Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gets Real on Rick Hendrick’s Profound Impact on His Family

Rick Hendrick’s impact on NASCAR is well known. But, the man is also known for his ties and wholesome moments with the Earnhardts. The 75-year-old Cup Series team owner has been their longstanding mentor, supporter, business partner, and friend. His influence on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s family cannot be understated, as the North Carolina native played an important role in guiding Junior along with his sister Kelley after the passing of their father. The HMS owner has extended support to the family whenever they have needed it, standing beside them through thick and thin.

JR Motorsports’ recent qualification at the Daytona Duels gave Dale Jr. and Rick Hendrick a reason to celebrate. Both the NASCAR icons co-own the Xfinity Series team, which will be making an appearance at NASCAR’s highest level for the first time in its history. Nonetheless, the Daytona 500 run did not stop one of them from appreciating the presence of the other.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. hails father figure, Rick Hendrick

It all started with Dale Earnhardt Sr. Despite being fierce rivals on the track, ‘The Intimidator’ and Rick Hendrick had a relationship rooted in mutual respect and friendship. The NASCAR team owner had attempted to sign the driver in 1983 when Senior was leaving Bud Moore Engineering. However, ‘Ironhead’ just used the job offer to sweeten the terms at Richard Childress Racing and eventually moved to the No. 3 Chevy. Even though the attempt failed, neither Rick Hendrick nor Dale Earnhardt harbored any ill feelings toward each other and continued to remain on good terms.

Despite the seven-time Cup Series winner passing away in 2001, Rick Hendrick’s association with family didn’t end. Speaking about their relationship, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said, “He (Hendrick) has definitely filled some voids in my life and Kelley’s life. Me and Kelley are very thankful for that. I’m very thankful for Rick and how he’s taken care of Kelley and allowed Kelley to grow her confidence and become the person she is in our industry and be so respected. I think Kelley had that within her but Rick allowed her to get there with some of the things he has helped us with and the things we have done with him.”

Hendrick has played a significant role in Dale Jr.’s career. When the driver left Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007, the team owner opened his doors for him, which became Junior’s NASCAR home until his eventual retirement in 2017. Apart from giving him a competitive ride in the No. 88 Chevy, Rick Hendrick also gave Dale Earnhardt Jr. a sense of stability in what was a difficult period in his life and career. He might not have won a Cup Series championship at Hendrick Motorsports, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. secured many iconic race wins with the team, some of which are remembered even today.

As for Kelley Earnhardt, the JR Motorsports co-owner has benefitted a lot from Rick Hendrick’s guidance. His mentorship and support have helped Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s sister make JR Motorsports the powerhouse it is today, with Justin Allgaier winning the Xfinity Series title in 2024. It’s a relationship that the siblings value greatly, with Junior going as far as to say, “We raced with him, raced together at Junior Motorsports. It’s so good to have somebody like him in our lives. It’s so good to have somebody like him in our lives.”

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Dale Jr once asked Rick Hendrick for a million-dollar pay cut

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is truly one of a kind. The racer moved to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, amidst controversy after falling out with his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt. Despite the strained relationship between the two, Junior quickly settled into his new role behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevy and finished 12th in his debut season. However, disaster struck soon after because of the global financial crisis, which threatened to affect the NASCAR community as well. That’s when Dale Jr. came to the rescue.

Recalling the situation on a Dale Jr. Download podcast in 2019, Rick Hendrick said, “The only driver that ever I’ve been associated with in all my years that said, ‘Hey, I want you to take a million off my salary and give it to the guys in the shop. Don’t have to cut anybody’s pay. I’ll give up a million dollars.’ Nobody else, ever. Pretty amazing. I was shocked. That just shows you the character that he has and his relationship with people.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. confirmed the same, going on to say, “I called him (Rick Hendrick) one time and told him to take a million dollars off my salary if he needed to.” It’s situations like these that justify why Junior has won the Most Popular Driver Award 15 times in a row from 2003 to 2017, the second-most wins in the sport’s history. It also goes to show how deep a relationship Dale Jr. and Rick Hendrick share, and the level of mutual respect and affection they have for each other. With Justin Allgaier in the 2025 Daytona 500, could JR Motorsports dare to dream about a potential win in its debut? With a blockbuster duo like Hendrick and Earnhardt, anything is possible.