Dale Earnhardt Jr. has often shown just how playful and down-to-earth he is as a dad. Whether it’s letting his daughters, Isla and Nicole, paint his nails, dress him up in princess outfits, or join him on pit road before races, he’s always leaned into the fun side of parenting. He’s often joked that his girls “run the house,” and Amy has shared clips on Instagram of Dale Jr. goofing around during family time, from building forts to spontaneous dance parties.

Junior’s even admitted that being a “girl dad” has softened him in ways racing never could, calling it “the most rewarding kind of chaos.” But sometimes he orchestrates the chaos, too.

The Earnhardt parenting chaos

Even NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. admits that parenting isn’t always a smooth ride. On a recent episode of the Bless Your ‘Hardt podcast with his wife Amy Earnhardt, he shared a hilariously honest moment from home that every parent could probably relate to. “We were at home the other day,” Dale Jr. recalled, “and I’m telling you what, our girls were pissing us off.”

He described how Isla and Nicole, his two young daughters, were acting up at the dinner table, sliding down in their seats and refusing to eat. “They’re like, ‘I’m done,’” he said, with Amy laughing, seeing him mimic them. “Haven’t eaten a bite.” It’s a glimpse into the Earnhardt household, where even one of NASCAR’s most composed veterans can find himself in the trenches of parenthood.

After dinner, things didn’t calm down much. Junior and Amy found themselves sitting in the living room with the TV on while their kids played around, clearly still ignoring instructions.

That’s when Amy, trying to lighten the mood, asked a random question, “What’s your favorite old scary movie?” Dale Jr. thought for a moment and replied, “I guess Friday the 13th.” The comment sparked a mischievous idea, one that Dale Jr now admits was not their best parenting approach.

“I was like, ‘You know what? We should fire up Friday the 13th and scare the hell out of them,’” he laughed. “These two deserve to have the sh-t scared out of them.” It was one of those half-joking, half-serious parenting thoughts that slip out in frustration, something most parents can relate to after a long day. Junior said it with his signature dry humor, the same kind that’s made him a fan favorite in NASCAR’s post-race interviews and on his podcast.

Of course, cooler heads prevailed. Junior and Amy didn’t actually play the slasher classic for their kids, who are far too young for horror flicks. “We thought better of it,” he admitted. “And realized it was terrible parenting.” The couple laughed about it afterward, acknowledging how parenting tests patience in ways racing never did. Amy, who often joins Dale Jr on his podcast or shares family life on Instagram, is known for her calm, thoughtful approach to raising their girls, often balancing out Junior’s spontaneous humor.

This isn’t the first time Dale Jr. has shared lighthearted chaos from family life. In past interviews, he’s admitted how raising two young daughters has humbled him in new ways. From bedtime battles to sibling squabbles, the Earnhardts have found humor in the mess.

“They test your patience, but they also make life so much more fun,” Dale Jr once said. It’s a far cry from the intensity of his days behind the wheel, but it’s clear that Dale Jr. embraces both the joy and the challenge of fatherhood with the same authenticity that made him NASCAR’s “Most Popular Driver” for 15 straight years.

In the end, Dale Jr and Amy’s “terrible parenting” story wasn’t so terrible after all. It was just another moment of laughter, honesty, and love in the Earnhardt household, the kind that keeps fans feeling connected to the sport’s most relatable power couple.

But aside from parenting adventures, Dale Jr also got his closure on a long-awaited matter.

Carl Edwards’ exit closure

Carl Edwards’ sudden retirement after the 2016 season landed like a bolt from the blue, blindsiding the garage and even a veteran like Dale Earnhardt Jr. He had just reached the Championship 4 for the fifth time in a 10-year NASCAR Cup career, a record that showed steady form even without a title to his name. The whole scene showed that he could win the championship at some point. Instead, he walked away without warning.

The turning point came at Homestead in the 2016 finale, where Edwards appeared to have the championship sewn up before a late caution reset the deck. The moment mirrored Denny Hamlin’s heartbreak last Sunday in Phoenix. On the ensuing restart, Edwards’ bid unraveled in a crash with fellow title contender Joey Logano. The hit ended his race and, soon enough, his Cup career.

Edwards finally addressed retirement questions openly on Dale Jr.’s podcast recently, but back then, Edwards had kept the true reasons close to the vest. Since Junior was curious, he wanted to know whether that Homestead crash with Logano played a role, whether Edwards no longer felt right physically, whether concussions like Dale Jr.’s factored in, or whether he was simply finished with what he viewed as entertainment cautions.

So he reached out to Edwards about four or five years ago by text. Edwards replied with a handwritten, four-page letter that explained what had happened and what followed after Homestead in 2016. The letter, as Dale Jr. put it, offered long-sought closure.

“I reached out to him in a text message, and Carl wrote me back, a handwritten, four-page letter. He explained everything that was going on, what had happened… It gave me a sense of closure.

“I wanted to understand, for my own peace of mind, whether he’d suffered some kind of physical issue, whether he was dealing with health concerns, or if he was just truly heartbroken by the caution, and by how that caution took away what looked like a sure thing right in front of him.”

Five years later, in his second season with Joe Gibbs Racing, he found himself back in position. He felt he had done everything right, only to watch a questionable call scramble the outcome. The letdown sent him into a mental spiral and hardened his resolve to step away.

The parallel with Hamlin frames the present. The JGR driver’s last Sunday’s loss at Phoenix echoed Edwards’ Homestead gut punch, yet the forecast differs. Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. both believe Hamlin will return next year to take another swing at the elusive championship. They expect him to regroup and press the attack rather than close the book.