"That's where our friendship began" - When Richard Childress emotionally reflected on his favorite story about Dale Earnhardt

During the 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame ceremony, Richard Childress opened up on his first interaction with Dale Earnhardt and called it his favorite story with the NASCAR legend. As per Childress, he first met Earnhardt as a competitor before bringing him under the Richard Childress Racing banner.

Before opening one of the most successful Cup Series teams, Childress raced for over a decade in the NASCAR series as an independent driver. Although he failed to make a mark as a stock car driver, he made it to the victory lane in an exhibition Cup race in July 1974 at the Metrolina Speedway.

The Hall of Famer took the checkered flag amongst the likes of legendary drivers like Earnhardt Sr. and Cale Yarborough. However, it was an unofficial Grand National race, but for the 79-year-old Childress, this was his fondest memory with Dale Sr., as he had a brief interaction with his eventual driver.

While giving his acceptance speech at the NASCAR Hall of Fame Awards, Childress said:

"The one[Dale Sr. story] I can think of that really stands out it's the first time I met Dale and we were racing down at Metrolina Speedway on a Grand National Race that Ned Jarrett put together that day. [I] was coming into turn[...] I made it back around and won the race."

"After the race we standing there... Dale was there and with the old Dale Earnhart style he walked over and poked me in the chest and said, 'Next time I race with you, I will win.' What history never knew from that day. Great times. That's where our friendship began and lasted many years," Childress added.

Dale Earnhardt joined RCR in 1984 and went on to win six more Cup Series championships in the iconic NO. 3. However, Childress once revealed that he had to risk everything he had to bring Dale Sr. under the RCR team.

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"If I failed at that, I'd probably fail it all,": Richard Childress opened up on putting together a deal with Dale Earnhardt

In a 2019 interview, Richard Childress took a trip down memory lane and reflected on signing Dale Earnhardt for RCR's survival. Speaking with veteran driver Kyle Petty, the North Carolina native Childress touched upon the importance of NASCAR legend Dale Sr. at RCR.

In the Motorsports on NBC video, Childress said:

"So I went out and borrowed everything I could back then to make that work in the end and put everything on the line and I knew if it could go out and run good, we'd have a chance of putting another driver a car or be able to go out and put a deal together," Childress said. (10:45)

"But I knew we had to run good and here I have a champion who was gonna be a star, he was a star already. But he was coming to a really big star and I knew if it failed at that, I'd probably fail it all. So I just put everything on the line," he added.

Dale Sr. competed for the Chevy roster for almost 17 years before his tragic death at the 2001 Daytona 500 race.