Dale Earnhardt Jr. opens up about the ‘most important moment he had with his dad’ to Danica Patrick

The Earnhardt dynasty is one of the most influential racing families in NASCAR.  Started with NASCAR Hall of Famer Ralph Earnhardt; the family gave motorsports three generational talents. The sport’s history is Dale Earnhardt’s glorious seven championships run in the Cup series during NASCAR evaluation to its current state.

Following Dale Sr.’s tragic death in the 2001 Daytona 500, his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. took up the mantle. Though he couldn’t secure a Cup championship like his dad, the two times Xfinity series champion wrote his legacy. The relationship between him and his father was the stereotypical father and son-relation where there isn’t much conversation.

But the duo had the most important moment together just a year before the unfortunate incident in Daytona. Dale Jr. shared the story with ex-NASCAR driver Danica Patrick’s ‘Pretty Intense’ podcast. He revealed that he once got the opportunity to share his thoughts about his dad in a magazine essay, and showing it to him for permission to publish was the best moment he had with him.

“I was like, ‘I’m gonna take this, and I’m gonna publish it in this thing. And everybody’s gonna read it, and everybody’s gonna know how I feel about my dad. But I was scared to do it without asking him. You don’t do anything about dad, with dad, with the use of his name or anything without going to him and saying, ‘Hey, is this OK?’ Dale Jr. said.

“And he takes it, and he reads it, and he stands up, and he starts walking around reading it. It’s only, you know, about a page. And he stops at the end, and he takes a minute. And he says, ‘You know, we never tell each other how we feel about each other, but in reading this, I know exactly how you feel. I’m so glad you did this. I’m so glad you shared this with me,’” Dale Jr. added.  

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Dale Jr. claims that his dad’s death made it the most special moment

The duo has shared many moments together on and off track till Dale Sr’s tragic death, but Junior still cherishes the moment he got to share his true feelings with his dad.  He pointed out that it is more important moments in which they share the victory lane together.

“But anyhow, I think had that not happened… that moment would be the most important moment in my life with my dad, without a doubt. We had won races together and stood in Victory Lane together, but to know that he knew how I felt about him is really important because knowing that he would pass away many months later,” Dale Jr. said.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. feels very lucky to have had the opportunity to share his feeling with Sr. Otherwise; he would have been spending his whole life wondering why he didn’t do it. He said, “I’d be in such a harder place in spending all these last 20 years without him. It would be so difficult had I not had that chance. … I feel very lucky,”.

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