While the 1987 NASCAR Dash series champion never quite reached the promised land of NASCAR superstardom at the Cup level, his competitiveness and ability to overachieve seemingly out of nowhere helped frame the strength of the combined field of competitors during this time. While the Dale Earnhardts and Jeff Gordons of the era will go down deservedly as the great ones, drivers like Stricklin help prove this theory of exceptionalism to my mind. The sweet spot of economic strength, accessible viewing opportunities, comparatively affordable sponsorship, and a talent pool that may have been the most refined and prepared of all time gave us all a truckload of memories and a strong desire to somehow “go back.” One of the first driver names that come to my mind when thinking of this Golden Age is Alabama’s Hut Stricklin. It’s a struggle to see our way around the rose tinted fog of nostalgia, but the hard facts show us a strong argument for this notion. There’s no denying it, the last two decades of the 20th century were some of the best all-around experiences the sport of American stock car auto racing could ever hope to achieve. We talk a lot about NASCAR in the context of the “good ol’ days” around here.
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