‘He Wanted Dad To Be Proud’

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of the most influential and well-respected NASCAR racers of all time. His father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., popularly known as “The Intimidator,” was an even more legendary figure, with a seemingly unending list of achievements. Dale Sr.’s father Ralph Earnhardt was also a NASCAR racer who passed the tradition down three generations.

In this family tree is another Earnhardt who is often overlooked. Dale Jr.’s sister, Kelley Earnhardt, is one of the most influential women in the NASCAR business. She played a pivotal role in shaping his brother’s career, especially after the demise of their father.

A Glance at Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Early Years in NASCAR

The junior Earnhardt’s 19-year-long NASCAR career started in the 1996 Busch Series when he drove for DEI at Myrtle Beach. In the next two years, he won the Busch Series consecutively and transitioned to the Cup Series in 1999. In his debut year, he only got five starts and his first complete season came in 2000. That year, he won at Texas and Richmond in his No. 8 Chevrolet Monte Carlo and finished the season in the No. 16 position.

Being the son of a mighty NASCAR figure, Dale Jr. had to prove himself worthy of his legacy, and with enough promise on the track in his rookie year, he was already silencing the doubters.

In 2001, he started off the season opener Daytona 500 on a high note alongside Dale Sr. and finished as the runner-up. However, in the final lap of the race, his father’s car hit the outside wall at over 150 mph, which led to serious injuries that he succumbed to just hours later.

The tragedy took a serious toll, but Earnhardt Jr. refused to succumb to it and was back on track at Rockingham the very next week. The next few months were a roller-coaster ride for him, but he showed enough grit to grab a handful of top-10 spots.

Then came July 7, when Junior picked up pace late at the Daytona 500 and won the race. It was one of the most iconic and emotional wins of his career. From there, he won two more races that season and finished in the No. 8 spot.

Kelley Earnhardt on Her Brother’s Greatest Desire

Kelley Earnhardt was one of the few figures who watched her brother blossom from a little boy obsessed with racing to one of the biggest names in NASCAR. In an old talk with ESPN, Kelley shared glimpses of the father-son relationship of Dale Sr. and Dale Jr. She said her brother always wanted to make their father proud, be it with sports, good grades, or his skills on the track.

“I think, like all kids, he wanted Dad to be proud of the things he did in school, sports, etc. Because our dad traveled a ton and wasn’t always home to be a part of school and sports activities, it probably made that desire stronger than most.”

Furthermore, Junior went on to reveal that he idolized his father and that he just wasn’t the same man after his death.

Dale Jr. retired from racing in 2017 to pursue ventures in the business side of NASCAR. From 2002 until retirement, he won 26 Cup Races, including two Daytona 500s, and won the Most Popular Driver Award 15 times consecutively.