To be in a gasoline-guzzling rocket ship, going pedal-deep to the metal, and being able to make adjustments at lightning speeds certainly require NASCAR drivers to be on the edge almost all the time. This brings precedence to a driver’s focus, commitment, and dedication. While there have been many greats over the years who excelled at this, some others had to figure it out for themselves.

Renowned journalist and entrepreneur, Graham Bensinger, tweeted out a short video featuring NASCAR’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr admitting his shortcomings and not being 100% on the track. The 48-year-old revealed how his days of being a party animal, chugging down beers, and partying got the best of him, prompting him to say, “I did only 80% of what I think I was capable of.” 

Talking on In Depth With Graham Bensinger, the 2-time Daytona winner recalled the vice that got him out of his groove and back on his winning ways. It was shortly after he had moved to the sport’s most winningest team, Hendrick Motorsports. The 48-year-old credited his longtime crew chief and fellow NBC analyst Steve Letarte for setting him straight, back on track to the victory lane.

“That’s just critics”, Dale Earnhardt in the early days of his career

Being NASCAR’s most popular driver for 15 consecutive times is not a small feat. And Dale Earnhardt Jr’s career is not a small one either. Having conquered the iconic Daytona 500 two times, Dale Jr’s popularity skyrocketed even after his retirement from the sport in 2017. Recently, Graham Bensinger tweeted out a short clip of an interview with Dale Jr where the 48-year-old shed light on his nasty party habits.

“I did 80% of what I think I was capable of. It’s documented and I’ll admit in the Budweiser years, we had a lot of fun. I mean, we raced hell and we were partying, and when we did Bud appearances. We were at bars, signing autographs for fans in a bar,” said the driver recalling his 7-year partnership with Budweiser.

The proud beer lover also admitted how his over-the-top party habits got him out of rhythm, saying, “That was not 100% focused on racing, that was 50-50.”

Racing and partying would go hand in hand for Dale Jr, he would often speed off after practice, completely ignoring issues with the car or interacting with the team, and other invaluable fundamentals. He would then get on a nasty loop of being late to the practice and struggle with consistency. Partying till 8 in the morning, back-to-back two times a week certainly has its downsides and the driver was not quick to notice it but had to figure it out himself.

Dale Jr then admitted, “I didn’t know and I was ignorant. No way to explain it other than this—ignorant. Nobody said, ‘You are ignorant and you are pi**ing away some performance here and you are not focused and you are not dedicated.’ I heard it from outside courses like sometimes the media would say that and fans. But I was like, you know, that’s just critics.”

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Though Dale Jr is adored and loved by the fans, the driver also has one of the worst slumps in the sport’s history, going on 143 winless races. And following his shift to HMS and under the guidance of the then crew chief, Steve Letarte, Dale Jr returned to his former glory once again rising from the ashes and redeeming himself.

Steve Letarte was the push Junior needed

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The shift to Hendrick Motorsports indeed turned out great for Dale Jr. The strict guidance of the crew chief did its wonder really quickly. “Steve Letarte finally said to me, ‘If you’re gonna drive my car, you are gonna be in the hauler before practice 30 mins early, and you are gonna stay afterward and we’re gonna work on this car, talk about it.

You are gonna be there, you’re gonna be accountable, available to me if I need to talk to you’,” said Junior citing his worst days. 

Figuring out his ways and battling his demons, Dale Jr amassed over 25 wins including 260 top-ten finishes across 19 years in Cup Series, truly making him one of the greatest 75 NASCAR drivers.

WATCH THIS STORY: “Going to beer school was cool” – Ross Chastain enters Dale Earnhardt Jr’s good books after making a lifestyle change