Earnhardt (2025) s01e03 Episode Script

1
[man] Ladies and gentlemen,
the man of the day, Dale Earnhardt!
[crowd cheers]
Dale has gone on
to win numerous racing titles
and has set and broken
many NASCAR records.
He has earned the adoration of millions
across the United States
and around the world.
I, Governor of the state of North Carolina
hereby proclaim
October the 5th as Dale Earnhardt day
throughout the state of North Carolina.
[crowd cheers]
[orchestral music]
[hostess] My guest is Dale Earnhardt,
seven-time NASCAR champion.
[sportscaster]
Two-time American driver of the year.
Three-time winner
of the Winston All Star Race.
Dale is an American hero
and is loved by millions.
Dale Earnhardt!
[David Letterman]
Dale Earnhardt. Oh, Dale.
[orchestral music rises]
[newscaster] Dale has diligently
followed in his father's footsteps
and has become an icon
of motorsports history.
Here we are in New York.
[announcer] From Kannapolis,
North Carolina, Dale Earnhardt!
[Dale Jr.] I was watching my dad
live this dream that I wanted for myself.
And I walked around
every second of the day
with a debilitating fear
that I was not gonna be a race car driver.
[music rises]
[music stops]
[interviewer]
I guess, to look at your career,
is winning the seven championships
what you're most proud of?
Well, surely, yes. I mean,
being seven-time NASCAR
Winston Cup champion is just tremendous.
[interviewer] Is there a disappointment?
I promised myself I wasn't gonna ask
about Daytona.
Daytona what? [laughs]
[interviewer]
But when I see that 1990 race
In the 50 years of NASCAR,
what would you want to accomplish?
Well, if you was involved all that time.
Well, sure, you'd want to win
a championship,
but you'd want to win
the Daytona 500 too, wouldn't ya?
[orchestral music]
[reporter]
This is racing's cathedral of speed.
It's the Super Bowl of stock car racing.
A place where champions convene
and stars are born.
[interviewer] What did it mean
to finally win the Great American race?
Oh, it's an easy race to win.
[orchestral music continues]
[Chocolate]
We had so many years at Daytona
where we had an opportunity to
win the race. Something happened, right.
[commentator]
Something is amiss on Earnhardt's car.
-[commentator 2] Big cloud of smoke.
-[commentator 3] He blowed her up.
[Chocolate]
One year, Dale just ran out of gas.
[commentator 2]
He just needs a couple of quarts.
This is gonna cost Dale Earnhardt
the race.
We hit a seagull one year.
[commentator 2]
Yeah, you can see right there.
A bird flew right into the left corner.
[commentator] It's not just
that Dale Earnhardt hasn't won this race,
it's how close he's come, how many times.
When you're leading the thing
going into turn three,
and have a flat tire,
that's just bad luck, dude.
[commentator] One lap to go.
[pit crew]
He blew! Tire, tire!
[Chocolate] '90, '91,
two, three, four. It's a joke.
[commentator 2]
Dale Earnhardt fails to win
the Daytona 500 again.
Most great drivers
have at least one Daytona 500.
If you don't have any Daytona 500s,
I think that maybe you're not
such a great driver.
["Ace of Spades" by Motorhead playing]
[commentator]
Sixty laps remain at the 1995 Daytona 500.
♪If you like to gamble
I tell you, I'm your man♪
[commentator] Earnhardt is saying
I won this championship seven times,
but nothing bothers me more
than to talk to Darrell Waltrip
Thank, God!
and have him say
that I won the Daytona 500.
♪The pleasure is to play♪
[commentator] A pesky Sterling Marlin
holding on to Dale Earnhardt
in the final laps.
Here comes Sterling Marlin to the inside.
-[commentator 2] He's gonna make the pass.
-[commentator] Got him.
Earnhardt now relegated to third.
Does he have any more to give?
♪Playing for the high one♪
[Richard Childress] Nobody ever
gave up on Dale Earnhardt.
'Cause he could do things in a car
that they couldn't do.
And he could win when they couldn't.
[commentator] You gotta give
Richard Childress and that team
all the credit in the world.
They're not about to settle for third.
[commentator 2] They want to win it.
They're throwing the dice.
♪Double up or quit♪
[commentator]
Dale Earnhardt in 14th position.
Eleven laps to go on the back stretch.
This would be a good episode
of Mission Impossible,
the way he's trying to get up to track.
♪You know I'm born to lose♪
♪And gambling's for fools♪
♪But that's the way I like it, baby,
I don't want to live forever♪
[commentator] Down to the line.
Earnhardt has picked off six of 'em.
[commentator 2] He's coming, folks.
[commentator]
Nobody's taking their eye off this battle.
Earnhardt dives for the bottom
of the back straightaway.
Earnhardt is second. Here they come
back to the start/finish line.
Earnhardt has gotten close enough
to make a move.
The winner of the
1995 Daytona 500 is, again,
Sterling Marlin.
What does Earnhardt have to do
to win this race?
[interviewer] When we started talking
about making Dad proud,
you seemed kind of like to be one
that was a little more into it.
Yeah.
Do you find yourself really wanting
to make him
Yeah. I kinda, every once in a while,
I catch myself in a little obsession mode.
I don't know.
I just look up to him so much.
That you know, it's all I think about
and it's all I care about
is him and you know,
being next to him, and
You know, if he wasn't racing tomorrow,
I would hope that he would
try to help me out as much as he could.
And you know, make sure
that I was making the right decisions.
I wanted to race cars badly.
Just as badly, I think, as my dad.
I used to draw race cars all the time,
at school, in art.
I took drafting class
just to draw race cars.
And Dad and Teresa came home one day
with a giant box of all these supplies.
And they said, "We thought maybe
you'd want to go to art school.
We were lookin'
at this college down the road."
I was like, are you freakin'
out of your mind?
I'm not going to art school. What?
Like, I'm not an art student.
I'm not into art.
I was so spun out.
And I was like, damn it,
like, you're Dale Earnhardt
and I want to race. Help me race!
What should I do in this moment
to be getting closer to racing?
Take all this art shit outta here.
I came over to the farm shop one day.
Kerry's there.
Dad walks over,
points to the cover of the sports page,
and says, "You need to read this."
And it was an article
about a new street stock series
that was being created
at Concord Speedway.
[newscaster] Like other sports,
stock car racing
has a form of minor leagues.
The training ground for tomorrow's stars.
Dad didn't give us money to go race.
He said, y'all gonna have
to figure it out.
[Kerry] Dale Jr. had a go-cart he sold.
And we took that money
and bought a Monte Carlo at the junkyard.
Brought it back to the shop.
My dad, Jack, jumped in
and helped put roll cages in,
and teachin' us stuff about the car.
[gentle music]
[Kerry]
I raced it the first two races.
And then, we started after that
alternating.
One weekend Dale Jr.'d drive,
the next weekend, I'd drive.
[Dale Jr.] You know, I'd destroy it,
and now we gotta fix it
so Kerry can race it.
