As Donnie Rives began to recount a memorable summer, it became clear that Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s journey was far from normal. An unexpected phone call turned into an adventure, showing how far Dale Sr. would go for racing opportunities. From getting into a car by chance to sleeping in a laundry room, Dale Earnhardt has done it all before he became the renowned name he is today. So when Donnie Rives came down to the Dale Jr. Download, we knew we were in for a treat as he shared a tale of Dale in Daytona.

Dale Earnhardt’s best friend shares an unheard story that the world would have missed

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently sat down with his dad’s best friend, Donnie Rives, and uncovered a lesser-known story from 1978. That year, Dale Earnhardt Sr. got a chance to drive Will Cronkite’s car for five races. This was a big deal, but Dale Sr. didn’t mention it to anyone, not even Rives, who was always there to help him out. The race was scheduled around the 4th of July, and Earnhardt had already made his way to Daytona.

Then, on a Sunday morning, Rives was getting ready to head to church when the phone rang. On the other end was Dale Sr. “Donnie, what are you doing?” he asked. Rives, surprised, replied, “Getting ready to go to church. Where are you?” Dale Sr. casually dropped a bombshell. “I’m at the beach,” he said. “What in the world are you doing in Daytona?” Donnie asked, confused.

“Will Cronkite get his car down here, and I’m going to drive it for him?” Dale Sr. explained, “But I need some help.” Without hesitation, Rives asked, “You need some help?” Dale Sr. confirmed, “Yeah, can you come?” Rives, always ready to support his friend, agreed to help out with whatever was needed, particularly looking after the tires. They managed to sort out a place to stay, although Rives suspected it would be tight.

As it turned out, that was an understatement. They arrived at Daytona around 1:30 or 2 in the morning and couldn’t find a hotel with available rooms. They finally stumbled upon a motel where the manager offered them a last resort. “I’ve got the laundry room out here with two cots in it. Y’all can stay there for the night if you want to,” he said. Dead tired and with no other options, Rives and Dale Sr. gratefully accepted, saying, “We’ll take it.” That’s how the two old-timers spent their days in Daytona, trying to pave their way into the racing world.

Rives, who got to know the Earnhardt family through Dale Sr.’s father, Ralph, shared some nostalgic memories. He talked about Ralph’s famous ‘Earnhardt grin’ and the times they spent bird hunting and chatting about racing. These moments made the events of that day even more heartbreaking. Rives said on the podcast, “After the race… I said Dale is bad. I said it really badly. I’ll just… I just knew it, yeah.” His gut feeling was sadly spot-on, as he found it difficult to speak of the incident.

The impact that Dale Sr. has had on NASCAR will never be forgotten, as there will never be a driver who is as intimidating behind the wheel. On Dale Jr.’s podcast, he often brings in guests with stories from when Sr was alive, and with this, he is keeping his father’s legacy alive. Do you enjoy the stories about intimidation from Dale Jr.’s podcast? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.