1991 season recap

Dale Earnhardt won his fifth NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship after being locked in a tight battle with Ricky Rudd as the season wound down. At times it seemed to be a battle of futility, as Earnhardt would call it the strangest NASCAR Winston Cup points competition he had ever been involved with. At times, it appeared neither driver wanted to win the title.

Earnhardt pulled away from his challengers late in the season, but the battle for second in the standings was a classic.

FIVE RACES TO GO:

North Wilkesboro, NC - Four-time and defending champion Dale Earnhardt entered the race at North Wilkesboro holding a 59-point lead over challenger Ricky Rudd. Earnhardt would leave the speedway with his second straight title in sight. The Intimidator played second fiddle to Harry Gant all day long as Gant dominated, leading 359 of 400 laps. However, with 12 laps remaining, Gant slowed with a busted break line. With 4.5 miles to go, Earnhardt streaked past Gant and drove to his fourth win of the season. Rudd finished 12th, one lap down, and fell 112 points in arrears.

FOUR RACES TO GO:

Charlotte, NC - This was the most telling event of the chase for the NASCAR Winston Cup title. Dale Earnhardt could have driven a final nail in Ricky Rudd's title hopes after an accident took Rudd out of the race on lap 232, placing him 32nd. Earnhardt took the lead after Rudd's departure, but trying to stay ahead of horsepower-laden Fords, Earnhardt's Chevrolet lost a piston and the defending champion finished 25th. He pulled into the garage area, got out of the car, looked over at Rudd and threw his hands in the air as if to say, "I guess neither one of us is going to win this championship." Earnhardt did extend his lead over Rudd to 138 points, while Davey Allison moved into third place in the standings, 237 points behind.

THREE RACES TO GO:

Rockingham, NC - Davey Allison became the man on the move at North Carolina Motor Speedway with his fourth win of the season, pulling him within 203 points of leader Dale Earnhardt but just 46 behind second place Ricky Rudd. Earnhardt was never a factor for the win, but finished seventh. Rudd came home 12th, three laps off Allison's blistering pace.

TWO RACES TO GO:

Phoenix, AZ - Davey Allison notched his second straight win and his fifth of the season, while moving into second in the standings. However, Dale Earnhardt's steady ninth place showing all but clinched the 1991 title. With a 156-point lead over Allison and a 165-point cushion over Rudd, all Earnhardt had to do at the season finale in Atlanta was start the race. The real battle would come down to Allison and Rudd for second.

FINAL RACE:

Hampton, GA - Defending champion Dale Earnhardt qualified fifth for the race at Atlanta and when the command is given Sunday morning to start his engine, The Intimidator was crowned the 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup champion and given the accompanying $1 million check from series sponsor Winston. It was his fifth overall and fourth in six seasons with Richard Childress Racing. Davey Allison is cruising to an easy victory with a seven-second lead midway through the race when his dead battery yields the lead to eventual race winner Mark Martin. Ricky Rudd takes advantage of Allison's troubles and reclaims second in the point standings, but a distant 195 points behind Earnhardt. Allison is third, 199 points back.