There's a little bit of guilt there
because, you know,
damn it, Kerry,
I fuckin' wrecked your car.
[man] Dale. It's okay, man.
Don't worry about it.
[Dale Jr.] Then
Kerry would wreck it, and I'm like, shit,
I gotta drive this piece of shit
next week,
it's tore all to hell.
We destroyed this car.
[Kelley] When the boys
started street stock racing,
I wanted to race, but I was in college.
[Dale Jr.] Kelley wasn't offered
any opportunities to race,
but she was certainly interested in it
and curious about it.
[Kelley] I was a tomboy.
I always wanted to drive something,
or go hunting, or do something
that Dad always said no to.
I was a girl. Couldn't do that.
Want you to go to college.
Want you to go to school.
So, that's what I did.
But then, when he decided
that I had been at college for three years
and he never got to see me,
he's like, what would it take
for you to come home?
And I said, well, I could come home
and finish school at UNC Charlotte,
but I have a few prerequisites, you know.
I have a few demands
that I need to negotiate here.
I wanted to live on my own,
and I wanted to race.
I mean, I literally moved home
that summer,
took my brother's street stock car
and started racing right away.
Granted, I did it all by myself.
I put the car on the trailer,
hauled it down to the racetrack.
[Dale Jr.] She was a hard racer.
She was the one immediately
that you had to slow down.
Kelley, the reason why it won't turn
is 'cause you're drivin' it too hard in.
[Kelley] You'd look around
in the sport at that time
and we had a couple female racers.
I mean, I really looked up
to Shawna Robinson
who was racing when I started racing.
[man 2] Have they ever
said anything about her weight?
You know, she's so much lighter
than the other drivers.
[man 3] We feed her a bowl
of lead soup before
[Kelley]
You know, I didn't let anybody get to me.
I was gonna run right through 'em
or talk smack to 'em, or whatever.
[David Allen]
Kelley is female Dale Earnhardt.
Her whole personality is her dad.
[interviewer] What advice
do you give her when she says, "Dad,
I want 'em to respect me for me, and
not for being Dale Earnhardt's daughter."
Well, she's payin' her dues right now,
George.
If she goes out and
do the things she has to,
people will learn to respect her
as herself.
[Ty Norris] He thought she was
the smartest and toughest Earnhardt.
No bullshit, don't take any shit.
Like, that's just how it is.
[Kelley] I try to tell Kerry and Dale,
he wants us to constantly strive for more.
So, he's not gonna say, you know,
"Hey, you are just doin' really great."
'Cause he wants to push you.
[power tools whirring]
[interviewer]
Everybody has this image of Dale Earnhardt
either in a blue and yellow suit
or a black and silver suit.
But to see you here in a business suit,
it really has changed a lot, hasn't it?
It sure has.
A lot different than jeans.
But we had jeans on yesterday,
we was workin' at the farm.
So, you know, that's still there.
I enjoy what I do.
Our sport has grown, and I think
we've broadened out in the nation,
uh, the world really.
I'm just proud to be a part of it.
[Kyle] When we talk about Dale,
I think we forget how smart he was.
As a businessman.
How smart he was to understand his brand.
How smart he was
to capitalize on that brand.
[Joe Mattes] The revenue he made
being a racer was good,
but the revenue made from souvenirs
was greater.
He literally was 50% of the sport.
[interviewer]
Dale, because of your grassroots
and how close you have been to racing
your entire life,
yes, the money is nice,
but would you have preferred it
to stay the way it was?
No.
[Joe] Dale was interested at controlling
his image and likeness and his brand.
The decision Teresa and him made
instead of licensing his image
out to third-party companies,
owned a thirty-party company.
[interviewer 2]
Have you ever stopped to think
that you're proud of what your dad
has accomplished?
Yeah. You know, that's something
I've heard just about all my life.
He's the best, I reckon, you know.
But I just kinda want to make my own name.
[interviewer 2] There's some financial
stuff that goes into runnin' these cars.
It isn't just free.
You can't just show up and get one.
But how supportive is he?
[Dale Jr.] He don't go to many
of the races, he's only been to one race.
And, uh, he's just
just a dad, you know. What else can I say?
[interviewer 2] Okay, good, thanks, Dale.
-I didn't mean to put you on the spot.
-That's cool. No problem.
[Dale]
I don't think it'd be good if I go out
and buy Dale Jr.
everything he needed to go racin'.
I might not always be around.
And I want him to work for it
and appreciate it.
Plus he's learnin' more about racing.
[Hank Parker]
Dale said, if my kids want to race,
and he said, "I told 'em
what my daddy told me.
My daddy said,
get out there in the junkyard,
and get you a car, and you build it
if you want to race."
I said, "Well, Dale,
you've got 30 race cars.
You're flying around on a King Air.
These kids don't need
to get out in the junkyard."
And he sat there,
and he never said a word.
After about two minutes, he said, "Hm.
Hm. Hm."
The very next week he bought 'em all
late-model Townsend cars,
a Featherlite hauler
and a dually to pull 'em with.
And he said, "All right, this is yours.
If you tear it up, it's done.
You're on your own."
["Call Me the Breeze"
by J.J. Cale playing]
♪One, two, one, two♪
[cheering, whistling]
[Dale Jr.] We were racing at Myrtle Beach.
We'd go to Florence, South Carolina
on Friday nights, Nashville
And we're lovin' it.
Drivin' this dually up and down the road.
And we're working on the race car,
learnin', just havin' a great time.
[Kerry] It's somethin' unusual,
all three of us runnin'.
Actually, we're all three
doin' pretty good.
[Wesley Sherrill] Did we have
the best race cars money could buy?
No.
He taught each one of those kids
that if you're gonna do this,
you know, there's gonna be struggles
and you're gonna have to learn
all you need to know about it.
[interviewer] You know, obviously,
you're not the typical family.
-I mean, you're following in some major
-Definitely.
-[interviewer] major footprints.
-[Kerry] Yeah.
Yeah, I think a lot of times, the question
instead of when you goin' to Cup,
it's when are you gonna be
the Winston Cup champion?
[interviewer] If you could
pick one of the three of you,
who's the most likely one to succeed
Mr. Earnhardt?
I haven't made the choice yet
of whether I want to follow that.
Dale Jr. has made the choice.
He wants to be a race car driver.
He's gonna do everything possible
to do that.
I'm still trying to decide
if I want to just work in racing,
or if I want to go and be a driver.
[Darrell] Do you left foot brake?
[Dale] I'm brakin', yeah, a lot,
not when you're shiftin'.
But if I'm brake and gas, I'm like this.
[Darrell] Yeah, okay.
How old are you anyway?
I'm 48.
Well, I'm glad you and I
don't have to put anything on our hair.
We haven't started turnin' gray yet.
Well, I tried that.
Mine turned pretty red at one time.
Yeah, and you won the Daytona 500.
Maybe I'll show up to Daytona
with red hair.
