In February 1989, Dale Earnhardt wrecked hard during a practice session at Daytona — not in a race, not in qualifying, but while simply preparing for speed. The crash destroyed the car, yet Earnhardt walked away and later spoke candidly about what happened. Behind the scenes, legendary car owner Junior Johnson echoed growing concerns across the garage: the cars were getting too fast for Daytona. It was a moment that didn’t change the rulebook overnight — but it planted a seed that NASCAR couldn’