Dale Earnhardt vs. Geoff Bodine: The Rivalry That Keeps on Giving

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that if there was a Mount Rushmore of motorsports rivalries, the Geoff Bodine / Dale Earnhardt rivalry would be on it. Bodine details his side of one of the sport’s most talked about NASCAR feuds. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and co-host Mike Davis bring their favorite rivalries to the table of truth on The Dale Jr. Download.

[@daviclar867]

I remember those days. Geoff winning the '86 500 was foreshadowing the future of HMS Superspeedway dominance!

[@jimsachtjen119]

28 wins at Daytona and Talladega in approximately 75 races is impressive but hardly dominant. Chevy has been dominant but when the majority of the cars are Chevy that's expected.

[@DerrickRG]

@@jimsachtjen119 Wrong

[@onionhead5780]

Earnhardt and Bodine rivalry was the best action in nascar back then and I loved every minute of it.

[@dburton7929]

I just love this channel. You all, do such a great job. Thank you, everyone 🙏

[@anthonynelson9136]

Bodine kept poking the proverbial stick at Dale until Dale decided to open up a fresh case of caned whoop ass and started serving it up to Bodine. When Bill France Jr. gave the ultimatum to Dale he was banking on his friendship with Dale hoping Dale wouldn't cause a major uprising in Nascar. Back in those days, half the people that bought tickets came to see Dale race. He could have announced that he was not going to participate in the next few races and asked his fans to boycott with him, and the bleachers would have had a lot of extra seating room. Bill Elliott may have been voted the most popular driver at the time, but everyone knew who was really more popular. After all, you don't vote a guy called the intimidator for most popular driver, and that's how Dale wanted it.

[@gsipp00]

Yes Dale probably had the one if the largest following of loyal fans however it wasn't half the fans maybe at most a third but also the others hated his behind nobody more polarizing ....but there were plenty of other Drivers that had a nice following through the years. That being said few drivers created as much interest as Dale, love home or hate him he had impact. His loss plus the gradual retirement of many others that were fan favorite is one factor in the sports decline.... funny I started as a addicted fan in 1985 that was one of Dale's worst season had he been better that season I might have been become a part of his legion.

[@jasonmoyer]

Allison, Waltrip, and Elliott were more popular than he was. People forget how insanely popular those guys were.

[@kurtdavis7588]

Non nascar fans knew who Dale Earnhardt was. Race fans may have considered other drivers popular etc but the number 3 car was a popular icon

[@tammiea8552]

I was waiting for the Bodine brothers to kill each other. Love the rivalries!

[@drumminsonlive9199]

I remember Dale being interviewed about a wild game restaurant he was a part owner of and after going through a mention of all of the things on the menu Dale said hell we even got chicken if Bodine and Elliott want to eat here…

[@BuzzysStuff]

Love the content. Thanks mike and crew!!

[@jimsachtjen119]

Back then when there was a wreck all you had to do was wait for them to tell you which Bodine caused it.

[@ryanralph7494]

I remember being a kid and hearing my dad cussing up a storm about Bodines causing wrecks lol

[@jimsachtjen119]

@@ryanralph7494 He wasn't a dirty driver. Let's just say when there was some action on the track he somehow managed to be in the neighborhood.

[@ryanralph7494]

@@jimsachtjen119 oh I know that now. But as a 6-9 year old takes what dad says as a fact. Lol

[@BuzzysStuff]

Great content. Thanks Mike and crew!!

[@billtmarchi4320]

A video of an old road race between Dale and Geoff. Not sure what track. But if it's the camera angles or the open look of the track or the camera distance. But watching the cars going left and right slipping and sliding at high speed that showed up well in the camera . It was soo cool looking. Compared to today's road course with the closed courses close cameras switching camera every five seconds.looked it up dale and geoff "1987 riverside" video. Cool vid , watch

[@skittlecar1]

NASCAR needs that type of leadership again.

[@Jasontyo]

Bill France Jr to Dale Earnhardt: "You're not bigger than the sport. The sport will be here long after you...." How wrong he was

[@mikelavin9704]

Delusional support of one person combined with an astounding lack of self-awareness. You Earnhardt fans engage in idolatry. Wow!