'Cause I've never won the Daytona 500,
Darrell.
I really wasn't gonna bring that up
because I know how sensitive you are
about it.
And that's the race
we're fixin' to go into here.
You know, I gotta tell ya, I think
it's gonna be a tough year for you guys.
-Why?
-With these young boys that's comin' on.
You know, you're not the champion
this year.
-You're not gonna have the number one pin.
-I've been that before.
[orchestra tuning instruments]
[commentator] It's been 13 races since
Dale Earnhardt was in Victory Lane.
And to say he's hungry for a win
is a gross understatement.
[reporter] Who do you want to win?
-Earnhardt.
-[reporter] How 'bout you?
-Dale Earnhardt. Number three.
-Earnhardt.
Jeff Gordon. We need some
new blood in there.
[overlapping chatter]
[Kyle Petty] Jeff came here,
and Jeff established himself
as the heir apparent pretty quick.
[commentator]
Twenty-four-year-old Jeff Gordon
captured his first series championship
defeating his rival, Dale Earnhardt.
[Jeff Gordon] He had everything I wanted.
He was extremely talented,
popular and filthy rich.
I was like, yes!
Whoa. Wonder Boy is here.
I hear him talkin' about me.
You talk like a little girl.
Not as big a man as you.
[reporter] This is really kind of
about the changing of the guard.
There's kind of a new breed
of driver coming into this sport.
[engine revs]
[Darrell] Jeff Gordon was
a little bit better than Dale.
And he resented that.
[reporter 2]
Is there any talk in your camp
about this run the 24 car is on?
I'm racin' the racetracks
and the other teams too.
Not just Jeff Gordon.
I got a lot of tricks left in my bag.
I guarantee ya.
["In 'n' Out of Grace"
by Mudhoney playing]
[commentator 2] Welcome to Talladega,
all you guys. That's what it's all about.
This separates the guys from the runners.
[engines revving]
[commentator 2] Earnhardt goin' for it.
Has to come to the line.
♪Jesus, take me to a higher place♪
[commentator]
Jeff Gordon goes after his nemesis,
the guy that called him Wonder Boy.
[commentator 2] Wonder where he's at?
Right on your tail.
♪Crushed bodies and blood I crave♪
And it's gonna be Jeff Gordon
going back out in front.
Earnhardt to the inside on Gordon.
It's going to be Earnhardt.
Earnhardt takes the lead
for the sixth time in this DieHard 500.
Sterling Marlin is after the lead
from Dale Earnhardt.
He's locked up with Earnhardt's
Earnhardt and Marlin, hard into the wall!
A tremendous hit on the Earnhardt car.
Sterling Marlin looking over number four,
which is just down the track.
[commentator 2]
Phew. Wow, that was frightening. Mm.
Just hoping and praying he'll
get outta there on his own in a moment.
[commentator] And Dale Earnhardt
is coming out of his car.
[announcer over PA]
Right now, he's trying to walk.
[commentator] Dale Earnhardt
attempting to walk to the ambulance
gives the thumbs up as he walks away
from one of the worst incidents
in his racing career.
[crowd cheers]
The 15th career win for Jeff Gordon
happens at Talladega.
-[truck beeping]
-Not this way.
[reporter] This is probably the worst
wreck you've ever seen Dale in, isn't it?
[Richard] Uh, he took a heck of a ride.
He's been in
a couple of pretty tough ones.
But this was probably
one of the scarier ones for us.
[reporter] Gonna go to Indianapolis?
Oh, yeah. Yeah, he'll be there.
[reporter] That's just one tough guy.
[reporter 2] Dale Earnhardt, just
six days ago, he broke his collarbone.
He broke his sternum. The next day
he was climbing back into a race car.
The plan here is for him to start the race
so he can get the points.
[crowd cheering]
[reporter] Dale, incredible courage here.
How do you feel,
and how do you plan to play it?
Just play it by ear, really.
I'm gonna run as long as I can.
You know, I don't know
how long I can stand it.
[commentator] And there it is,
the third Brickyard 400
is under way from
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The question remains, how long
can Dale Earnhardt stay in the car?
Earnhardt falling back to 13th position.
Now, up to 12th position.
[tense orchestral music]
Dale Earnhardt may come in and get relief.
[pit commentator]
They said he stayed up last night
and watched Clint Eastwood movies
thinkin' he might change his mind
and try and stay in the car.
No, he's gonna come out and get healed
for next week at Watkins Glen.
Earnhardt out of the car.
He will come across the wall.
And listen to this crowd go wild
as Earnhardt climbs out of the car.
And Mike Skinner is in the car.
As they're watching Mike get hustled in,
Dale, the car pretty comfortable to you?
Car pretty comfortable to you, Dale?
[crew member] Not now, guys.
[Kyle] There is no pain greater
than to watch somebody else
drive your car.
End of conversation.
Dang, it's hard to get out of there,
Jerry.
I mean, you know, it's my life right here.
Boy, an emotional Dale Earnhardt.
You will never see that.
This man loves and lives to race.
[Dale Jr.]
I remember him gettin' out of the car,
and that was the very first time that he'd
ever shown any emotion, ever.
Around anything, personal, professional.
And I was so, I mean, I'm seein' that
the first time in my life.
I was a bit surprised,
'cause he can mask emotion.
He can hide emotion.
He can keep it away from the camera.
And he had everything under control.
Even when he got hurt,
he'd get out of the car and race hurt.
Race with a broken neck
that none of us knew about.
Broke his neck at Michigan
and didn't even tell anybody.
Raced the rest of the year
with a broke neck.
Come on, come on.
[Dale Jr.] As a kid, you're like,
oh, shit, you know, Dad's hurt.
And then he's up at five in the morning,
goes to the shop.
Runs a bulldozer, you know.
Does all the things.
Doesn't change, doesn't slow down.
I mean, it's just so insane.
[Dale] We got a new road race car,
we're building this road race
I've done my own
ever since I started racin'.
J. Keller told me he used to do.
You're gonna drive it,
you're gonna fix the seat.
I don't want to hear you grumbling
about your seat not fittin'.
Don't want you to be caught
So, I've been fixin' since 1978, '79
in Winston Cup cars
'cause I always fixed 'em in my own car.
[gentle ambient music]
[Dale Jr.] I could not connect
or relate to the mentality he had.
Racing meant something else to him
that I don't understand.
And I don't think a lot of us can.
[Hank] I was worried about Dale Jr.
He was green as grass,
didn't know a whole lot about racin'.
Dale Sr. told me one time, he said,
"I don't think that boy will ever be
a race car driver.
He just ain't got it."
[Dale Jr.] If Dad was sittin' right here,
one thing I'd want to ask him,
did he ever see me race?
My late-model car. I ran 159 races.
[camera shutter clicking]
I never saw him.
He never said, "Hey,
I'm comin' to your race this weekend."
He was never around the trailer,
never around the car.
I don't know if he saw me.
