On February 18, 2001, the world of NASCAR lost its fiercest warrior. Dale Earnhardt Sr., known to millions as “The Intimidator,” died in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500. It was a hit to the soul of the sport. He was defending his teammates’ cars, running hard, running smart, running like Dale always did, with no apologies and no fear. But in Turn 4, everything stopped. His #3 Chevrolet hit the wall head-on after a chain reaction, and just like that, the most iconic figure in NASCAR history was gone. The world didn’t believe it. Many still don’t.

The aftermath of the race shook everyone. While his friend and team owner, Richard Childress, thought it was just another crash, his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., said he knew the moment he walked into the hospital room. “I walked right into Dad’s room. I knew right away when I saw him that it was just as bad as it could be,” he admitted later. While the track was looking to recover Dale from the horrific crash, his dear friend Michael Waltrip was in victory lane after his first career victory in 462 races, waiting for him. “I couldn’t wait for Dale to get to Victory Lane… I knew when he got there, it would be the biggest hug ever. That hug never came,” he admitted.

Nearly 25 years have passed since that haunting day. And now, Amazon Prime Video brings his memory back to life in a way no tribute has before. A four-part docuseries  — Earnhardt — digs into the roots of Dale’s rise, his turbulent family life, and the pain behind the persona. Episode one, in particular, lays the groundwork, showing not just how Dale Sr. became a racer, but how he became The Intimidator.

Dale Earnhardt walks you through his journey!

On May 22nd, 2025, Amazon Prime dropped the first two episodes of their four-part docuseries, Earnhardt. It comes days before Prime’s broadcasting debut with the Coca-Cola 600, and it delivers. The first episode doesn’t waste a second. Remember what Director Joshua Altman promised before the release? He had said, “Let’s tell a family story. Much in the way that The Godfather isn’t about a mobster… It’s really about a family.” And that’s exactly what this feels like. Earnhardt is NASCAR’s most human story, told with clarity, heart, and power.

There’s a haunting power in the way the episode opens, not with stats or accolades, but with questions. Questions that hang heavy in the air. Who was the man in black? What did it cost him to be The Intimidator? And did he ever stop to enjoy it? You don’t get answers right away. What you get is a feeling of speed, of fight, of obsession. Dale himself says it best: “All I ever remember is racing.” He was born for the track. Everything else came second.

The story starts in 1979 when Dale Sr makes his NASCAR Cup Series debut, and the sport is on the cusp of change. The old guards like King Richard Petty and Carl Yarborough were stepping aside. New blood, new ambition, and a young, mustachioed rebel named Dale Earnhardt were charging forward. His prediction at Bristol that year, “It’s going to be a hell of a race”, wasn’t just bold talk. It was a prophecy. He took on Darrell Waltrip, muscled past him, and made it clear he wasn’t there to blend in.

Waltrip later admitted, “…And then we became rivals.” That was the moment Dale Earnhardt announced himself to the sport. Despite his father, Ralph Earnhardt, being a racer, he wasn’t born into privilege. He’s a man racing while in debt, raising kids in chaos, crashing his way through life, and competing with the same recklessness that made him legendary. What hits hardest, though, is the emotional weight behind the legend.

Every success on the track is shadowed by a struggle at home. Silence in his personal life juxtaposed with every roar of the crowd. And to portray these emotions director and the Amazon Prime crew used archival footage. A brilliant use of Dale Sr’s interviews and his talks shows makes you feel that he is sitting in Dirty Mo Media booth and speaking about his life with Dale Jr, a dream for any NASCAR fan.

This episode doesn’t shy away from the fracture, it shows you the cost of greatness. It invites you to feel the ache behind the stoicism, the vulnerability beneath the swagger. You can almost hear the gravel in his voice and the steel in his eyes. His signature mustache, cowboy hat, and that no-nonsense swagger, everything about him screamed toughness. And that toughness? It had a name. Ironhead.

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Inside the mind of a son looking for validation from his Father!

What makes the first episode special isn’t just the racing. It’s the rawness. The honesty. We see Dale as a young father, thrust into single parenthood after a house fire. He took custody of Dale Jr. and Kelley, and he married Teresa Earnhardt, which somehow kept him away from his kids. He thought his kids were being looked after, but they tell a different story about their stepmother. There’s heartbreak in their voices. But there’s also resilience. The cut frame to contradict Dale Sr’s feelings about his wife with his kid just reveals the unsettling dynamics of the Earnhardt family.

Episode one also peeks into the psychology of a man who lost his father too soon. Dale Sr. was always racing against a ghost. “Every time he was in that race car, he didn’t worry about what anybody else thought. I think Dale would have given everything he had just for his dad to come back, put his arm around him, and say, Boy, I’m proud of you. I love you, Dale,” his friend Hank Parker says. After his second Cup championship win, Dale admitted, saying, “He’s been with me all year, Jack. It’s the reason I’ve been winnin’ and runnin’ so good this year.” That was Dale Earnhardt.

The first episode of the Earnhardt docuseries keeps you on the edge. You feel like talking with the Intimidator as he gives you a tour of his early racing career. And a warning for first-time viewers: this series might be named after Earnhardt, but it’s just not about him. It explores Dale Sr.’s father, Ralph Earnhardt’s life, it explores Darrell Waltrip’s life, and how he suffered massively with Dale Sr’s reckless driving style. It also explores how NASCAR evolved, and it finally explores how Earnhardt built it.

As we gear up for Episode 2, one thing is clear: This isn’t just a docuseries for racing fans. It’s for anyone who’s ever chased a dream, loved a father, or lived with loss. It’s a portrait of a man who gave everything to a sport, and dedicated his life to a legacy that still echoes through every lap, every turn, and every heart that still beats for the black No. 3. So, tune in. Remember the roar. Feel the grit. And ride along with The Intimidator, one more time.