[@bryandodd9243]

Just thinking about all the great stories sr would have to tell on the podcast only if seniors wreck wouldn't have been fatal.

[@drunkengamer6764]

Dude, I have thought the same thing so many times. It would’ve been epic!

[@bryandodd9243]

Would absolutely love to his story about waltrip at richmond and him talking about racing with tim richmond he was my 2nd favorite from that era

[@JonathanFinchum]

The truth of the matter from a fan's point of view is Bodine seem to always start the confrontations with Dale. Dale always got the blame and NASCAR took a blind eye to what Bodine was doing. Bodine drew an X on Dale's hood at Charlotte before the race during practice. That sort of thing wouldn't happen to any driver in the garage area today.

[@13Mizzou]

I'm kinda curious with how much more important sponsors are in today's Nascar if that rivalry would have lasted as long as it did in today's series

[@bryanbennett972]

When Bodine came South, from up North, we all starting calling Geoff by the name GOOF because that is how he acted.

[@mikelavin9704]

Wow! You manages not only to insult Bodine himself, but also the fans who saw him race modifieds (cars Dale would never havr lasted in, nor to my knowledge even attempted to drive) throughout the Northeast. NASCAR's oldest and, from my perspective, most competitive division remains stromg up here. As the years pass and provide perspective, I realize Earnhardt, Sr. fans remain perplexingly delusional about him. To his credit, Earnhardt, Jr. has handled the journey afterwards with class, humor, and decency. He provides great insight and conducts great interviews. The show about old racetracks was great!

[@sunshineage9838]

@@mikelavin9704 He didn't "manages" to insult him, he did. Only one delusional here is a guy that thinks racing mods equals seven series champs.

[@mikelavin9704]

The fall back for Earnhardt-obsessed fans always is the number of championships. He won thanks, in equal, if not larger parts, because of the team and owner that supported him blindly. Bodine drove all different types of race cars and even built them. Earnhardt did neither. In retrospect, I can see how the intensity of coverage networks provided to certain drivers more than others yielded fruit in your obsessive and unconditional defense of all things "Dale." Stunning!

[@markwise9868]

"Cue ball headed fool" was what I thought of when I first saw the name Bodine get brought up. LOL!

[@steventweed3599]

Question for Dale Jr.... Something occurred to me about the Kyle Busch situation. Y'all have buried the hatchet and you have expressed doubts about paying that much for a Charter. What are the chances of you, Kyle and Kellie forming a team together? It seems like a reasonable fit.

[@rusty_square6319]

I appreciate this honesty from jr.

[@GREENGENE18]

Go Geoff Bodine!

[@oldermusiclover]

ps is there some way you guys can put these programs on a DVD

[@oldermusiclover]

is there some reason why the program with Tony Jr not on TV yet and for some reason can't find these who progams on youtube

[@harleyfrank547]

Love your shirt dale !!

[@throber26]

Take a look at the finish at Martinville in March 1981 with Richie Evans and Weasel Bodine. There was no love between these two driver.

[@deantait8326]

I liked everyone involved except for Geoff. But I was terrified of Big Bill Jr.

[@mroptical1982]

Hello Dale and Mike and everyone at Dirty Mo Media I remember your Dad's rivalry with Jeff Bodine well. Wishing everyone there well Take Care Guys

[@Denverbroncos87]

It’s Geoff not Jeff…..

[@ashketchumsdad]

If i had a mount rushmore of nascar rivalries, no particular order Petty vs Pearson Dale vs Bodine Smokey vs the France Family Bobby vs Darrell. Honorable mention to Jeff and Dale 21st century Kevin vs Denny Brad vs Kyle Tony vs Goodyear Jeff vs Jimmie Honorable mention to Robby vs Nascar lol, and just penske vs gibbs as a whole

[@RRaquello]

They hated Bodine because he was a Yankee. Even more because he was from New York. Yeah, upstate New York, but still New York. They could take a guy from California or Indiana or Missouri winning, or even a New England guy like Pete Hamilton, but not New York. Sad thing is that if NASCAR had listened to Geoff & Todd Bodine, what they were saying about car safety and how the cars were build, Dale Sr. might be alive today. But they were Yankees from New York so what did they know about stock car racing?