[track announcer] Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans,
he finally won one.
How about let's hear from you.
[crowd cheering]
You can tell everybody, "Hey, I was there
when Dale Jr. won his first race."
If he's not watched me run, how can
he know that I'm not good enough?
[camera shutter clicks]
[Kelley] I was just wantin'
to get together with you to go over,
to make sure we've got things ready,
'cause we're gonna be rollin' off
with the kits here in about February.
Um, I did tell you that actions
can be taken out of the fan club.
And they sent this card.
This is, it's really cool.
The new membership card.
It's a hard plastic card.
We did get approved on that
from Dale and Teresa.
You know, I worked while I was in college
for one of the businesses
that supported my dad's career,
in terms of the marketing company.
I felt like I needed to work.
I felt like I needed to finish school.
I felt like it was a privilege to race.
And I didn't want that privilege
taken away.
[quiet ambient music]
-Debbie?
-[Debbie] Yes?
Okay. These are new members.
Is Kelley gonna be here?
Yeah. She's gonna be a little late.
Sometimes, he's like Kelley, you need
to come up here and work on your car.
I said, Dad, you don't understand.
I got two tests tomorrow,
a paper due next week, and you know,
he doesn't know all about that.
My two brothers got to work in the shop,
they got to work on their race cars.
But coming there in the evenings,
was more of the time
that the guys hung out.
Girls weren't allowed in there.
It was hard to find help.
It was hard to get people to believe you
when you're talkin' about the race car.
[Dale Jr.] There were some
really hard moments for her emotionally.
I remember a couple of those nights
that she had some run-ins
with some people, and she would tell me,
this guy's an asshole.
Keep your eye on him.
"You freakin' asshole,
you wrecked Kelley."
"You don't like gettin' passed by a girl,
asshole?"
You know, we got the jack handles,
and we're gonna beat somebody's ass.
The harder ones for me were when she would
come with me down to the beach to race.
She goes out and runs some laps
and they're frustratingly slow.
And she's gettin' madder and madder.
And she comes down pit road
and hit pit wall with the right rear tire
and bent the rear-end housing.
And she got out of the car and cried.
And was like, "This is too hard."
I felt for her. But I was 20 years old.
And I probably didn't put my arm
around her like I should have.
I don't really remember in the moment,
but I honestly did not do
what she would've done for me
in that moment, which I guess I regret.
[Kelley] We were basically told
that they weren't gonna re-up the funding
for the three of us to race.
At the time, I had a great job.
Just hittin' the mark in licensing
and souvenirs.
And we were just sellin' stuff
left and right.
And I was getting promoted.
So, I decided to focus on
my business career.
Did you graduate officially?
-May 13th is the ceremony.
-[man] May 13th.
But I'm done.
What have you got now, Bachelor's?
I have a Bachelor's of Science,
a B.S. in Business Administration.
[man laughs] You got a bullshit degree.
Well
[Dale Jr.]
Dad came to me one day and said,
sponsor's over,
we're not gonna race this year.
What are you gonna do with your life?
Right? Kelley decided that she had
this new avenue in business.
Kerry was a service writer
at the dealership.
I didn't really have like a job.
I had put all my eggs
in the race car driver basket.
I'd ran late-models for four,
four and a half years.
You know, it was time for me
to take the next step,
and the next step is
racin' in the Busch Series.
The Busch Series is the Saturday
support race to the Cup Series.
It's like AAA baseball
to Major League baseball.
At the time, there was
a pretty big difference in horse power,
the type of cars.
You have younger guys
who are coming up through the system.
You get experience on the big tracks
to prove themselves
and to learn more
about how to go up to race a Cup.
[Dale Jr.]
I was calling owners of other cars
and askin' 'em if they would let me drive.
My damn last name is Earnhardt.
Like, come on, put me in your car.
That's what I was thinkin' in my head.
I'm not talkin' to the man this way.
And all those guys told me no.
And I thought shit, you know?
Dad was putting deals together
behind the curtain,
like Mr. Oz, you know.
And you know, I'm not hearin'
a lot of things from Dad
about what all he's doin'
behind the scenes.
And really why? You know, we didn't talk.
They just show up one day and Dad goes,
I got a sponsor for you
to race this Busch race at the big track.
[Wesley] That was the coolest thing
in the world in my book.
Send y'all down there
and let y'all run a Busch car.
We're not just late-model racin' no more,
we're steppin' up
in the world, and we'll do things.
[Dale Jr.] Dad wasn't gonna let me be
this fledgling son
with no business on the racetrack.
He wasn't gonna let that happen
to his own reputation.
You know, and he was like,
convince me in the opportunities to come
that you're not gonna embarrass me.
[Josh Snider]
I was there 'cause he'd asked me to come.
It was a big deal.
[announcer chatting over PA]
[Dale Jr.] We get to the racetrack;
very timid, right.
I have no clue how to get
around this track, it's huge.
It was hot, and turn four, it gets slick.
[Dale Jr.] We didn't know any better,
and I spun out and wrecked the car.
[commentator] There's Earnhardt
spinning around there.
And three more cars
He's sittin' on the edge of the racetrack,
and he's rockin' back and forth,
and he goes, "My daddy's gonna kill me."
He was tore up.
I drove him back home and,
I think in his mind,
he thought it was over.
He had really disappointed his dad.
[man] Him and his buddies, they go over
to the trailer, and they just start,
you know, drinkin' their sorrows away.
[Dale Jr.]
All of a sudden, the door flies open
on this double wide trailer I lived in.
Boom, boom.
I know immediately
those are Dad's footsteps.
He looks at my buddies
who are sittin' there and he goes,
"Get the fuck off my property."
Them motherfuckers ran out of the house
and jumped in the cars
and they drove out the driveway,
their shoes are still sittin'
on the floor.
And, uh, he said, come here.
And we walked out.
I thought he was gonna whoop my ass.
And he goes, man, what are you doin'?
I was like, I thought my racing career
was over.
He's like, no, they're gonna fix that car.
That's where you should be.
You should be wanting to fix your car.
Where's that? Where's that inside of you?
What's missing in you that you thought
to come over here
and sit on your ass
and feel sorry for yourself?
That was the one father-son talk
that we had that sunk in.
[Josh] He woke up early that morning,
and Junior never woke up early.
Took the car and started fixin' it.
I saw a different Dale Jr.
a little bit after that.
He started becoming more
and more focused on his career.
And I think it gave him
a certain confidence, in a way.
Hey, man, my dad's pissed at me
because he believes it.
[reporter] How dedicated are you?
[Dale Jr.] One hundred and twenty percent.
Every day, I mean
I've cut off all ties to everything else.
So, it's totally racing, day and night.
No other hobbies or interests,
or anything like that.
[gentle orchestral music]
He was dedicated.
You know, he wanted to impress his father.
[Darrell] Dale was sellin' souvenirs
left and right.
We're making $100,000.
He's makin' millions of dollars.
