They didn’t call Dale Earnhardt Sr. The Intimidator just because it sounded cool. It was a name earned the hard way, lap after lap. He had a signature look: dark shades, steely stare, and a mustache that meant business. But what really earned him the nickname was how he raced. If you saw the black No. 3 Chevy in your mirror, you knew two things: you were about to be passed, and it probably wasn’t going to be gentle.

Take the 1999 Bristol night race. Terry Labonte gets spun in Turn 2 by none other than Dale Sr. after leading the final laps. Fans booed, Dale just grinned and said, “I didn’t mean to wreck him, I just wanted to rattle his cage.” Classic! That’s what made Earnhardt larger than life. But not every driver got the cage-rattling treatment. Some rookies had it easier.

A rookie’s tale featuring Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Remember David Green? The 1994 Busch Series Champion and the Most Popular Driver in 1996? Well, before achieving all this, he was just a rising hopeful trying to find his footing in the NASCAR world. The Owensboro, Kentucky, native was still early in his career when he found himself lined up on the pole for Goody’s 300 at Daytona International Speedway in 1991. Right beside him? Jack Sprague. And in the third? The one, the only, Dale Earnhardt Sr.

On the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Green recalled, “So, I’m starting on the pole. Jack Sprague is second. Your dad is third.” However, as happy as Green was clinching the pole position, he was equally worried about what would happen once the green flag dropped. Why? Because he had none other than Dale Earnhardt Sr. breathing down his neck. All Green could think about was what would happen next.

“All week, I think I woke up thinking, ‘Oh gosh, here we are. We’re going to take off. We’re going to get into turn 1. Dale [Earnhardt] is going to put me in the middle. It’ll be three wide,’” Green remembered. But when race day came, The Intimidator did the opposite. “He came over and said, ‘Hey buddy, that car’s pretty fast.’ I told him, ‘Yeah, it is.’ And he goes, ‘Just keep her going straight. We’re gonna be fine. I’ll be right there with you.’” This small conversation, while offering a glimpse into Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s personality, helped calm Green’s nerves.

Well, Green’s nerves were understandable. Daytona’s high banks and pack racing make Turn 1 a notorious challenge, especially for a rookie. While he led the field as pole-sitter, the race itself was a true test of nerve and skill. Green ultimately finished 30th, learning valuable lessons that set the tone for his promising 1991 Busch Series season.

Green also recalled the Lanier, Georgia, race, a standalone event, separate from the usual schedule, and it offered a fresh challenge away from the spotlight of racing beside Cup drivers, which was a norm in the Busch (Xfinity) Series back then. He won the race in just his 12th career start. A reporter tried to downplay it, saying, “Yeah, but there were no Cup guys in that one.” Green’s response? “Last weekend, I had one in my rearview mirror. That felt pretty damn good,” referencing the Bristol race. From underdog rookie to pole winner with Dale Earnhardt on his tail, David Green’s early days were anything but ordinary.

Trending

1

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Raises Red Flag After NASCAR Strips Michael Jordan and Co.’s Luxury Perks

2

NASCAR Team Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion After Talks Break Down

3

Denny Hamlin Bows Out of Mexico City Amidst Son’s Birth With 5-Word Message

4

“So It’s Not Safe” – Fans Raise Alarms Over NASCAR’s Mexico Gamble After New Revelations

5

NASCAR World Mourns Heartbreaking Loss as Championship Winning Legend Passes Away at 75

Why David Green declined the #3 ride from The Intimidator

On the Dale Jr. Download podcast, David Green shared another jaw‑dropping revelation. Dale Earnhardt Sr. once offered him the chance to drive the legendary No. 3 Goodwrench car in the Busch Series. Dale Jr. shared the incident in a clip on Instagram, captioning, “Dale Earnhardt offered David Green a ride – but he just couldn’t take it. 🤯”

David Green was close to stepping into one of NASCAR’s most iconic seats. Dale Earnhardt Sr. called him to the Deer Head Shop and said, “Love Jeff [Green] to death, but we’re gonna make a change. I want you to drive the 3 car.” Green remembered thinking of his brother Jeff sitting nearby. Even before that, during practice at Darlington, Earnhardt had asked David to take the No. 3 for a lap. This caught Jeff completely off guard. Despite the pressure, Green looked up at the veteran and quipped: “If I could take my engine and put it in your car, we’d be bad to the bone.” Earnhardt simply smiled.

That night, the No. 3 qualified on pole! Dale Earnhardt Sr. repeated his offer. But Green declined, torn between loyalty to his family and the opportunity of a lifetime. As he later said, “That’s my brother, and I’m very proud of him.” David Green admits he still wonders what might have been. Despite the chance to don the famed No. 3, he chose brotherhood over career, setting a tone of loyalty and humility that defined his career as much as his victories.