Last Sunday, the Earnhardt family remembered a tragic event. 25 years ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. passed away in a fatal crash at the 2001 Daytona 500. Tributes poured in from across the NASCAR garage – with most veterans remembering Earnhardt’s best moments. Mark Martin remembered his wildest moments, which fueled the unique personality and unstoppable drive of Earnhardt.
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Dale Earnhardt had a willpower made of iron
“He was merciless,” Mark Martin said on his podcast. “I mean, on the racetrack, he had a lot of uh skill, but he had just amazing determination. The guy would never give up. He would never just say my car is not any good. I can’t tell you how many times he beat me with a slower car just out of sheer will.”
Dale Earnhardt, aka The Intimidator, was known for his ruthlessness. Though complicated and polarizing, Earnhardt’s no-nonsense attitude brought him 7 NASCAR Cup Series championships and 76 race trophies. Among his infamous moments was spinning out Terry Labonte on the final lap of the Aug. 1999 race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Then the ‘Pass in the Grass’ incident with Bill Elliott displayed Earnhardt’s unbeatable aim to win.
“Dale would throw his mother in a river to win a race”
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“Then after the race he’d go back and pull her out because he was a good dude, had a good heart”@markmartin on the great Dale Earnhardt
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Mark Martin had his fair share of battles with the legend. From the mid-1990s, Martin noted an increase in aggression on Earnhardt’s part. The frequent paint-trading and side-swipes left Martin mad, and he responded in a Michigan practice.
The Premier Series championship in 1990 also displayed a big battle between Martin and Dale Earnhardt. Martin had a 45-point lead over his rival coming into the race. But that lead was obliterated. Earnhardt led the last 262 laps to win, and Martin crashed at the end of the race, finishing 10th.
“Dale would throw his mother in the river to win a race,” Martin continued. “Then after the race, he’d go back and pull her out cuz he was a good dude. Had a good heart.” He continued, “People that didn’t know Dale Earnhardt, you know, just saw him on the racetrack, thought he was an aggressive driver. But I said, and I still believe it’s a fairly accurate statement.”
Dale Earnhardt’s legacy continues to shine in NASCAR today. And today, Mark Martin’s presence in the sport is also hugely admired.
Hailing a mentor of the sport
Mark Martin has achieved a lot as a racer. He won 40 Cup race trophies in a career that began in 1981 and ended in 2013. His top rivals, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Rusty Wallace, acknowledged him as one of the hardest drivers to beat. Now, however, long after his career ended, Martin continues to garner admiration from fans.
His willingness to speak on issues such as playoff formats and horsepower levels has set off waves of impact on NASCAR. Mark Martin’s drive to tweak the championship format actually worked out, as the sport has adopted a ‘Chase’ style format from 2026 onwards.
And Martin explained how he garnered support. “I think it was that I was a straight shooter always. I felt like I had a lot of integrity,” he said. “When I was mad, I didn’t talk stuff about other drivers. I’d be mad and hold my tongue, and I made it clear. You could read it all over me, but I wasn’t going to cry. I just don’t think that the fans want to hear a grown man cry. So, I took my lumps. I took it like a man. And I tried to be straight and have a lot of integrity.”
Mark Martin continues to contribute hugely to the sport’s future. His past memories with Dale Earnhardt and other rivals possibly fuel his drive – let’s see what Martin speaks for next.