But he was never satisfied.
Dale Earnhardt just wanted
to be the best at everything.
[Ty Norris]
So, we're at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
He came up to me and said, it's time.
My company's a runaway train right now
and I need you to get on.
He said, are you ready?
And I said, damn right I'm ready.
[Joe] That souvenir company
was generating so much revenue.
And that was the source of his money
to build his race team.
[newscaster] A tiny brick headquarters
is becoming overshadowed
by a new 120,000 square foot
combination work place and showroom.
[Jeff] You know when you've made it
when you're a driver
that can build a race team.
But I never wanted that. I can tell you.
That was risky.
[Hank] DEI just started growin'
a little bit faster
and a little bit more out of control
than he was comfortable with.
[interviewer] When did you go
from Dale Earnhardt race driver
to Dale Earnhardt businessman?
[Dale] It's not happened yet.
I'm still a race driver.
[Hank] He had too much goin' on,
and I think he started to realize that.
I think he got too much money,
he got too much responsibility,
he had too much pressure.
[upbeat piano music]
[Jeff] After '95, it was pretty evident
that the competitiveness was not there.
Is it the car, the team?
Is it him losing his edge?
[commentator]
Who will win the 1997 Daytona 500?
[Jeff]
I never saw his cars handling great.
Every time I was around him,
his cars were like on the edge.
[commentator] Earnhardt,
trying to muscle each other a little
[commentator 2]
Yeah, well, he gives him a push!
[commentator 3] You see Earnhardt
droppin' back just a little bit.
Maybe his car's a little bit loose.
Losin' a lot of positions,
that's for sure.
[Jeff] His car just wasn't handling
as good as mine.
And he couldn't hold the line.
As soon as I put enough pressure on him,
his car just slid up the racetrack.
[commentator 3] There goes the pass.
Makin' a move on the inside of Earnhardt.
[commentator]
Trouble on the back straightaway!
Dale Earnhardt is into the wall!
Down the back straightaway, big trouble.
Earnhardt out.
Up and over, number three.
And for the 19th time,
lady luck deals a bad hand.
He's in the ambulance and he says,
"Hey, will it crank?"
And the guy cranked it up,
and Dale gets out of the ambulance
and gets back in the car.
[commentator] After clipping his car
on the back straightaway,
climbing from the machine,
getting in the ambulance,
Dale Earnhardt decided
what he saw was finishable.
So, he got back in the racecar
[pit commentator]
Jeff Gordon, winner of the Daytona 500.
Youngest driver to do it.
-[cheering and whooping]
-[orchestral music]
[Ty] He started worrying more about,
do we have the right horsepower?
Do we have the right engine package?
When you watch Jeff Gordon
win ten races in a year,
when that used to be you,
yeah, there's probably some question about
whether or not he can still do it or not.
[Darrell] Dale still drove the same way.
Still acted the same way.
But he didn't get the same results.
I remember Darlington.
We started side-by-side.
And we're goin'
down the back straightaway,
and all of a sudden
he just veers off and hits the wall.
You see Earnhardt up against the wall.
He hit the wall in the very first lap.
I said, "What the hell?
What happened to him?"
[commentator]
Looks like Dale Earnhardt may be heading,
well, we thought he was going in the pits,
now he comes on around the racetrack.
He's on the apron of the racetrack.
This will be the second time around,
Allen.
Don't know what's going on at all there.
[Ty] Everybody, we had no idea
what was happening.
They're calling and calling him.
He's not answering.
And he comes down pit road
and he stops in the stall and he's out.
He's asleep.
[music swells]
[commentator] He looks really shaken up.
[commentator 2]
Earnhardt, they're carryin' him.
To the truck or someplace.
We'll have to check this out.
[commentator]
He appears to have an oxygen mask.
[siren blaring]
Right now, Dale Earnhardt is in the
infield care center being checked out.
[music swells]
[heartbeat]
[Ty]
The pain that he suffered after races.
He used to always complain about his neck.
[cracks]
The doctor went in there to look and see,
and there's a video
of these shards of bone
that had broken loose, and they
were poking into basically his spine.
[aggressive orchestral music]
[interviewer]
Age 46, most people have been through
some sort of change
by that point in their life.
What do you say to the people
who say Earnhardt's done?
Aren't you gettin' too old for this?
[interviewer 2] How is it that a guy
can race as late as you are?
[interviewer 3] Do you feel like time
is startin' to run out on Dale Earnhardt?
[Darrell] This is an observation.
You take it from somebody that knows.
Your best years are behind you.
[heartbeat]
Test, one, two. Test, one, two.
I'd like to introduce
Dr. Charles Branch Jr.
Over the last week,
a lot of attention has been focused
on Mr. Earnhardt's health.
Last Sunday afternoon
he had an episode that was,
and probably still remains,
somewhat unexplained.
He underwent a battery of tests
at the McCloud Regional Medical Center.
After collecting
all of this information together,
we could not find something
that we could treat,
or that we thought was
in any way abnormal.
And therefore, we basically
issued a generic release
for him to return to his occupation
without any restrictions.
Probably every driver
out here on the track
has had enough of a head injury
at some point in his career
to be the possible source
of a mild temporary brain dysfunction.
[reporter] With this looking
like one of the great mysteries
of the modern world,
how do you confidently tell Mr. Earnhardt
that it won't happen again?
I don't.
[engines zoom]
[commentator] We're back
at Gateway International Raceway
and you're looking at Dale Earnhardt Jr.
about to go in, in a reserve role.
Dale Jr. was doing everything he could
to get his dad's attention.
[pit commentator]
Earnhardt is in good shape.
He's jumpin' right in here.
[Tony Jr.] He had won like five races,
and he had done pretty good.
And that's kind of what got
my dad's attention.
[Tony Jr.] Like, hey, we can
make a race car driver outta him.
But his dad was unsure. He's like,
"I don't think he's ready for a car."
My dad is like, "Well, ain't no sense
in you goin' out and hiring a new driver
and then paying him all that money.
And then, you send your kid
to let them drive for somebody else."
He said, "Just let him drive for you."
And he looked back at him and says,
"You think you can handle him?"
And Pops is like,
"I'll straighten him out."
[indistinct chatter]
[Dale Jr.]
I went down to that shop one day,
Tony Sr. and Tony Jr.
are just standin' there next to a car.
And they're like,
look on the roof of that car.
And I look over at this race car
and my name's on it.
[light music]
And I'm like, what the fuck
is my name doin' on that car?
[Tony Jr.] He looked at it,
and he goes, is this some kind of joke?
I said, no, it ain't a joke.
I said, why, you don't want to drive it?
Yeah, I'll drive it!
You know, he was all pumped up.
But it shocked him that we would
even consider puttin' him in it.
I felt like, well, I can do my job,
I can help him achieve his goal.
[Dale Jr.] I couldn't believe it.
This is Dad's Busch car that he raced
out of that garage next to Mamaw's house.
You grew up with that.
