Strong, famous, and influential — if we use these three words to describe someone in the NASCAR world, the first name that will pop up in your head would be Dale Earnhardt. And you won’t be wrong. The guy was a force to be reckoned with in his time. And it was this foothold in NASCAR that allowed him to become a household name, a status he holds to this day. But sadly, such fame and power come with their own setbacks. 

We all know why Senior was called the ‘Intimidator’. But perhaps his intimidating presence on the track left significant imprints on how he was perceived off-track. Although he was loved widely, he was seen as something unreachable. And we got to know this from one of NASCAR’s veterans.

Talking to Dale Earnhardt, on his podcast, retired race car driver & crew chief Jeff Green, said, “Along the way, your dad [Dale Sr] was going to retire from the Busch Series, and Mike and your dad were really good friends. So, Mike was putting my name in the hat for that car for that opportunity. I came home one night late in the ’94 season, and Michelle, my wife, hit the button, and… Earnhardt was on the other end, I thought.”

“For the next three or four hours, I called all my buddies back in Hornsboro to see who was messing with me, but it turned out to be him for sure, and that was a pretty special occasion for me.” When Junior inquired what his dad wanted to talk about, Green revealed that ‘the Man in Black’ wanted Green to come and see him. 

Bubba Wallace’s spotter, Freddie Kraft, came across this podcast clip on Twitter and expressed, “I feel bad for Dale Earnhardt back in the day. No one ever returned this guy’s phone calls cause everyone thought it was a prank.” 

The day Brad Keselowski got that life-changing call from Dale Earnhardt Jr

Brad Keselowski didn’t always have the illustrious career we know of. In 2006-2007, he faced several challenges. Back then, he was driving for Keith Coleman Racing, a backmarker team in the Xfinity Series. However, his fortunes changed quickly.

In a podcast with Kevin Harvick, he mentioned that he had begun attracting team owners’ attention with his performances against the “Bushwhackers.” The major turning point came during his substitute appearance in a truck race at Memphis, which caught the eye of Dale Earnhardt Jr and led to a life-changing call for him.

Keselowski shared on the Happy Hour podcast, “Probably my biggest break came when a driver got suspended after a truck race, and I filled in for him. I ran really well, sat on the pole, led a lot of laps, and had a shot to win. It felt like all these different things came together. I remember being on an airplane flying back from Memphis, flying commercial. I landed in Detroit, where I was living at the time. I turned my phone on, and I had a voicemail from Dale Jr. I remember thinking, “This is the coolest thing ever.” 

Then Junior and Keselowski got back in touch the following week, and the rest is history. He drove for JR Motorsports, opening the doors to establish himself in a competitive sport like NASCAR. 

This, however, may not come as a surprise to you as most of us are aware of how the Earnhardts have provided a platform to some of the biggest stars, like William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Tyler Reddick. Let’s hope Junior, just like his old man, keeps uplifting talented drivers, helping them find their footing in the sport.