For three generations, the Earnhardt name has been NASCAR’s heartbeat. Dale Earnhardt Sr. carved out his “Intimidator” legend with seven Cup Series championships, rewriting the record books with every throttle drop. His son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., might not have matched that on-track dominance, but he’s built a media empire that’s kept racing relevant in a changing world. Between those two giants, though, one name often slips under the radar – the man who started it all: Ralph Earnhardt.

Born February 23, 1928, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Ralph was the tough-as-nails patriarch who laid the family’s racing foundation. A short-track racer with a mechanic’s touch, he built his own cars, earning respect for precision and grit on local circuits. Ralph’s legacy shines brightest with his 1956 NASCAR Sportsman Division championship, the forerunner to today’s Xfinity Series title. That win stamped him as one of his era’s best, racing against the Southeast’s toughest on tracks like Metrolina and Concord.

His mechanical brilliance and driving skill were passed down to Dale Sr., who turned it into a dynasty, and now Dale Jr. carries that torch. Known for his hands-on approach, Ralph wasn’t a media darling like his son or grandson, but his influence shaped NASCAR’s DNA. Fast forward to today, and Dale Jr. is ensuring that legacy doesn’t fade. The Earnhardt name carries weight, and recent moves show he’s not letting his grandfather’s story slip into obscurity.

Dale Jr.’s auction battle for his grandfather’s memorabilia

On the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast, Dale recounted an exciting find. “A friend of mine who is into sort of, you know, tracking the estate sales in the area showed me that there was an estate sale local that had a Ralph Earnhardt autograph. And there were some other autographs as well. In this sort of package, you could buy the sort-of-the-thing all of it together. And I don’t know what a Ralph Earnhardt autograph would be valued at,” he said.

In a candid moment, Dale Earnhardt Jr. recalled purchasing this very autograph of his grandfather, which was an unusual and sentimental one for him. Estate sales, common in North Carolina’s racing-rich regions like Kannapolis and Concord, occasionally yield racing memorabilia, but finding something tied to Ralph Earnhardt, a NASCAR pioneer and 1956 NASCAR Sportsman Division Champion, is rare. Ralph Earnhardt, who was known for his mechanical skill and gritty racing on short tracks across the Southeast, wasn’t as heavily commercialized as the later NASCAR legends that came after him, meaning his autographs seldom surface in collectors’ circles.

According to NASCAR historians, authentic Ralph Earnhardt signatures are scarce partly because of his low public profile compared to his son, Dale Earnhardt Sr., who became an icon of the sport. Dale Jr. mentioned that “there were some other autographs as well” in the estate sale bundle, a common scenario where racing mementos from the same era get grouped together, yet it was Ralph’s signature that stood out. While modern memorabilia auctions regularly fetch high prices for signatures from NASCAR’s modern stars, pricing an authentic Ralph Earnhardt autograph is difficult due to its rarity and the limited market.

He went deeper into the story, recounting, “He passed away in ’73. I would say this autograph was probably from anywhere from ’70 or ’69 to ’73 right before his death. The car on the picture that is autographed is a Camaro, which I think he raced in ’71 ’72 maybe at Metrolina and Concord, and so I was like, shoot man, I got to…There’s not many Ralph Earnhardt autographs out there. There aren’t, and I’d already have one or two Ralph Earnhardt autographs that I’ve collected over the years, and so I bought. I went in and made some bids and got it. I got it for a really good price.”

Dale further reflected on the autograph’s possible timeline. Ralph Earnhardt died tragically of a heart attack at age 45 on September 26, 1973. Photos of him in racing Camaros during the early ’70s align with Dale Jr.’s description of the signed image. Ralph competed at regional tracks like Metrolina Speedway near Charlotte and Concord Speedway, venues that were central to grassroots NASCAR racing at the time. According to local racing archives, Ralph Earnhardt raced Chevrolet Camaros in select Sportsman events during 1971 and 1972, often battling on the North Carolina short track circuit. Dale mentioned that the car pictured “is a Camaro which I think he raced in ’71, ’72 maybe at Metrolina and Concord.”

This matches photographic records from regional racing programs and family scrapbooks shared in the NASCAR Hall of Fame exhibits, where Ralph’s career has been honored. Dale’s realization that “there’s not many Ralph Earnhardt autographs out there” is accurate; few were preserved due to Ralph’s modest public profile and limited fanfare compared to his son and grandson. Collectors familiar with Earnhardt family memorabilia often note that Dale Jr.’s private collection is among the most extensive when it comes to his grandfather’s legacy.

Dale Jr. uncertain about Daniel Suárez’s future

Dale Earnhardt Jr. understands all too well the uphill battle of securing a ride in NASCAR. It takes more than raw talent behind the wheel; backing from sponsors and timing play a critical role as well. So, with Daniel Suárez and Trackhouse Racing announcing their split at season’s end, and tensions running high after the Sonoma run-in with teammate Ross Chastain, the pressure on Suárez has only intensified. During the latest Dale Jr. Download episode, Earnhardt laid it out plainly. He sees no clear path for Suárez to remain in the Cup Series next season.

Commenting on this, he said, “I don’t know, really like what opportunities he’s got, right? To stay in Cup. What openings are there? Where would he go that would be like a, ‘Hell yeah! This is just as good.’ A lateral move at least, right? There’s nowhere he’s going to go. There’s nothing, right?” Even if a door unexpectedly cracks open for Suárez, Junior doubts it will lead to better footing, adding, “He may be hopeful, and look, I could be wrong, and something could open up, and somebody might go, ‘Yeah, man. We’ll take this.’ But I don’t believe there is a move where you could go, ‘Man, he’s stepping into something better.’ He has support, sponsorship, he has some funding. I just don’t see an opening where Suárez can go and that’s as good or better (than Trackhouse Racing).”

Earnhardt believes the weight of diminishing options will only add fuel to Suárez’s frustration. Though the Mexican driver may still want to finish the year on good terms with the team and his peers, getting wrecked by his own teammate has only made matters worse. The current Cup landscape doesn’t offer much breathing room. Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, and even 23XI Racing are packed to the rafters. Josh Berry looks set to stay at Wood Brothers, and Ryan Preece’s seat at RFK Racing seems safe for now.

That leaves Kaulig Racing as perhaps the only viable Cup landing spot. With its revolving-door driver lineup and current bet on Ty Dillon, it wouldn’t be shocking if they pulled the plug and handed the wheel to Suárez. Another path could lead him back to Xfinity with JR Motorsports. Suárez already has a win with the team on home turf in Mexico. If he aims to contend for wins week in and week out, JRM could offer that shot. Plus, with JRM dipping its toes into Cup waters, Suárez might use that platform as a stepping stone for a future return to NASCAR’s top tier.