There’s this thing about motorsports. Once in a generation, there comes a driver who becomes more than a name. They become a brand synonymous with the sport. Their fame starts defining the sport far and wide among audiences that were otherwise unaware of the sport’s existence. An ex-FOX broadcaster and NASCAR veteran learned about this in the most delightful way.

You might know that Kenny Wallace is on a personal tour currently if you are following his social media posts. A couple of days ago, his Nurburgring experience went viral as he became the first NASCAR driver to lap the ‘Green Hell.’ However, when he moved on from the racetrack to take a tour of the famous National Auto Museum in Germany, he saw something he wouldn’t have imagined in his dreams.

There it was—a yellow Dodge, displaying the name proudly on its shining side panel—Earnhardt. As soon as they noticed it, both the audience and Kenny Wallace gasped in awe and surprise. What was the Earnhardt name doing in Germany, miles away from the ovals and stock car racing scene, in a museum of all places?

To answer the question, how did the museum procure it? Well, it was given and sold to them by Ray Evernham.

“But as we were going through the museum, I saw this Earnhardt IROC car, and then I saw the Jeff Gordon car. So immediately, I text Ray Evernham because I believe you told me, ‘Yes, Ray Everham sold those to him,’” Wallace informed the audience.

“Immediately Ray Everham says, ‘Hey, those are good guys. Yes, I sold them a couple cars.’ But these cars are so incredible.” It was no wonder that Wallace got excited watching his sport displayed proudly in a surprising location.

Dale Earnhardt was the brand that took NASCAR to a truly global level. Sure, the audience outside America may not have a lot of idea about stock car racing, but every once in a while, you will find someone who immediately connects NASCAR racing to Earnhardt. It is the same reason why Daniel Ricciardo chose the number 3 for his racing career all the way in Australia while racing in Formula 1, a series so aloof from the blue-collar stock cars of the US.

When a person earns fame of this level, every piece of memorabilia from their career becomes an unforgettable piece of their legacy. And in the United States, there is no scarcity of Dale Sr.’s memorabilia and nostalgic throwbacks.

After all, there were many collectors who kept a piece of his racing legacy and are still scouring for more. However, imagine how you would feel when you came to know that oceans apart, there is a legendary Dale Earnhardt memory hidden away in the most unexpected place. That’s exactly what Kenny Wallace felt when he visited Germany last week.

It was the car that Dale Earnhardt drove when he competed in the International Race of Champions. Ray Evernham’s dream series, which brought together champions from all over the world, also invited Dale Sr. as a participant for 16 years. And in typical Dale Earnhardt fashion, it also drove him to multiple victories in the ultimate test of talent.

Earnhardt drove the Dodge IROC car from 1990 to 1995, claiming two titles in six years and six victories throughout the events he participated in.

But that’s not all. Alongside Dale Earnhardt, there were some other NASCAR drivers who got featured in the National Auto Museum in Germany too.

Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace bring a smile to Kenny

Just beside Earnhardt’s car was also Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 NASCAR, proudly displaying its livery. Evernham is known for his passionate restoration of old NASCARs, and Germany is preserving some of them to remind the world about the legacies that defined NASCAR.

So it was no wonder that he donated multiple cars to the museum to immortalize the story of the sport. The No. 24 car is the same one that Gordon drove during his championship-winning season in the 1990s, featuring the famous ‘Rainbow Warrior’ scheme with DuPont as his title sponsor.

As he moved further down the hallway, Wallace started grinning in an instant. “Okay, look here, everybody. There it is. We’re all the way over here in Germany. Guess whose name’s on this car,” said Wallace, barely able to contain his pride and joy.

“Brother Rusty. Because Rusty won an IROC championship. So, Ray Evernham. There it is, baby. Brother Rusty, all the IROC champions. Allison, Earnhardt, and Elliott. Look at that. Isn’t that awesome? We’re going to go right around here. This is a cutaway car.”

His brother’s championship winner, the IROC, was a cutaway model precisely stripped to its bare bones by Ray Evernham. It goes on to display the rumbling V8 and stock car racing technology that NASCAR prides itself on. There is no doubt that Kenny Wallace is going to spark a lot of discussion with the reveals from his latest videos.

Are you among the fans who are excited to make a quick trip to Germany to revisit your old legends?