It was very, very personal.
[commentator]
A record crowd is here today.
It's always been a race for those aspiring
to be at the very top of the sport.
These are names
that come off those regional tracks,
gathering together to show their stuff
in front of all those top car owners.
In front of the people
that make decisions.
[announcer over PA] Dale Earnhardt Jr.
[man] When we went to Daytona,
it was a big step up.
[commentator] Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
third generation driver.
There he is, number three.
[Kelley]
There's no better place to win races
and be successful
than there was at Daytona.
[commentator 3]
Can you imagine the first time
you ever competed at Daytona,
bein' out there
where the world's lookin' atcha?
Immediately, it shifted to fun was over.
Now, I'm scared to death.
[music swells]
[commentator] This is anybody's race
with 15 to go.
[commentator 3]
Dick Trickle, they are side-by-side
with Dale Earnhardt Jr. losing ground.
[commentator] Trickle was on the low side
[commentator 3] Oh, trouble!
[commentator] And around goes Earnhardt,
up in the air and over.
Both cars land on their wheels,
as young Earnhardt gets
an unwelcome debut at Daytona.
[Kelley] I know how bad
he wanted to drive race cars
and what it meant for him
to get my dad's approval.
And definitely, being upside down
and being crashed out of your first race
wasn't the way to do that, right.
You know, I just felt more concerned
about his emotions.
[pit commentator] How you feelin'?
[Dale Jr.] Just a little bit woozy.
Can't really tell what's goin' on
from inside the race car.
All you see is grass, sky, grass, sky.
But got banged around in there
just a little bit.
That's just the way it goes.
[reporter] Comes from a pretty good
bloodline, guys, he'll be back.
[commentator] He's got talent
and had a fast car today.
And you'll hear more
from Dale Earnhardt Jr.
[serene orchestral music]
[commentator]
Welcome to the 40th Daytona 500.
Dale Earnhardt, in his 20th try.
We have seen this movie before.
[commentator 2] You have to wonder what's
going through Dale Earnhardt's mind.
[reporter] Do you think
you were jinxed in this race?
[reporter 2]
Luck's just not been there, has it?
[crowd cheering]
[reporter 3] Are you to the point
where you're starting to feel
as if you're running out of time
here at Daytona?
[commentator]
The 40th Daytona 500 is under way.
There's the man they're all talking about
as they did a year ago.
Jeff Gordon moves on past Dale Earnhardt.
Gordon, the leader and
defending champion of the Daytona 500.
[orchestral music]
Dale Earnhardt, 59 races
since he's been to Victory Lane.
Did not have a quick pit stop.
There at ninth place.
Can he get to Victory Lane from here?
[interviewer]
You talk to people, they're saying,
boy, Dale Earnhardt was
a great seven-time champion.
He was just so aggressive.
They're sayin' "was" and "has."
They're acting as if
the Dale Earnhardt era is over.
[Dale] They are, I'm not.
[intense orchestral music]
You're listening to the wrong people.
[commentator] Earnhardt to the outside,
wants the lead.
He's got the lead.
Gordon, though, is not going to be denied.
And Jeff Gordon moves on
past Dale Earnhardt
Here comes Earnhardt again,
driving hard
on the inside of the racetrack.
What you would expect.
And Earnhardt goes back to the lead.
Gordon's dropping back.
[commentator 2] That looks like a problem.
He's completely out of contention here.
[Richard] There was a few laps to go.
Larry McReynolds was the crew chief.
Said, "So what do you think?"
I said, "Been here, done that,
it's not over."
[intense orchestral music]
[commentator] Ten laps to go.
Earnhardt has lost this race
usually in the closing laps.
[commentator 2] Look at this dog fight
off turn two
as they go down this long
back straightaway.
[commentator] Three laps to go.
[Hank] You could actually even hear it
on the television.
The whole grand stand
was pulling for him.
-[music swells]
-[commentator] Two laps to go.
The most anticipated moment in racing.
Twenty years of trying,
20 years of frustration.
Dale Earnhardt will cover
the checkered flag
to win the Daytona 500.
-Finally!
-[music swells]
[raucous cheering]
If 270,000 people can sigh
a collective sigh of relief,
you almost, from Daytona, you heard
[sighs]
[commentator] Look out on pit road.
Every man on every crew
has come out to the edge on pit lane
to congratulate the man who has dominated
everything there is to win in this sport.
I think everybody was happy
for Dale Earnhardt the person.
Maybe not for Dale Earnhardt
the race car driver.
[Dale Jr.] He ran over people,
he was rough. He was mean.
But damn, this is something he's been
working for his whole life.
And he's one of the greatest.
What a incredible sign of respect.
I loved it for him.
[man] His trip down pit road will remain
one of the greatest ones in the sport.
[music swells]
[cheering]
[Dale] Man, can you, can you believe it?
This is for all them race fans
and all them people that been sayin',
Dale, this is your year.
Dale, this is your year.
You the man! You a bad man!
-[commentator] And Richard Childress.
-What a year!
[Dale] Thank you, Mom.
Dale Jr., Kerry and Kelley, I love y'all.
-[big band music]
-[cheering]
[cheering]
[interviewer]
When you woke up after winning the 500,
what was it like to say Dale Earnhardt,
Daytona 500 champion?
Pretty awesome.
I haven't stopped reelin' yet.
[David Letterman] The category tonight,
"Reasons it took me 20 years to win
the Daytona 500."
It took me 19 years to realize
I had the emergency brake on.
-[David] Yeah!
-[audience laughs]
[big band music]
Would you sign the back of my jacket?
[people cheer]
[reporter] There's a lot goin' on
with Dale Earnhardt.
[Dale] There is. There's a lot going on
with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.
We're buildin' and growin'
leaps and bounds.
I just keep lookin' toward the future.
This is our official grand opening.
[cheering]
[man] I think every driver uses
Dale Earnhardt as the example
of where they'd like to be.
[reporter] His racing nature and
his business nature are in fact the same.
He competes, he controlled and wins.
[cheers]
[Teresa] These guys have been
sittin' by the pool
No, no, I've been workin'.
I've been workin'.
[Teresa] Dale has been workin'.
He's been drinkin' Absolut vodka all day.
Not all day. Just since whenever.
That's a long time ago.
[man] We went on a ton of fishing trips.
And Michael Waltrip used to go.
[Dale]
Yep, there is Michael fishing
fishing for a tan!
[man 2] I knew Michael just in passing.
Darrell Waltrip was
the established statesman of the sport.
Whereas Michael was just
a little more like the fraternity brother.
[Dale] This is the new and improved
Michael Waltrip.
Let's see what he just did.
He just got 'em from the beach.
His daughter Taylor would be there.
It would just be a family fun time.
[Dale]
Whoa, we caught a fish bigger than Taylor.
[Michael] We would go fishin'
sometimes from daylight to dark.
And you know, the conversations
on the back of the boat
would turn to, you know,
if you had a car like mine,
if you drove for me, you'd win.
