By Rick Houston
1986 was a great year for Dale Earnhardt, Richard Childress Racing and crew chief Kirk Shelmerdine. Together, they won five races and the Winston Cup championship.
But then came the absolutely phenomenal success of 1987. They won six of the first eight races … 11 total of the year … and scored a second-straight title by nearly 500 points over runnerup Terry Labonte. Earnhardt was a star on the race track, and his Flying Aces pit crew ruled pit road.
But with that kind of success came expectation, and it was hard to live up to that kind of standard.
This is Kirk Shelmerdine’s story.
Join hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid each week on The Scene Vault Podcast Presented by Q Ware as they take a look back at the extraordinary people, places and events woven into the rich tapestry that is our sport.
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