“I Guess It Will Sink in Once I See the Look in My Daddy’s Eyes Next Week.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr Reflects on Winning His Maiden Xfinity Title
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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 4: Dale Earnhardt Sr. & Dale Earnhard, Jr. pose together at the raceway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Earhnardts and Andy Pilgram earned second in the GTS category during the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. (Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images)
Dale Earnhardt Jr did not quite reach the same level of success that his late father did. However, he does boast of two Xfinity Series titles in 1998 and 1999. Admittedly, when he won his maiden title in 1998, it took a while for the feeling to sink in. That year, when he finished 2nd at Atlanta to almost seal the win he spoke about the championship.
"I guess it will sink in once I see the
look in my daddy's eyes next week.” @DaleJr, 11/12/98 Winston Cup Scene, after a second-place finish at Atlanta all but locked up the Busch Series championship. 24 years later, it remains one of the most poignant quotes I’ve ever collected.— The Scene Vault Podcast (@TheSceneVault) February 7, 2022
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He said, “I guess it will sink in once I see the look in my daddy’s eyes next week“. That quote is hugely significant because it cemented his status as a NASCAR champion. In addition to that, he also shrugged off the label of being just Dale Earnhardt’s son. This meant that the driver was making a name for himself, not just riding onboard the fame bus.
Dale Earnhardt Jr definitely made his father proud
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It couldn’t be long before the proud papa publicly acknowledged Dale Jr’s accomplishment. Dale Sr confessed that he couldn’t be any more proud to be his father and his team owner. That year, the driver won seven races and stormed to his maiden title. He would later repeat the feat in 1999, this time with six wins under his belt.
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WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA – OCTOBER 26: Dale Earnhardt Jr. arrives for a testing session for the NASCAR Next Gen car at Bowman Gray Stadium on October 26, 2021 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
On both occasions, he competed for Dale Earnhardt Inc. After that, he graduated to the Cup Series, while intermittently racing in the Xfinity arena. In the Cup championship, he couldn’t quite repeat his success but did come away with 26 career wins. In addition to that, he also has 24 Xfinity wins in the bag, bringing his tally to 50.
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Recently, the 47-year-old was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The best part is that he is now in the same elite company that includes his late father. Even at the age of 47 though, Dale Earnhardt Jr is racing in the Xfinity Series on a limited basis. He also co-owns the JR Motorsports team, which has been challenging for titles.
WATCH: Dale Earnhardt Jr Made Dale Sr “Not Just a Proud Owner, But a Proud Pop Too” in an Emotional Speech at the 1998 Busch Series Banquet
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