It's weird to call him a mentor
because you know, it was Dale Earnhardt.
But I think he really thought that
I deserved a chance to go win races.
[Dale Jr.] I was happy for Dad and Michael
and how much they enjoyed
each other's friendship.
And I loved Michael.
But in the moment, yeah, I mean,
I was jealous of anyone
that got to hang out with Dad.
[Kelley]
It was difficult not to feel like you were
as close to your dad as a lot of people.
You know, who got unlimited amount
of experiences with my dad
that I would, you know,
only dream of having.
There was not time made for us.
Everything was, "What do you need?"
You know, or you were told
what you needed and what to do.
[Dale Jr.] Her and Dad were so similar.
Hard-headed and
they got frustrated with each other
over, I don't know,
boys she was dating or something
and weren't speaking.
And I worried how it was escalating.
[Kelley] I never felt worthy,
you know, of my dad's love.
Um, I never feel like I did
what he wanted us to do
to like
get his love.
His love was very conditional.
[interviewer] Do you ever just
maybe you don't feel the pressure.
You want to go out there
and you want to do your own thing.
But to make him proud
[Dale Jr.] I think half of it,
it's I want to make my father proud,
and the other half is he's a race car
driver, as far as I'm concerned,
and to hear a compliment
from him would be,
you know, boost ya, confidence yourself.
[Kelley] It may look like
everything's great and wonderful
and whatever, but you know,
there's a lot of hurt.
You just didn't talk about it because
you were Dale Earnhardt's daughter,
and you knew that people don't want to
hear negative things about their heroes.
You know?
And so, you know,
you just didn't talk about it.
[interviewer] Dale,
do you feel success is in your blood?
Not only because of what
your father has accomplished,
but also what you've done
for the late-model ranks?
Um, I don't think that success can be,
you know, passed on through genes.
Uh, I put a lot of pressure on myself
to do well for my father
because he's given me such an opportunity.
You know, I feel I've got to prove myself
to him and not let him down.
[announcer over PA]
Gentlemen, start your engines.
[engine revs]
[grandiose music]
[Dale Jr.] I mean, we start the year,
and it was rough.
Uh, super nervous, super scared.
I wrecked at Daytona.
[commentator] And around Earnhardt, up
Which was like a "look at me" moment
in all the wrong ways.
[commentator] So, we are set to go.
Glad you're with us.
I had no race craft. I could go fast.
I could run great in the start
of the race,
but I wasn't sure
how to get to the finish.
[commentator] Dale Earnhardt Jr.
who had just gone a second lap down
has problems while running in 24th spot.
[Dale Jr.] I don't know
what I'm supposed to be doin'.
What I'm supposed to be seeing,
thinking, feeling.
And I mean, I made so many mistakes.
[commentator] Here is Dale Earnhardt Jr.
[commentator 3]
See him come in a little hot there.
Jackman jumps up in the air.
Gets tagged a little bit.
[commentator] Young Dale
having a tough time of it today.
[Dale Jr.]
Things just aren't going really good.
[commentator]
It's a pretty beat up race car
that they're takin' back
to the garage area, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s.
[Dale Jr.] I haven't shown any promise.
There's not even a glimmer
of what could be.
I'm sittin' there thinkin',
boy, they're regrettin' this shit.
[Wesley]
Dale Sr. was going to Tony Sr. and saying,
"Did I make the right decision
by helpin' this kid?"
[commentator] Beautiful day
for racing here in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The field of focus,
which car is set to roll.
[Dale Jr.] And like, the third or fourth
race of the season, we go to Vegas.
It's like something clicked.
[commentator] This is where
Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s the strongest.
And look as he closes in.
[Dale Jr.] And we run second.
[pit commentator] It's not a win,
but certainly it shows the progress
you're making just to how much confidence
has this race given you.
We just got out there, practiced drafting
and learning about the super speedways.
Really it was more of going to school
than anything.
[pit commentator]
Has Dale said anything to you?
Nah, he's got to go out and practice,
so I probably won't talk to him.
[pit commentator] Congratulations.
[Dale Jr.]
And then we got second at Crystal's.
Oh, some contact. Whoa, he did.
How did he do that?
[commentator 2] How did he do that?
[Dale Jr.] I loved Tony Sr. like a father.
Tony Jr.'s like a brother to me.
And they complimented me.
When we do win.
Yeah, that kid's great, huh?
You just gotta keep him calm.
He just wants to win so bad.
I saw them happy.
I wanted to make them happy.
And that was the moment.
I was like, I can do this.
I can figure this out.
[engine roaring]
[commentator] Dale Earnhardt Jr.
into turn one with the lead.
[commentator 2] What a day in history.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
will win the Coca-Cola 300.
First win and points leader right now.
[Dale Jr.] You know, we go on
through that year, win some races.
Just gettin' more and more confident.
[commentator]
Gotta think Dad is lovin' it. Four.
[Dale Jr.] You know, we'd won some races,
then he'd come in Victory Lane
put you in a headlock, you know,
and say somethin',
he'd talk to the cameras.
He wouldn't say nothin' to you.
They'd interview him and he'd go,
"Yeah, this kid,
he's doin' pretty good, I guess."
You know.
And you're like, all right.
[commentator]
Twenty-four-year-old Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
just a few laps from now, a new champion.
[chuckles] There's the champion,
saluting the crowd.
This crowd here at Homestead lovin' him.
Well, history being made.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
the first third-generation driver
in NASCAR history
to be crowned as a series champion.
There's Tony Eury Jr.
Couple of youngsters.
[all laughing]
Oh! Well!
Now, is that your dad
or is that your car owner?
That's the car owner.
Is that your son or is that your driver?
That's my son. He's an awesome driver too.
[crowd cheering]
[interviewer]
How much has it meant to see the pride
that your dad has been going around
just beaming for weeks now?
[Dale Jr. chuckles]
I ain't seen too much a difference.
I guess, he'll tell everybody else
how proud he is,
but he won't really do it much
in front of me.
I guess just to keep my head
screwed on straight,
and not let me get
too big for my britches.
[Hank] Dale Jr.,
one time he said, you know,
the only time I think my dad
really loves me is when I win a race.
Dale felt the same exact way as Dale Jr.
Dale wanted his dad's approval
more than anything in the world.
Yet, he never showed that
to his own children.
He loved 'em, and they
meant the world to him.
He was so proud of 'em.
But he just, for whatever reason,
he could not tell 'em that.
He couldn't express that. Nor could Ralph.
[crowd cheering]
[man 4] Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
Busch Series leader.
We have another Earnhardt
dressed in black.
Who could've figured that one?
What do you think of the
-Wait a minute.
-[engine revving]
[crowd cheering]
You just can't let your son upstage you
on the entrance, can you?
[Dale] Nah, can't do that.
Wow.
[Kelley]
Dale's definitely a different personality
in terms of goin' with the flow
and doesn't like conflict.
