Whenever anyone talks of NASCAR drivers, Dale Earnhardt Sr. is the first driver that comes to their mind. The impact he had on the sport and his opponents earned him the moniker the ‘Intimidator’. When he won his first Daytona 500 in 1998 on the 20th start of his career at the race, the entire garage, irrespective of the teams, came to greet and congratulate him. This moment became iconic for its show of respect and camaraderie within the NASCAR community. And, Dale Earnhardt Jr., his son, carries the legacy forward with his impact to bind the sport. But he has some personal things to share through an upcoming show.
On a podcast, Junior took the opportunity to reflect on his past, shedding light on the family’s resilience, strength, and the deeply rooted personal challenges that followed after the demise of the Intimidator. As the Earnhardt siblings gear up for the release of their late father’s documentary titled ‘Earnhardt ‘, they visited the ‘Rubbin Is Racing’ show. Here, Kelley Earnhardt and Dale Jr. shared how they cope with the loss and what it truly means to carry the Earnhardt name.
A stark contrast or complete flip?
On the podcast interview, Kelley and Junior had a very candid conversation about a dark day in NASCAR history, February 18—the loss of their father. They go on to talk about how they have lived with the fact every single year. And, their responses show how the Earhardt siblings are different people, in terms of choices and responses. While one of them is under constant grief of the day coming back, the other doesn’t quite seem to remember the bad day and lives for the optimism. Then who’s who?
Let’s start with Dale Earnhardt Jr., the man behind JR Motorsports and the driving force of Amazon’s NASCAR broadcast on Prime Video. Upon being asked what reminds them of the dreadful day every year, Junior said, “I don’t, um, the only thing that does that to me is just an image of the crash, right? So, him on the fence with Strader, and all the actual imagery of the wreck or a video of it is the only unpleasant thing for me. But I hardly even know that it’s that day until somebody walks up to me and says, ‘Hey, man, thinking about you today.’ And I’m like, ‘Why’ they say that?” Well, that’s a good way to escape grief. One picture or video could spoil his happily progressing day, and that does not happen very often. But does he remember the date?
As it turns out, NO! But he shed light on the date he remembers. “You know, I couldn’t even tell you the date. I know he was born on the 29th of August (it was a slip-up, corrected by Kelley)… April, thank you… The 29th of April. He’s like the day before my daughter was born, but I…. What was it February 18th, 2001? Like, I don’t even register with me, but I’m a little different,” Junior said. It might be because of his age or clarity. The man just remembers all the times their father has been there for them and has overcome grief with acceptance. But memories are not too kind to Kelley.
Like Junior, Kelley said, “No, I don’t like to see the crash.” It is trauma-inducing to a certain extent for her. “You know, I think for me, because the 18th always doesn’t fall on the Sunday of Daytona. I think that’s one thing that allows you not to completely think about it, um, and it’s a little similar. I prepare myself before the 18th to say this is coming, and then somebody on the 18th says something to me, right? Like brings it up or whatever, but um, I sort of get in front of myself to kind of prepare myself,” she said. The sentiment she goes through, if imagined, takes a toll on the strongest of people! That’s a complete yin-yang-like difference in the siblings.
While Dale Jr. lets the day go by, Kelley feels it approaching. And in that very contrast lies something quietly profound—not just a difference in coping, but a reminder that grief isn’t one story. But, you know? The past has shown how Kelly has been there with her brother throughout.
Dale Jr.’s anchor through his harshest days: Kelley Earnhardt
In the days and weeks that followed Intimidator’s crash, Dale Jr., only 26 at that time, found himself shouldering the pressure of a grieving nation, a racing career constantly in the spotlight, and a legacy that is too big for him to escape. Kelley, then 28, stepped into a role that was both natural and needed, sidelining her grieving for a while. She added, saying, “We leaned on each other a lot. He needed someone to remind him it was okay to grieve, that he didn’t have to bear it alone.”
Kelley also recalls their childhood, saying, “We’re from divorced parents early, and then we moved from our mom to our dad. And so — and then our dad was working hard to make his career.” She also adds on, saying, “We spent a lot of weekends with family or friends. It was just the two of us. So we bonded, you know, really early in life and just always were there to look after each other.”
While headlines dissected stats and legacies, she focused on something more human—making sure her brother didn’t get lost in the surrounding noise. Kelley stepped up and guided the then-young Dale Jr., helping him steady himself as she continued grieving her loss, too. It definitely takes a lot of strength to do so. Their bond, rooted in early independence and reinforced by shared loss and pain, was more than a footnote in the aftermath of the loss of Dale Sr., and perhaps that’s the part of the Earnhardt story that gets overlooked.
How do you think the documentary will perform? Are you looking forward to it? Let us know in the comments below.
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