In the closing laps of the popular Saturday night Rattle Hill Cage race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt led Terry Labonte and Jimmy Spencer


Saturday 28th August 1999

In the closing laps of the popular Saturday night Rattle Hill Cage race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt led Terry Labonte and Jimmy Spencer. Labonte pulled alongside Earnhardt in turn four, and the two cars touched as they took the white flag for one lap to go. Going into turn 1, Labonte took the lead. In turn 2, Earnhardt tagged Labonte in the rear bumper, sending Labonte spinning down the backstretch. Earnhardt went on to win, and Spencer slipped by for second. Terry Labonte, however, collected six other cars and wrecked. When Earnhardt climbed out of the car in victory lane, many of the 170,000 fans booed and waved the finger. Defending his action, Earnhardt said in his victory lane interview, “(I) didn’t mean really to turn him around, I meant to rattle his cage.” Earnhardt was widely criticized for the move, and others criticised NASCAR officials for not penalising him.


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