contract. After the 1990 season Beadle sold his equipment to legendary Indy car owner Roger Penske. Penske was making his first pursuit into NASCAR since the mid 1970’s. Wallace, with sponsor Miller Genuine Draft, was the driver Penske wanted.
From 1991-2005 Wallace drove for Penske Racing and was one of NASCAR’s best pairings. The team turned around when they hired legendary crew chief Buddy Parrott for Wallace after two seasons that produced just three victories. Wallace won 10 races in 1993, losing to the championship to Dale Earnhardt by just 80 points.
The 1993 season would catapult Wallace into a consistent force in NASCAR for the next 13 years. From 1994-2001 he won 34 races for the organization and would finish in the top ten in points for the next ten seasons. The partnership between Wallace and Penske Racing produced a lot of success and helped build Wallace into a Hall of Fame driver, which he earned in 2013.
No. 3 – Darrell Waltrip Joins Junior Johnson & Associates
Darrell Waltrip’s NASCAR career started in 1972 when he owned his own race team and tried Winston Cup racing for the first time. Waltrip had decent success as an owner driver and by 1975 Waltrip won his first career NASCAR Winston Cup Series race at Nashville Speedway.
It was also in 1975 that Waltrip caught the eye of car owner Billy Gardner. During the Firecracker 400 at Daytona Waltrip out ran Gardner’s driver Donnie Allison. A few weeks later Allison was let go from DiGard Racing and Gardner wanted to hire Waltrip as his replacement. After meeting Gardner at a gas station on the way home from the track, Waltrip originally turned down Gardner’s offer to drive his No. 88 car. Waltrip had his own team and didn’t want to see his guys out of work. However, Waltrip was broke and needed the money and later told Gardner he was interested in the ride.
Waltrip’s partnership with DiGard Racing began at the midpoint of the 1975 season and ran through the 1980 season. Waltrip won 26 races for the organization and finished in the top five in points in his last four seasons with the organization.
It was during the 1980 season that Waltrip was approached by fellow competitor Cale Yarborough. Yarborough drove for car owner Junior Johnson who at the time had the best team in NASCAR. Yarborough told Waltrip he was thinking about leaving Junior Johnson’s team to run a partial schedule and that Waltrip should talk to Johnson about taking over for him. Waltrip, who was becoming increasingly unhappy with his contract at DiGard Racing, happily obliged.
After a long negotiation with DiGard Racing Waltrip was let go of his contract and free to go to Johnson’s organization. It was a match made in Heaven.
Waltrip would win back to back championships in 1981 and 1982, winning 24 races in those two seasons. All together Waltrip would win 43 races in his seven years with the team adding another championship in 1985. He moved to Hendrick Motorsports in 1987 and never again found the same success he had with Junior Johnson.
Junior Johnson & Associates would never be the same either. While Terry Labonte, Geoff Bodine and Bill Elliott all drove the No.11 car for Johnson after Waltrip, none of them experienced the same success Waltrip had with the team. Bill Elliott nearly won the 1992 championship with the team, but that was the closest the team ever came to another championship. Johnson would sell his team after the 1995 season.
Dale Earnhardt joined Richard Childress Racing for a second time in 1985. It helped propel Earnhardt to become one of the best drivers in NASCAR history. (courtesy: cmt.com)
No. 2 – Dale Earnhardt Joins Richard Childress Racing, Again
Dale Earnhardt’s quick success on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit seemed to end as quick as it began. Earnhardt won the 1979 NASCAR Rookie of the Year title with team owner Rod Osterlund. Just one year later, Earnhardt was a Winston Cup champion.
However, not everything was going great. Earnhardt lost his crew chief Jake Elder during his 1980 championship run. Elder developed a rift with other team members and decided to leave the organization. By mid-1981 Osterlund fell on hard times and had to sell his race team to business man J.D. Stacy. Earnhardt did not want to drive for Stacy and began weighing his options.
Richard Childress was a solid competitor on the NASCAR Grand National tour from 1971-1981. He would finish in the top ten in points five times but in 1981 Childress began to see the sport changing a little bit and decided it was best to hang up his driving shoes and sign Earnhardt, who brought sponsor Wrangler with him. Earnhardt finished the year at Richard Childress Racing but Earnhardt decided to go in a different direction for 1982 and signed with Bud Moore Engineering.
