Dale Earnhardt Jr: Only raced to have relationship with my dad

[@WakandaSmurf]

🥺 he just wants his dad, doesn't get any more powerful & simple than that. I can see the "Jr." Film on the horizon & this story is the opening sequence

[@mike.tag.autosport]

This comment deserves a director Emmy or whatever would be the equivalent...I literally SEE this. Is this something that's in the works?! This would be the perfect opening sequence...🫡🫡🫡

[@JohnWicksmagazine]

As someone who longed for his dad every day of his child life who never came, I feel what he’s saying to the core. (My “dad” isn’t dead, just a deadbeat)

[@miqallen6393]

A movie is a great idea. Lots of material from Rick Hendrick napkin thing early on, Sr driving Ricks first car, going to turn-4 w his buddies upon return to Daytona, to winning that race, to winning the 500 on the same date dad did, to dad's spirit lifting Jr out of the burning ALMS Corvette, the Daytona 24-Hours w dad, winning the 2000 All-Star Race including dads infamous interview, leaving DEI, 15x most popular driver or however many x , the layered concussions, announcing for NBC, podcast, his home and western town, racecar graveyard as part of the setting, all the relationships...older drivers to contemporarys, the list goes on. Even his slump can add context n hardship . Junior Nation...Jr. Motorsports, finding love n having a family. Oh...and driving plate tracks just like dad. Somebody MUST MAKE THIS DAMN MOVIE ! Dang ..i almost sound like Jr. Lol

[@Mentally_Will]

I used to hate Junior growing up, but after realizing all the pressure he must have been under as Senior's son, I warmed up to him real quick. Hearing that he never really excelled at anything else in life... I'll admit, just makes me sympathize with him more.

[@TheFatherof2]

The only 3 ppl in the history of sports I can think of that were left with unrealistic legacies to overcome and actually did it was, Ken Griffey Jr., Floyd Mayweather Jr. & Richard Petty. That’s why Richard Petty is the Goat of NASCAR, his Father Lee Petty is a 3x Cup series champion & top 10 driver of all time himself and left incredible pressure on Richard and he ate that shit like a starving man stranded in a desert, and became the first of only 3 men to this day to win 7 cup series championships.

[@rcguy902]

@@TheFatherof2 wrong Dale Earnhardt is Nascars greatest ever

[@user-ed1yx2fq7l]

@@TheFatherof2lee petty is not a top 10 driver all time stop it 😂

[@Beast_is_a_dumbass220]

I don’t understand how anyone could hate Dale Jr. I get not being a fan but to hate him? I know you have realized the error but I’m curious why did you hate the kid in the first place?

[@Beast_is_a_dumbass220]

⁠@@TheFatherof2Dale Jr absolutely overcame his fathers “legacy” as you call it. I’m interpreting that as if to get out of his father’s shadow. Junior’s list of accomplishments is stout; sure it’s missing Cup Championships but so what? Remember that the effect the driver has on the sport as a whole is a major metric in terms of shadows cast. Dale Jr. casts his own shadow just as big as his daddy. Don’t cheapen it down to wins and championships. Take a holistic approach and you’ll make him #4 on your list.

[@Brent751]

I can only imagine how proud Dale Sr is of him, he saw him when he first crossed the finish line, he then saw him cross the finish line as he goes to the afterlife.

[@jordanwhite8567]

Man I can’t imagine what Jr must have felt after his first cup series win when his dad come running up and yanked people out of the way to be the first to greet him. Talk about seeing someone’s pride in their kid. Don’t know if I ever saw Dale sr as genuinely happy as he was that day

[@djmohab2]

LOL, it's clear Godhardt only cared about the glory that Jr was going to bring him. Listen to the stories from Dale Jr and Kelley about how he was an absentee dad.

[@JohnWicksmagazine]

@@djmohab2Dale Sr definitely acknowledged that he didn’t know how to be a good father, as his father never shown any emotion toward him, either. That’s a cycle I intend to break in my family!

