TEC | 1984 Season History

Earnhardt History
1984 Season
Earnhardt and Childress reunite

1984 Season

Starts	30
Wins	2
Top 5's	12
Top 10's	22
Points Rank	4

Crew Chief:
Kirk Shelmerdine

Car Owner:
Richard Childress

Car Make:
Chevy Monte Carlo

Car No: 3

Sponsor: Wrangler

Dale Earnhardt had become so disconsolate about the problems of making the Thunderbirds and their newly designed Ford engines competitive week after week that he began casting about to see who would be interested in his talent for the next year. To no one's surprise, Earnhardt announced that he would return to Richard Childress' team. Wrangler, which still had a contract remaining on its contract with Bud Moore, stepped up to the plate, signing a sponsorship program with Childress while committing to also honor its deal with Moore. Ricky Rudd, who was out of a ride when Earnhardt returned to Childress, accepted Moore's invitation to drive his Wrangler Fords.

Earnhardt won twice in what he and car owner Richard Childress called a "building year". One hard-fought win came in Talladega following a 10-car shoot-out in a race that saw 68 lead changes. Dale's second win came in Atlanta in November.

Earnhardt secured a fourth-place finish in the points after a strong final third of the season. Garage-watchers noted that his reunion with Childress was beginning to bear the kind of fruit of which championship contenders are made of.