“I was somehow adversely affected by his success.” That is what Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to say about living with the Earnhardt surname weighing on his shoulders. Dale Jr. has always worn the family name with pride, but being born into NASCAR royalty wasn’t without its challenges. Being the son of Dale Earnhardt Sr., a man with 7 championships and an undying legacy tied to his name, “not everything is a bed of roses,” as Dale Jr. put it.

In candid moments, he opened up about the pressure of expectations and the struggles of forging his own identity while living in the shadow of his legendary father. Junior spoke openly about the bittersweet reality of his childhood, acknowledging a legacy that brought opportunity but also scrutiny.

Dale Earnhardt recalls why he dreaded going back to school on Mondays

Dale Earnhardt was more than a racing icon; he was a demanding father whose dedication to the track overshadowed life at home. According to Dale Junior in the Earnhardt docuseries, released in May earlier this year, The Intimidator admired everything about racing, but that pursuit often took precedence over family time. Even as a young boy, Dale Jr. felt the weight his father’s legacy was creating on the track and off it.

Yet, from that intense environment came a foundation. Junior recalls learning by example from Dale Earnhardt Sr., not just how to drive fast but also how to carry oneself under pressure and how to stay focused amid chaos. Those life lessons helped shape him into a champion and a household name in NASCAR. However, in a recent interview with Kyle Petty, Dale Jr. recalls the moment he felt the pushback of carrying the name around.

When asked about the positives and negatives of being an Earnhardt, Dale Jr. admitted to Kyle Petty, saying, “I went to a lot of private schools, and Dad finally decided we’re going to go to a public school in Mooresville when I was going into the ninth grade. And I thought, you know what? When I go to this public school, I’m probably going to have a lot of friends, and everybody’s going to know who my dad is, and they’re all going to think that that’s crazy cool. And you know, I’m going to enjoy it, all that attention. And it was the exact opposite.” 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. first attended Oak Ridge Military Academy at age 12, sent there by his father to instill discipline after some trouble at a private Christian school. And he spent approximately three miserable weeks there, and after military school, Junior transitioned to Mooresville High School, graduating in 1992. Even then, he wasn’t just racing; he was navigating daily school life under the spotlight of his famous surname.

Dale Jr. recalls one specific moment that changed his rose-colored view of school fandom. The NASCAR Hall of Famer recalled the Talladega race in 1987, when Bobby Allison had a terrifying wreck, crashing into the catch fence after his tire blew out. “I remember a good example of this was when Bobby Allison blew a tire through the trioval at Talladega in the Miller car. Dad was behind him, I mean, like three car lengths, four car lengths, not even close.” Dale Earnhardt’s #3 Wrangler crept behind Allison and made contact when the latter’s tires blew apart, launching him dangerously in the air.

Dale Jr. explained the reaction when he went back to school on Monday after the race, saying, “There were a couple of kids that anytime that anything happened that was bad, they were the ones that wanted to point it out to you… I go to school on Monday, and three or four kids come up to me and go, ‘Your daddy’s a dirty driver. He wrecked Bobby Allison.’ You know, it was that kind of thing every week. If Dad didn’t do good, you weren’t really excited to go back to school on Monday ’cause they were going to tell you about it.“

By the time the wreck delayed the Talladega race, Earnhardt had already led an impressive 10 laps through skillful drafting and calculated aggression. When NASCAR eventually called the race after 178 of the scheduled 188 laps due to fading daylight, The Intimidator crossed the line in fourth place, just behind the top three finishers, Davey Allison, Terry Labonte, and Kyle Petty.

With such experiences at school, Dale Jr. knew he could rely on his sister Kelley for some emotional stability. However, on the brighter side of things, it was his father who inspired him to race.

Dale Jr. recounts the first time he wanted to get behind the wheel professionally

Before the roars of Charlotte Motor Speedway echoed around him, Junior was just a 13-year-old kid on a couch, daring to dream. He didn’t grow up with racing handed to him; he had to chase it and prove he wanted it. And the man he had to prove it to was Dale Earnhardt. Speaking to Kyle Petty, Dale Jr. recalls the exact moment he knew he wanted to race.

Dale Jr. said, “One day, I remember it specifically. 13 years old, sitting on the couch, and I looked at Dad. He was sitting there watching TV, and I said, ‘Dad, I can’t wait to race.’ And he just brushed it off. And then one day, me and my brother are sitting at a picnic table. Dad walks by and threw down the sports paper, and the article says, ‘New Street Stock Series starting at Concord Motor Speedway.’ That was it.”

Feeling that early enthusiasm, Junior sprang to action. Recalling his resourcefulness, he said he went over to Sabco Racing and got one of Michael Waltrip’s crash cars from the backyard. And remember how the intermediator had cut the roof off of their 1979 Monte Carlo car, and put the roll cage in. A homemade race car built with heart and sweat, painted with purpose and determination. Dale Junior described his younger self and brother Kerry Earnhardt as, “Me and Kerry were like this ball at the top of the hill that just needed that little small shove. And it was that article in that paper. Daddy said, ‘Hey, read that article.’ Yeah. And that was all we needed.”

Fast forward to his first Cup Series debut in May 1999 at Charlotte, a defining moment shared with his dad. Driving his grandfather’s iconic No. 8 Chevy under Budweiser colors, Junior finished a respectable 16th, while Earnhardt finished sixth, making them one of the few father-son duos to race together at NASCAR’s premier level.

From getting scrutinized about his dad’s performances to racing with him and being loved by every soul in the sport, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has come a long way. And as he glides into his 50s, he’s only taking the sport to bigger and better places.