[@cleanculture8286]

He never said he was a great dad, he openly admitted to being selfish and put himself and racing first. There's a fine line between being passionate and being an asshole ​@djmohab2

[@amandawebster7244]

I really always felt for Junior.

[@rickfortune1339]

I always liked Jr. He is a Good Man.

[@rickfortune1339]

Good Men tend to have Good Sons. I'm the exception.😁

[@lmd2454]

I hope fathers will hear this and realize how incredibly important their love and their time is to their children. My husband has been a great dad, by and large, because he grew up without his dad and understood that he didn’t want that for his children. But even still, he doesn’t fully appreciate how much his children love him and need his love. I’m praying he will continue to grow in that for his sake and theirs. My dad wasn’t perfect but he loved really really well. My best memories of childhood were just spending time with him, whether it was in the car running around with him places or just watching him work on our cars or mow the lawn. I was his shadow and a complete daddy’s girl. I’m so glad too because I lost him when he was only 59. I so treasure the memories I have and am so thankful that I know how much he loved me. He didn’t let a single day go by that he didn’t tell me multiple times that he loved me. But he also showed me. Dads, I know it’s hard to be vulnerable but your children are worth it. Love them well. ❤

[@tnwhiskey68]

Show him this comment! Or tell him these words! Most men get caught in the day to day and lose sight of the long run/big picture!

[@MrSmileyFace-14eg]

I hope Earnhardt Jr. Dad in heaven was proud of him

[@RickySlatton]

How do you know he’s in heaven?

[@Mindy-w9c]

Miss. You. Dale 😢

[@morrismorris903]

That's okay Lil E we still love you.... Awesome!!!!

[@JasonHicks-q8h]

We love u even more ❤️

[@JasonHicks-q8h]

I can so relate ❤. My dad is gone. But I realized eventually that all's I ever wanted was my dad's attention. Jr was a champ in his own right. Still is. ❤

[@Mindy-w9c]

My. Favorite Dale ❤️

[@easternag16]

That's absolutely heartbreaking that Junior was racing just to get closer to his dad and eventually his dad will die while trying to protect Juniors Daytona win... 😥😥😥❤️❤️❤️

[@RKOViper1999]

Michael Waltrip won. Jr was 2nd

[@nathanmccumber8965]

​@@RKOViper1999 DAMN

[@mt.sinai_]

Waltrip won the race, Jr came second. It does have a happy ending though, as only 5 months later, they came back to Daytona and Jr went to victory lane.

[@JohnWicksmagazine]

@@mt.sinai_after 45 mins of celebrating the win with Michael in the grass! A very fond memory of mine!

[@Agben35]

Love that dude

[@michaelsteven1984]

I miss Dale 😞. I think of him everyday . What could have been 😢.

[@charleswinters7129]

As a former coach the father son relationship could make or wreak the relationship and also the athlete. Fathers that have never been athletes were the worst sometimes. They expected their son to be a champion. Only a few are. Some of the greatest were the most messed up people I ever met and some were great people. One told me after he retired he had a lot to do to make up to his family. He omitted he was an idiot while he was winning everything and could of cared less about anything else.

[@Robertoisme]

It’s an awesome sports story that everyone can relate to. Wanted to make his dad proud and Sr was so obsessed cause he had to be to stay on top and only way to connect

[@Fleetwoodjohn]

The only thing his dad would’ve appreciated him doing. Unfortunately the odds were stacked against him from the start. How do you follow a champion let alone surpass him? I feel success skips generations in a family. His podcasts are great. He has found his second calling. 😎

[@bradsanders407]

Success skips generations eh? So are you trying to say hes a failure? Won back to back Busch series championships. Won in his rookie year in cup with a team that didnt win hardly anything until he showed up. He went on to win a lot of races for that upstart team that lost its owner/operator out of the blue. He went on to sign one of the most lucrative driving deals in stockcar history all the while building his own highly successful race team. Then once retired from racing started a highly successful freaking podcast. Literally everything he touches turns to gold and your giving him some "aint it a shame" speach lol.

