What if Willy T. Ribbs hadn't been arrested?

[Jahgee]

As some fans of NASCAR may know, Dale Earnhardt wasn't the first choice for the car that he eventually drove for his first race, Willy T. Ribbs was. But after skipping 2 practices and getting arrested for speeding and evading the cops, Humpy Wheeler decided to go with his second choice, Dale Earnhardt. Now my question for you, members of GTPlanet is simple, if Willy wasn't arrested, where would he and Earnhardt be right now? I am pressed for time, so I will answer at a later date.

 

[Pupik]

Willy T. Ribbs was a good, but not great, racing driver. He achieved no serious results in CART/IndyCar, tallied no IMSA GTP wins (although a few GTO/GTU wins with AAR). He broke the color barrier, but he wasn't a spectacular driver. His attitude and hot-headed behavior probably didn't help either. So I don't think he would have been a particularly impressive Grand National/Winston Cup driver either.

So much time elapsed between 1978 and 2001, that it's almost impossible to tell how successful Dale Earnhardt would or wouldn't have been. NASCAR was not a super-exclusive club, so he likely just would have made his mark a little later.

 

[ICEYOU]

Well he probably wouldn't be one of the 7-Time Champions that's for sure.