Dale Earnhardt Wins the 1995 Brickyard 400

The final dash to the checkered was far from a joyride for Earnhardt. He narrowly missed the spinning car of Jeff Burton right after taking the lead on Lap 133, an accident that triggered the only caution period of the race.

Earnhardt’s victory was the biggest of his Hall of Fame career to that point, surpassed only by his emotional sole win in the Daytona 500 in 1998. But he couldn’t resist a playful jab after his Brickyard victory at his archrival and inaugural Brickyard winner Gordon, whom Earnhardt often called a “boy” because Gordon was 20 years younger than him.

“I’m glad I’m the second man to have won, if not the first,” Earnhardt said. “We really appreciate it. NASCAR is happy to be here.”