The week of November 8 holds a defining moment from 1990 that shaped one of NASCAR‘s greatest championship battles.
Dale Earnhardt’s Phoenix Masterclass
On November 4, 1990, Dale Earnhardt delivered perhaps the most dominant performance of his career at Phoenix International Raceway. Entering the race 45 points behind Mark Martin with only two races remaining, Earnhardt needed perfection. He got it, leading 262 of 312 laps and leaving the desert with a six-point championship lead.
The Phoenix victory represented Earnhardt’s first win at the track and would be his only victory there. Rusty Wallace won the pole, but nobody could touch the black No. 3 Chevrolet once the green flag dropped. Earnhardt controlled the race from start to finish, putting on a clinic in desert racing that completely flipped the championship momentum.
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The Richmond Penalty That Changed Everything
Martin’s season had been defined by controversy. At the second race in Richmond, NASCAR discovered a carburetor spacer plate in his Ford that was bolted on instead of welded. The part wasn’t technically oversized or illegal, but NASCAR penalized Martin 46 points anyway after Earnhardt and team owner Richard Childress protested the finish. Martin kept the victory but lost nearly two races worth of points for what amounted to a gray area interpretation.
That penalty haunted Martin all season. The 45-point deficit heading to Phoenix existed because of NASCAR’s decision at Richmond in February. Earnhardt’s Phoenix masterpiece turned that advantage into a lead Martin couldn’t overcome.
The following week at Atlanta Motor Speedway on November 18, 1990, Earnhardt finished third to secure his fourth Winston Cup championship by 26 points over Martin. The Phoenix race became the turning point, the moment when Earnhardt seized control and never let go.
Tragically, the Atlanta finale was also marred by the death of Mike Ritch, a pit crew member on Bill Elliott’s team. Ricky Rudd locked his brakes entering pit road, lost control of the Levi Garrett No. 5, and struck Ritch. The accident led to sweeping pit road safety changes implemented for the 1991 season, including permanent speed limits and new procedures that remain in place today.
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