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1982 - Hitting A Career Low
Bud Moore, a highly respected car owner, first became involved in NASCAR ownership during the association's second year in 1950 and became a full-time owner in 1961. On the impressive list of drivers who drove for Bud Moore before Dale Earnhardt joined him were seven Grand National or Winston Cup champions, including Joe Weatherly, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough and some more. Bud Moore and his drivers had produced 73 victories by the time Dale arrieved. In other words, if Dale was gun-shy about car owners following his chaotic 1981 season- during which he drove for three separate owners and won zero races- Bud Moore seemed the perfect remedy.
Unfortunately, Dale's decision had the exact opposite effect. The Bud Moore-Dale Earnhardt team never clicked. The 1982 season tourned out to be the worst of Dale's career. The once-promising star finished the year a carrer-low 12th in the point standings, more than 1,000 points behind repeat champion Darrell Waltrip. The
most glaring statistic in Dale's 1982 performance in his 18 DNFs. The
inability to finish races destroyed the competitive racer's chances at
his favorite things, wins and championships. The DNFs piled up quickly:
only once did Dale Earnhardt enjoy a run of three Not surprisingly, Dale's Top 5 and Top 10 finishes dropped to below-rookie-season levels and his average finish for the season was a career-worst 18.8. Despite the disappointment and increased sideline time, Dale showed signs of strenght. He broke a then-career-high 39-race winless streak in the Darlington spring race, the first of nine career Darlington victories for Dale. Moore's team also helped Dale to his first qualifying pole in three seasons (at Atlanta).
Another positive sign for Dale Earnhardt was his ability to charge to front of the pack. Though he didn't complete many laps in 1982 (a career-low 7,208), he managed to lead a lot while on the track. He led the most laps in four races and led a total of 1,062 laps, both third best in the series 1982.
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After
the off-track instability and on-track inconsistency of 1981, Dale
Earnhardt sought a steady, reliable hand in his choice of owner in 1982.
He signed with Bud Moore to drive the No.15 Ford Thunderbird (yes, Chevy
fans, he drove a Ford).
consecutive
races in which he was running at the end. In the season's final 13
events, Dale pulled behind the wall 11 times, including the final eight
races consecutively.