And he's just gonna keep,
you know, bein' right there,
no matter how many times
his feelings got hurt.
[photographer]
Put your arms around each other.
[Kelley] Whatever it was,
he was gonna try again, you know.
And hopefully, at some point, you know,
get somethin' positive out of it.
[Ty] Junior was superfast
and constantly winning races,
and so, yeah, you're not gonna
keep people like that down
in that Busch Series.
You're not making any money
in the Busch Series,
you might as well get to the Cup Series
where there's more money,
there's more purse,
there's more sponsorship level.
[Dale] Things just keep growin' here
at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.
And it's time to grow some more.
It's Teresa's and my privilege
to introduce our next addition
to the NASCAR family
and our future in NASCAR.
Take it away, guys.
[crowd applauds]
[Jade Gurss]
When they signed the deal with Budweiser,
it was a big deal
through the whole motorsports industry.
And I think Dale Jr. put more pressure
upon himself than anything else.
This says a lot
about this company's commitment
to make that kind of six-year deal.
It's almost unheard of these days
in Winston Cup.
[Dale Jr.]
Everybody is taking a risk here.
Mostly everyone taking a risk on me,
but I feel very confident in my ability
to do the job
and to be able to perform well.
And we got Budweiser.
You know, words can't describe
how huge they are on the market,
and a relatively young but strong company,
Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.
I had somehow instantly became
this asset to my dad, this value to him.
He would look at me
like he'd never looked at me before.
[Ty] That was a poignant moment
because now, racer to racer
elevated father to son.
[Dale Jr.] He started
to give me direction, give me instruction.
And we started havin' conversations
that we'd never had before.
He was starting to lead me,
and shepherd, and do all those things.
[Jade] The team that won the Busch Series,
they moved up all together.
This was a rookie team,
rookie driver, everything.
I think they had a sense of confidence
that might've been a little inflated
early on,
but suddenly they start winning.
[commentator]
Earnhardt Jr. back to the lead.
[commentator 2] You know
somethin' special's happening right now.
[commentator] Like father, like son.
Checkered flag, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
First time Winston Cup winner.
[Tony Jr.] You know, in that first year,
like, we won Richmond
[commentator] Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins
[Tony Jr.] Texas.
In that first half of the year,
we done won three big major races.
[Jade] And suddenly, everybody's
realizing this is a serious team.
This is somebody
we're gonna have to deal with.
That internal confidence they all had
just strengthened.
[Ty] He would never say this,
but for the first time,
there was like a handing of the torch
kind of thing.
Like, I know when I'm done, there's
an Earnhardt that's gonna carry on.
[Dale Jr.] When we won our first race,
I remember, and I even said audibly,
we're in the All-Star Race.
Back then, the All-Star Race was amazing
because only the winners ran in it.
You wanted to get into
that elite select group
of special drivers.
And so, we went to Texas, and I was like,
I'm in that damn All-Star Race.
Dad's in it. I'm in it.
[music swells]
[commentator] Well, time for 20 drivers
who have qualified for the Winston,
will now be introduced to the fans.
And we're so happy
you're part of it with us.
[Dale Jr.]
I'm like, holy shit, these are my heroes.
These are my dad's competitors and peers.
I'm a rookie, and rookies don't run
in the All-Star Race.
[commentator]
Jeff Gordon, virtually unbeatable.
[Dale Jr.]
I was just like havin' a wake-up call.
Damn, this is really happening.
It's really happening to me.
Everything that I dreamed.
[music swells]
[announcer over PA] Get ready
[indistinct calls]
[engines roaring]
[Dale Jr.] We start the race,
and I'm runnin' my ass off.
[commentator 2] Dale Earnhardt Jr.
in that eight car there,
now in fourth.
He's really knifing through this traffic.
[Dale Jr.] I'm knifing up through there,
trying to pass as many cars as I can,
and I get to Dad, and he's like
[makes engine noises] He's goin'.
He don't give a shit.
I'm like shit, tryin' to keep up with him.
And I slapped the wall
comin' off turn four.
[commentator 2] Whoa!
How close to the wall can you come?
That was a little too close there,
you gotta watch that or
[Dale Jr.] I thought shit,
I probably nerfed the car a little bit,
probably hurt it.
And I realized right then,
I don't think we got the car to beat.
[commentator]
Earnhardt Jr. comes off the racetrack.
He will make an unscheduled stop.
[Dale Jr.] So, let's go down pit road,
put tires on. What have we got to lose?
[power tools whirring]
[commentator] Some new tires on,
and he is under way.
I've got a little tiny tire advantage,
got to start running some laps,
man, my car just kind of
drove by everybody.
The car was amazing. Fuckin' hauled ass!
[commentator 2]
Keep your eye on Dale Earnhardt Jr.
He has come from the back of this pack.
[Dale Jr.] I remember goin' by Dad.
I went by him, and he watched me drive.
I really want to know,
what he was thinkin'.
[commentator 2]
I've seen a lot of things in my life,
but I don't think I've ever seen
determination this young man has.
[commentator]
It is again the Dale Show,
but a different generation of Earnhardt
now in the mix.
[commentator 2] He's pullin' even
as they head down the back straightaway.
He didn't just take the lead,
he is drivin' away.
And look at this.
[commentator]
Dale Earnhardt Jr., in his rookie season.
[music swells]
[crowd cheering]
What a great run you made in those
final laps, Dale, tell us about it.
Well, we was, uh
[music plays over dialogue]
[music softens]
[Dale Jr.] He's standin'
on the other side of the trophy,
and he just looks over and he goes,
man, this is cool, ain't it?
And I was like, that was the moment.
Like, that was Dad.
You know, that was Dale bein' Dad.
[announcer] Another Earnhardt
on the stage now. Join us, proud dad.
[Dale Jr.] You just have to realize that
that side of him was so rare.
And to see him just sit back
and let it sink in.
[gentle music]
I was above and beyond,
exceeding all expectations
that my dad ever had for me.
I'd blown them out of the water.
This is the guy that almost sent me
to art school,
to be an artist.
I would stand on those stages with Dad,
lookin' at him, goin',
"You see me now?" You know, like,
"Look at us, look at me."
You know, just over the moon happy
with how he allowed himself
to be embraced.
[music swells]
[Kelley] Most of my grown-up life,
Dad and I struggled
over who I was in a relationship with,
and him believing he knew what was best.
Um, and he had these mistakes
in his own life.
Instead of living to kind of please him,
I just
made the choice of like, basically
just to live my own way.
I mean, enough is enough.
I mean, do I want to make myself happy
or do I want to make him happy?
And what I didn't know then
that I do know now is
that, you know, our time
was gonna get cut short.
So
[Dale] Don't let it slip away.
Don't let it go by you.
And then, one day you're gone,
or somebody's gone that you loved.
I mean, it's like my dad.
I wish I'd have told him I loved him,
you know, the day,
I'd seen him the day before he died.
I mean, I didn't.
It was too late the next day.
[gentle music continues]