[@jordanwhite8567]

He’s definitely successful by any stretch of the imagination but I also get where you’re coming from. He had immense resources from the jump and everything he could ever ask for when it came to racing from a car standpoint but also a knowledge standpoint and he still didn’t win a championship. He is still clearly very talented but when you compare him (or just about anyone that has ever walked in this planet) to his father there is obviously a very big gap there. But that goes to your point. It’s not really fair for a son to be expected to live up to his father’s name when his father is an actual giant. Jr is an incredible person tho and a great man. His podcast is easily one of my favorites. That thing is bigger than the whole sport of nascar at this point. There are clearly a lot of things he is better at than sr. Racing just wasn’t one of them.

[@jonathanfretz9805]

My boys are still little, but they love to try and emulate what I do. I hope I convey to them I’m proud of what they do and I love them because they’re my boys - not because they get involved with something I happen to hold dear.

[@trueotter123]

He’s good people.

[@Syd-un1xr]

I honestly believe Jr. is a good person at heart who was in a very difficult position growing up and even after becoming a man the difficulty grew larger because of the larger than life shadow he constantly walked in while racing. Those NASCAR fans that allow their jealousy of him cloud their judgement should let it go because Jr. has helped keep the sport afloat for quite some time now.

[@kentstephens4770]

That real deep right there.

[@jordanshaw9087]

I wonder how much it hurts knowing his dad died trying to secure hia sons first nascar win.

[@johnstickles6789]

Most males will do ANYTHING to impress their dads.

[@Pinsonneaultmotorsports]

That’s one of the reasons I’ve only raced as well. My dad was never close to me growing up

[@ryancahill4789]

Interesting to think of he didn’t want to be close with his dad he won’t have been fending off the field

[@youknoweverything7643]

I only raced to get closer to my dad as well cause my mom drove race ars dad was the crew chief for her I started racing when I was 11 to build a relationship with my dad and we had an amazing relationship until three years ago when we quit racing and I was 28 when we quit and now he barley talks to me so sad

[@the.l.a-theliberationarmy-9145]

You can (or at least I can) truly feel his pain even through a little tiny cell phone screen… K-9 0Ut…

[@camschuster5947]

I need that Taz hat Senior was wearing in that photo. 🔥

[@Tyson-u3m]

Wisdom of age. My father had no interest in me, I also got into cars to try to bond. After being a mechanic for 30 years, I realize that not only do I not like my job, I really don't like cars. I always liked art, and music. There was NO WAY he would have EVER acknowledged either. The point is, do what the kid wants, quit being a selfish prick!

[@djish5567]

For some reason JR was my favorite racer growing up i barely watched nascar but when i did he was always near the leaders but for some reason barely won.

[@boosie1926]

It’s kinda sad shows you what kind of man Dale Earnhardt really was toward his son

[@theblacknothing]

Both his sons. Kerry Earnhardt didn't even get to meet him until he was a teenager.

[@boosie1926]

@@theblacknothing and what’s sad is that people look up to him like he was a legend and a god it’s crazy if a father doesn’t have a relationship with his sons that tells you what kind of man he is

[@theblacknothing]

@@boosie1926 I feel more sympathetic because he didn't have a good relationship with his own father, Ralph Earnhardt. While i don't know much about Kelly, I do think both Kerry and Dale Jr are at least trying to break the cycle.

[@miqallen6393]

​@@boosie1926I admit I am biased, Im a huge fan of the entire family and know much more than Im willing to write about. But to me, and more importantly his kids...Dale Sr did more than enough to make up for being emotionally absent to Jr n Kelley and with Kerry as well. Kerry's mom remarried a terrific man and there were many different n conflicting reasons as to why it took till Kerry being 16 before having a relationship w Sr. I won't get into them but I understand them. My brother was in a similar situation. But it wasn't as simple as Sr not loving Kerry. Ask ANY of his kids, they'll tell you he DID make up for it in his final years...and all was understood...and forgiven.