[@Josxyz74vvTV]

I wonder what comparison 80s Hendrick equipment was to RCR I'm thinking like present day Gibbs to Front Row. That's a other reason believe Earnhardt was the goat never having top equipment while Johnson and petty stepped into top equipment from their very first start. I really wonder what dale could have done in the #5.

[@ryanralph7494]

Dale would've broken Nascar had he had a top car lol. Dude won 7 chips in mediocre equipment. Its Wild to think about

[@richardharvey8939]

Great 👍

[@mtj-vu4co]

I attended a lot of races in those days and many times Dale didn't have to hit Geoff , he would wreck himself when Dale approached him

[@tinahinshaw-rp6ku]

I went to high school with Geoff’s son Barry (Greensboro area). I drove a corvette with a black Earnhardt tag on the front. He absolutely hated anyone that was an Earnhardt fan. Us fans always got a kick out of that hate, and many would ask him how the race went the prior weekend (knowing his dad didn’t finish well or at all). He was his dad up and down…I will leave it at that. It’s still funny looking back on those times.

[@mrj3217]

This is whats will happen if Denny or MTG wreck Ross to end his championship run . You do a guy dirty like that expect to this kind of out come.

[@millertime97jm]

Huh. I knew about his rivalries with Darrell, Bill Elliot, and Jeff Gordon. I had no idea about Geoff Bodine.

[@gailtaylor1636]

What is the common denominator here? Nobody dare compete with Dale Sr or you gonna get wrecked? That's what I remember. Didn't care for the way he raced. Lot of guys now have that same attitude. LOVE Kenseth! He handled business.

[@spence7985]

Looks like nascar finally done it. They finally jumped the sport off the cliff. Electric cup cars next year with exciting engine sounds pumped through speakers. Yaaay. So actually the sport didn’t last too much longer after Dale was gone

[@lost94133]

I said to Bill he was wrong Dale Earnhardt was in fact bigger than Nascar it has been in decline ever since he left us and today I have absolutely no idea who's racing because I haven't watched since Nascar got woke

[@billlowe6883]

How many times did #3 wreck Bodine ?

[@mikesupthn18]

Dale Earnhardt fan here,alot.

[@Yankee7000]

Watch Junior’s interview of Geoff and you will see and hear Geoff say Dale was the one who wrecked Geoff several times and the reverse never happened even once.

[@gailtaylor1636]

@@Yankee7000 That was Dale Sr's standard modus operandi. If he couldn't outrun you, he wrecked you. No mercy.

[@sunshineage9838]

Not enough.

[@rodstanley881]

To this day seeing a Bodine on the race track pisses me off!!

[@davidivad123abc]

First!

[@bbrcummins1984]

The sport is barely hanging on since Dale Sr passed away, Nascar is a joke nowdays

[@sunshineage9838]

@@happyjohn8256 Nascar isn't a joke as jokes have value.

[@michaelsullivan1262]

Bodine WON! Still alive, dummies!

[@DerrickRG]

Smoothbrain comment.

[@sunshineage9838]

We can't all be seven time champs and ascend to glory.

[@mustangecoboosthpp3869]

Geoff Bodine never backed down to Earnhardt. He stood his ground.

[@corrodosoprano9667]

I disagree that the sport of Nascar was bigger than Dale Sr. because it hasn't been the same since he died. Nascar has turned to one novelty act after another trying to bring back the glory days and it ain't happened yet. I got news for Nascar we'll see Bigfoot before we will ever see Bubba Wallace win a championship.

[@justinnyquist5859]

I got news for you... NASCAR was, and still is bigger than Dale Earnhardt.... YES! Dale was a BIG draw... and YES! Its different without him. But let's just say if Dale never existed... NASCAR would still have been here, and would have still been just as popular as it was then, and as it is today WITHOUT HIM.

[@Aaron25thinfantry]

So true...many fans quit watching and those who didn't stopped after Jr stepped away. Like going to Chicago, they have no idea what fans want.

[@sunshineage9838]

@@justinnyquist5859 It isn't.

