NASCAR has witnessed countless driver changes over the years, but some departures leave a lasting mark. After delivering major success to Dale Earnhardt’s DEI Truck Series program, the veteran driver found himself facing an unexpected turning point. Coming off an impressive 1999 season, a private conversation with the Intimidator changed everything. Years later, the NASCAR Truck Series legend is looking back on how that moment reshaped his career.

Speaking on the Dinner With Racers podcast, the Truck Series legend Ron Hornaday didn’t hold back on that moment and recalled what the seven-time Cup Series champion said to him.

“So at that time, Dale called me, right? He said, ‘Take a deep breath, calm down, come back and talk to me, OK? Hey, we can make this easy or make it hard. We’re going a different direction with a sponsor, and you don’t fit the profile of what they need.”

There was no outright firing. Instead, around 2000, DEI began shifting its focus as Dale Earnhardt scaled back his Truck and Busch Series programs to redirect resources elsewhere.

As part of that broader transition, Ron Hornaday Jr.’s Busch ride was handed to Michael Waltrip, a move rooted in business priorities rather than conflict.

Even so, the decision came as a surprise. Hornaday had been with the organization for four seasons from 1995 to 1999, and his results left little room for doubt. During that stretch, he racked up 25 wins and 57 top-five finishes in 97 starts, never ending a season lower than seventh in the championship standings. It was a run defined by both consistency and elite performance.

Despite the abrupt end to his time at DEI, Hornaday rebounded and continued to build one of the most decorated careers in Truck Series history.

Moreover, the four-time truck series champion didn’t take the news easily.

“So Ty Norris took me out there, and I’m punching walls down… So he said sit down and hang out … I went downstairs, got in the truck, just did a burnout. I stop in the front, I call my wife and say, “Honey, I just got fired from Dale, but I got his truck. Do I leave his truck here?” Hornaday Jr. recalled.

But the conversation today ended in a laugh, as the California native started reminiscing.

His standout performances translated into 2 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series titles in 1996 and 1998 with DEI, establishing the now 67-year-old as the standard of the series during that era.

Beyond the numbers, Earnhardt’s influence played a critical role in shaping Hornaday’s approach and success, guiding him not only to fuel his achievements at DEI but also to continue benefiting him long after his time with the organization ended.

However, Hornaday didn’t hesitate to pull back the curtains on Dale Sr.’s behavior as a team owner.

Hornaday recalls Dale Sr.’s temper as team owner

Within the NASCAR world, Dale Earnhardt’s intensity needs little introduction. His hard-charging, take-no-prisoners style made him one of the most intimidating figures the sport has ever known.

That edge did not stop at the driver’s seat. It carried over into the way he operated as a team owner as well, something Ron Hornaday Jr. later recalled while reflecting on his time with Earnhardt.

“The good thing about it, he didn’t have to say a word. It’s his demeanor, his look, and stuff like that. The best one is when Earnhardt hired me, and I went Busch racing a couple here and there,” he said.

That professional relationship began in 1994, when the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was watching a Winter Heat Series race in Tucson, Arizona. One driver on the broadcast caught his attention.

Earnhardt didn’t hesitate; he tracked Hornaday down and offered him an opportunity in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starting in the 1995 season. That decision would become the launching point for one of the most successful careers in the history of the Truck Series.

Beyond Earnhardt’s demeanor and the relentless expectations he placed on his drivers, Hornaday credits much of his success to the caliber of the people he raced for throughout his career.

“I’ve been very fortunate to drive for some good people. Mr. H, I drove for Richard Childress, I drove for AJ Foyt, drove for Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick. I never had to make an excuse, ’cause they all drove, they’ve all seen it. So it made my job easy. If I screw up, make sure their money by fixing it,” he added.

In the end, Hornaday’s career was shaped by a rare blend of elite talent and guidance from some of racing’s most formidable figures, with Dale Earnhardt’s demanding presence leaving one of the most lasting impressions.