Dale Earnhardt Jr. has one of the largest fan followings in NASCAR, but still, he sometimes finds himself facing criticism. Something similar happened when the latest tribute to his father Dale Earnhardt was labeled a “money grab” by the fans, forcing him to clear things up.

Dale Jr. criticized for his father’s latest documentary

Just this week, a new documentary We’ve Lost Dale Earnhardt: 25 Years Later on the life of Dale Earnhardt Sr. was released, marking 25 years since the tragic crash that claimed his life. However, one fan didn’t seem very excited. “Just another money grab for Dale Jr he’s all about the money,” he tweeted.

However, NASCAR insider Bob Ellis clarified the situation, saying, “As far as I know Dale Jr had nothing to do with this production. When I was interviewed for it, there was no one there from Dirty Mo; just NASCAR and Fox.”

This was pure speculation until Dale Jr. stepped in, clearing the air with a one-word response: “Correct.”

There have been previous discussions regarding all the documentaries that have been released, focused on Dale Earnhardt. Many now feel that the sport should focus on other former drivers and pay tribute to them instead.

In fact, Ellis went further to answer some popular fan comments like “What do we need another Dale Earnhardt documentary for?”

He explained how the work is more about what happened after Dale died rather than what happened during his career. “It has been 25 yrs since we lost Dale. 25 years. He’s been gone longer than he raced fulltime in NASCAR’s top series. And yet, here we are still talking about him. He still has an impact on the sport.”

NASCAR and FS1 also mentioned in their press release, “This documentary explores the man behind the wheel and goes beyond a single day in history to delve into how one moment forever changed the sport and continues to impact drivers competing today.”

With seven Cup Series championships, Dale Earnhardt was indeed one of the best drivers to ever step into the sport. Last year, when the four-part Earnhardt docu-series premiered on Amazon Prime Video, it was met with mostly positive reception from fans and viewers.

But there is more to it. While Dale Earnhardt was a legend, many others dedicated their lives to the sport, including the likes of Junior Johnson and Cale Yarborough. While there have been some tributes to them, these drivers never had any large-scale documentaries covering their lives in detail.

This raises a critical question:

Why does NASCAR keep returning to Dale Earnhardt?

NASCAR’s continued tribute to Dale Earnhardt goes beyond race stats or nostalgia. It is rooted in timing, symbolism, and consequence. He wasn’t just a seven-time Cup champion; he became the central figure of the sport’s most defining era.

NASCAR was peaking in popularity when he was racing; moreover, his son’s debut made him a fan-favorite as well. Dale Jr. and his father shared the tracks multiple times.

In fact, the 2001 Daytona 500 saw Dale Jr. battling for the race win, while his father was behind. As he crossed the finish line, Earnhardt crashed. The impact claimed his life. It triggered a safety revolution that reshaped stock-car racing forever.

Culturally, Earnhardt embodied NASCAR at its crossroads. His larger-than-life persona created a cult-like following that remains loyal to this day, and that popularity is still carried on by his son and daughter, Kelly Earnhardt Miller.

The siblings keep their father’s legacy alive in the sport. However, with the repeated documentaries on him, a large portion of the fanbase is tired of the constant nostalgia.