[@miqallen6393]

I do think JuneBug is oversimplifying this for 2-reasons. Theres a video of him at the track when he was about 12-years old saying "I wanna be a racecar driver when i grow up...its all ive ever known, racing." 2nd, he was such a race fan waaay earlier than that and his ABSOLUTE LOVE for the HISTORY of NASCAR tells me he has been obsessed about the sport from much earlier than when he first got behind the wheel of a racecar.

[@BUZZ_ON_90]

That’s so sad. Poor guy.

[@iamnotadoctor8383]

❤💞❤💞❤💞❤💞❤💞 Love this!

[@jodystrickland9150]

Honestly that’s kinda sad 😞

[@HillsRando]

Oh man. 😢

[@jonathanfunnell4167]

I WISH I COULD OF HAD MY BOY DALE EARNHARDT SR (TAURUS) (THE BULL)🐂 FOR A DAD

[@thomasjohannesen1003]

I might catch hate for this but Sr was a pretty bad dad. Only supportive of his kid if he does the one thing Sr cares about, and even then, only if he's good at it

[@theblacknothing]

It's pretty humanizing. Especially when you think about his dad, Ralph Earnhardt. He sacrificed so much just to pass away from a heart attack. You get the idea that Sr. Was in the same boat as Jr. Is in this video, just trying to get some sort of validation from his dad. Then when you think about Kerry Earnhardt you get the feeling that him being distant from him was a sort of blessing in disguise because it allowed a Kerry to be raised by Jack Key.

[@Alex-dc5mx]

Ur clueless

[@gav8874]

💔

[@DavidClark-vu3dw]

Buuuuut, what if his dad never ammounted to much and hadn't become a famous racecar driver and never got away from working at the mill? All these little nuances in our lives that may or may not change our lives for the best is called the "butterfly effect".

[@amgirl4286]

This is really sad

[@miketag7541]

Sr wasn’t exactly a good father. Damn. 😭

[@mikemccune7647]

All the kids wanted sr attention

[@adamredden2007]

GD that's sad. Certainly worked out in its own way, but it's awful.

[@garretthampson5936]

Apple don't roll far from the tree

[@stevensrspcplusmc]

Dale was a horrible dad

[@hr2r805]

LIE... !!!

[@rcguy902]

Ur clueless

[@csutcliff]

I have often thought this after watching years of Jr’s podcast and hearing hundreds of stores about Dale Sr. He was so focused on being a great race car driver, that it seemed like his kids took a back-seat (pun intended) to his career. But I think that this seems to be a common trait amongst hyper competitive people.

[@rhondastjean7997]

Good ol dad, a drunk that had little to do with his son.

[@bradsanders407]

A drunk was he?

[@miqallen6393]

Dale Sr was no drunk. Go away, you sound stupid. Your comment would apply to Junior a whole heck of a lot more than Sr. Good grief.

[@Zipfei_Kloatscher]

Don't you ever call NASCAR "racing" again, dayum!... 😠😅

[@rhondastjean7997]

Why...does the truth hurt?

[@Zipfei_Kloatscher]

@@rhondastjean7997 What are you talking about?

[@rhondastjean7997]

@@Zipfei_Kloatscher l I guess I need to ask why you even yaked back. What do you need?

[@Zipfei_Kloatscher]

@@rhondastjean7997 I need you to know: NASCAR is not racing or whatever sports you could possibly bring up. It's such a waste of time to watch that bullcrap it's insane...

[@mikemccune7647]

Hey Goobbler troll go bother someone else

[@jordanlee3276]

Miwuvc

[@gregorycox3156]

His dad knew he was just like his mom. Hard to deal with

[@miqallen6393]

Troll much ?