Earnhardt moved to Bud Moore’s team and drove there through 1984, winning just four races in three seasons. It wasn’t that Earnhardt had lost any talent but the combination of Earnhardt’s aggressive driving style and Moore’s conservative approach made for inconsistency. After his contract was up following the 1984 season Earnhardt and sponsor Wrangler called up an old friend in Richard Childress and the duo began their second tenure together in 1985 and the rest as they say is history.
Earnhardt would win 66 races for Richard Childress Racing from 1985-2001 including six NASCAR championships. Earnhardt’s skill matched with the talented group of mechanics and pit crew made for a perfect match and the team was quickly becoming the most dominate team of that era. Whether it was a short track, speedway or superspeedway Earnhardt and the No.3 team were a favorite to win most times than not. His four champions in a stretch of five seasons was one of the most dominate times anyone had in NASCAR.
Earnhardt became known as “The Intimidator” because of his aggressive style and some fans loved it but some fans hated. No matter what side of the fence you were on, there is no doubt that Earnhardt’s move to Richard Childress Racing in 1985 was legendary and became one of the most successful team/driver combination in NASCAR history.
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
No. 1 – Richard Petty Leaves Petty Enterprises to Drive for Curb Racing
In one of the biggest surprises during NASCAR’s silly season, seven time Winston Cup Series champion Richard Petty decided that he needed a change and left his family ran organization following the 1983 season.
At the time Richard Petty was NASCAR’s biggest name and Petty Enterprises was the most legendary team in NASCAR history. The team began in 1949 with Richard’s father, Lee as driver. Lee Petty became the first three-time champion in NASCAR history. After a devastating crash during the 1961 Daytona 500 that saw Lee Petty break several bones in his body, Lee Petty’s racing career was over and Richard Petty became the lead driver at Petty Enterprises. At the time Lee Petty retired, following the 1964 season, he led all of NASCAR with 54 victories.
Richard Petty began racing in 1959, when he ran in the inaugural Daytona, the same race his father Lee won. Richard won his first career race in 1960 at the Southern State Fairgrounds and so began his assault on NASCAR. Petty would go on to become the King of NASCAR, winning the Daytona 500 a record seven times and recording a record seven championships.
From 1962 through 1977 Petty would win an unbelievable 180 races including winning over ten races a season eight times. In that time period Petty would win six championship and five Daytona 500’s. It was the most dominate period anyone ever has had or will have in NASCAR history.
However, the dominance began to fade a little bit when Petty would go win-less in 1978. The team came back in 1979 and won five races including the Daytona 500 and the 1979 championship but the days of dominate days of Petty Enterprises were fading. Petty would win two races in 1980 and then win the 1981 Daytona 500, his final victory in the prestigious event.
However, it was after that race it was learned that Petty’s crew chief and second cousin Dale Inman was leaving the organization effective March 1st. Inman was Petty’s crew chief since he began racing in 1959 and was a big reason why Petty Enterprises was so dominate for so many years. Inman left to oversee Rod Osterlund’s operation with driver Dale Earnhardt.
That was the beginning of a lot of changes at Petty Enterprises the next couple of seasons. In 1982, Petty would go win-less once again. He would win three races in 1983 putting his total victories at 198. His 198th victory, though came with loads of controversy.
Petty won the October 9th, Miller High Life 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in dramatic fashion. The anticipation for Richard Petty winning 200 races had been going on for several seasons so all of Petty’s wins would get major attention from the media. That October day was no different.
However, NASCAR officials found some violations on Petty’s car after the race including a significantly bigger engine and four left side tires on his car. The team was fined $25,000 and docked 104 Winston Cup points due to the incident. Petty kept the victory but the team was never the same. Speculation grew that there was a rift going on with the team after the incident.
Then the news came out that Petty himself was leaving Petty Enterprises, in a shocking development. Petty claimed it was to focus on his own racing and focus on just one racecar. Petty would move to Curb Racing for the 1984 season, where’d he win two races including his 200th win in the July Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
He would remain with the team through the 1985 before moving back to Petty Enterprises in 1986. Petty would never win again and would drive through the 1992 season with limited success. The team wouldn’t find victory lane again until 1996 when Bobby Hamilton won at Phoenix. It was the organization’s first victory since 1983. Hamilton would win one more race for the team, in 1997 at Rockingham. The team would win their final race at Martinsville in 1999 with driver John Andretti. It was the organizations 268th and final victory.
Petty Enterprises would merge with Gillette Evernham Motorsports and Yates Racing in 2009. The merger turned into what is now known as Richard Petty Motorsports.
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