[@rwj3004]

@@Aaron25thinfantryif you stop watching or participating in a sport bc of another person or player then you didnt love the sport in the first place. You were just a fan of particular players or aspects

[@andrewforte]

I remember those days. Growing up in Chemung County and watching races at The Glen with my dad, you can guess who's side I was on (being a cocky teenager at the time). I watched Dale Sr's final race that day on TV. My wife wanted to do something, I don't remember what , saw Dale Sr crash, saw the checker flag and turned off the TV and went out. Did not realize what happened until the news that night and was saddened to hear that was his last race.

[@SGTJDerek]

I was in the same situation. I was in Walmart after the race when someone got a phone call and just let a scream and started crying. Wreck didn't look any worse than many others.

[@925CCARY]

And you all cry when Chastain runs his race .

[@ryanralph7494]

Thank you. Ross is the closest thing we've had to Dale Sr since his passing. Easily my favorite driver now

[@jimsachtjen119]

Running your race and being stupid don't work together.

[@ashketchumsdad]

@@ryanralph7494 lets not get carried away guy lol. You could say Tony, Kevin, or Kyle. Let Chastain stick around for awhile lol

[@mikesupthn18]

I was watching the race when Dale Earnhardt is put in the penalty box, ruined his race and cost him a lot of points. NASCAR needs to bring it back now. .

[@jimsachtjen119]

Penalty box lmao this ain't hockey.

[@mikesupthn18]

@@jimsachtjen119 to me,if it's good enough for Dale Earnhardt it's good enough for today's want to Bee's.

[@jimsachtjen119]

@@mikesupthn18 Whatever. Rules change and so do penalties. Last I checked they didn't ask our opinions. Nascar is more focused on not being the ones that decide the outcome of races then they once were. All depends on the level of stupid involved.

[@mikesupthn18]

@@jimsachtjen119 Jim your a hundred percent right, last time I checked too they didn't care about my opinions either. Glad talking to a racing fan. Peace.

[@TonyM132]

I am continually frustrated by NASCAR (and other sports series) not consulting my opinions when making rule changes. On the surface it sounds silly to say that, but is really is a true frustration too.

[@latriciabailey8359]

Geoff Bodine was the only driver who went toe to toe bumper to bumper smash to smash with Dale Earnhardt every week . Geoff Bodine fan for over 30 years. CHIP Bailey.

[@chadjustice8560]

Well I don't know how long the sport will be around after him because at every turn they are doing something stupid. The clash in a football stadium, way to many boring road courses and even worse idea to take away a road course for a street race lol all the while making rules and packages to benefit one team and one team only. It's bad when trucks and Busch give you better racing than cup.

[@billbrasky1288]

I like the Sad But True-ish riff lol

[@Aaron25thinfantry]

I'll never forget JR calling Todd Bodine a cue ball headed fool 🤣...Bill France was wrong...much of Nascar died with Dale Sr...

[@davidrice3337]

Turned out , Dale was bigger than the sport .....

[@JustinAH]

1986 Daytona 500, Wow! Those two were insane and F- the consequences

[@nascar88an3]

Will you ever race for Corvette again

[@MLMWarriors]

What ? Why?

[@dwtrksvc]

Uh, to be fair, they were almost bigger than the sport. 😉🏁🏁

[@TonyM132]

Was Dale even selling the most merchandise when this happened in 1988 (as he clearly did years later)? I doubt it. Elliott was winning most popular driver awards (via unfair voting in my opinion), and I would guess Petty and Waltrip were still selling the most T-shirts.

[@billschepers2696]

Yes

[@jetdriver]

So in other words in Days of Thunder when NASCAR brings in Cole and Rowdy for a lecture it was based on Earnhardt and Bodine.

[@q......]

If I could watch the entire podcast I would, but I don't want to listen to it, watching and listening is the entertaining bit.

[@jayceashline9669]

Geoff Bodine wasn’t intimidated.

[@zacharyradford5552]

He sure cried thought.

[@Ghostmotorfinger]

@@zacharyradford5552 A lot.

[@josephrosella7525]

What was that intro music. It rocked.

[@pamelamaloy9778]

❤❤❤❣🥰