Dale Earnhardt Jr Opens Up on the “First Real Conversation” He Had With His Father During the Early Days of His Career

Former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr has been really open about his beautiful relationship with his late father Dale Earnhardt. In many ways, Dale Jr. has nurtured and extended his father’s legacy by revealing another side of him, a side other than the seven-time Cup champion Intimidator, a side perhaps better experienced by him than anyone else, the side of Dale Earnhardt as a father.

In a recent episode of his podcast, the Hall of Fame inductee spoke about an incident from the early days of his racing career in the Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI) team.

This one time, an upset Dale Jr. faced the wrath of his father because he wasn’t in the garage fixing the car with the mechanics. Instead, he was sitting inside a room, sulking, having vodka and cigarettes.

After senior tried talking some sense into his son in his usual way, unusually, the son talked back to his father.

And instead of the Intimidator shutting him down; he replied to his frustrated son with humility. 

“It was the greatest conversation we ever had,” Dale Jr recalled. “It was the first conversation, first real talk we had. And he went from, ‘You’re f*****g up…you gotta get you a** in gear,’ to, like, explaining to me.”

“It was the first time he really let me understand like, ‘This is for you, man,’” Earnhardt Jr continued. “And we had a breakthrough.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr would welcome criticism from his father

In an interview leading up to his induction in the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Dale Earnhardt Jr revealed what he thinks, how his father would’ve reacted to his career had he been alive.

“I think he certainly would be happy and proud, but also typical Dad going, ‘Well, if you try a little harder here,’ or ‘If you had done a little different there’ and ‘Maybe you should prioritize this,'” Earnhardt Jr. said.

“That’s exactly what I would expect from him, and I would welcome that type of criticism today.”

Dale Jr. confessed that he would do “anything to hear” what his father thinks about his career, his achievements, and everything he has been a part of. “I would just do anything to really, really truly know what his words would be,” he said.

“I think about it all the time,” added Dale Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr Has “No Lasting Impacts” From Concussions That Forced Him Into Early NASCAR Retirement

What do you make of Dale Jr’s views on his conversation with his dad?