Dale Earnhardt Sr. left behind a golden legacy in NASCAR. The Intimidator’s achievements cannot be told in one day’s tale – 7 Cup Series championships and 76 Cup Series victories. Dale Sr. clinched 34 victories at the 2.5-mile speedway of Daytona. His popularity was so far-reaching that all his rivals lined up to congratulate him for the 1998 Daytona 500 victory. However, fans have more than one way of worshipping the legend.

Usually, diehard NASCAR fans buy Dale Earnhardt merchandise or simply talk about him on social media. Keeping his legacy alive. However, one fan – who happens to look like the bygone legend – has his own way of paying tribute. But others severely downplayed his outlook.

Trying to resurrect Dale Earnhardt Sr.?

Well, the ending was difficult, to say the least. After winning the 1998 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Sr. was looking forward to repeating the glory. In 2001, he came to the venue ready for another attempt. Yet disaster struck that year – Dale Sr. had a habit of flouting safety norms, and a crippling crash after contact with Ken Schrader claimed his life.

Besides Dale Earnhardt Jr, the entire NASCAR world mourned, as the sport had lost one of its pioneering legends. To this day, people look back on that fateful February day 23 years ago with deep sadness – so one fan’s mimicry did not drum up the highest interest.

A particular fan happens to be a Dale Earnhardt doppelganger. This person has been donning the Intimidator’s uniform and look for years, and dropping visits at racetracks. Recently, a NASCAR enthusiast on Reddit posted his meeting with this individual at Richmond Raceway. “Met the Dale Earnhardt impersonator at Richmond. I’ve been seeing him at the track for since I can remember. Over 20 years.”

Yet, as you can guess, the reactions were not so light-hearted.

In April 2023, the same person was allegedly spotted at Martinsville Speedway. Complete with the bushy mustache and wide-lens sunglasses, the person made rounds through the grandstands. However, fans found him unnerving, calling him creepy. Dale Earnhardt Jr., himself, had an impersonator once – that was none other than Martin Truex Jr.

The now-retired Joe Gibbs Racing driver re-enacted Junior’s iconic ‘Slide Job’ commentary at Chicagoland Speedway in July 2018. Yet that tickled Dale Jr., as he posted laughing emojis on social media.

However, fans remain convinced Dale Jr would not like his dad’s impersonator to keep doing what he is doing.

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NASCAR community gets riled up

The general outlook among fans is that Dale Earnhardt remains carefully preserved in NASCAR’s history. He is a treasured asset of the past, inspiring future generations. So when someone tries to malign that outlook by imitating the bygone hero, the community is bound to get irritated.

Somebody wrote on Reddit that the impersonator should immediately cease what he is doing. “He can’t stop doing this weird s–t soon enough.” Others were convinced that Dale Jr. was doubly annoyed by what went on. After all, the person is impersonating his father, with whom he cherishes good memories. “Junior also thinks he’s weird, which is what’s really important.”

Another fan turned out to have a sharp memory. They recalled the same individual changing his pattern of impersonating Dale Earnhardt through the years. Initially, he was respectful with modest attire, but that changed with time. “I remember he stopped wearing the uniform in 01 after Dale died and just wore jeans and Goodwrench hat and button up… which was still a business casual Dale look but I guess it was his way of being respectful?” What riled up another fan was the axed integrity. Every NASCAR driver looks up to Dale Sr. as an icon of the sport. So to disrespect his contributions is like sacrilege. “That’s nothing more than stolen valor right there.”

After all, the person does not even look so much like Dale Earnhardt. If the uniform and make-up are discarded, he is an average Joe. So another fan suggested his actions are merely to fish for attention: “Freakin’ creepy to me. Especially if he has been doing it that long and doesn’t look like Earnhardt any more than any other guy with that mustache and those sun glasses. Everybody needs attention I guess and I do prefer this to the guy carrying a snake around his neck but not by much.”

Evidently, Dale Sr.’s doppelganger is not in the highest regard of fans. Hopefully, the Intimidator’s image will receive more respect from now on.