From Kannapolis, North Carolina, to the high banks of Daytona, Dale Earnhardt mesmerized everyone he came across. Recently, Richard Petty’s son, Kyle Petty, described Earnhardt as “The last great American hero,” but what makes Earnhardt so special? Was it the 7 Cup Series Championships? Or the 34 wins at Daytona? To be honest, neither. It all lay in his personality.

With an unfiltered frame of mind, Earnhardt’s only goal was to win and dominate every single day. Be it by cleaning his own windshield while driving like he did at Richmond in 1986 or the ‘Pass in the Grass’ in 1987. He just loved racing, and he loved winning more. But what truly certified him as an icon was his relatability. He was just like you, but a darn good racer—just another kid from North Carolina with a big heart and fierce determination. Now, 24 years after his tragic passing at the Daytona 500, he will be honored with a special tribute, set to launch this Memorial Day.

The Intimidator is back on your screens this year!

“The Intimidator” will receive a fitting tribute through a partnership between NASCAR and $2 trillion tech giant Amazon. On March 13, 2025, Amazon Prime Video released the first trailer for its highly anticipated four-part documentary series simply titled “Earnhardt,” set to premiere during Memorial Day weekend in May.

The partnership represents a significant moment where NASCAR’s storied past meets its digital future. Seven-time champion Earnhardt, whose working-class hero image helped transform NASCAR from a regional sport into a national and even international phenomenon, will be the subject of what Amazon promises will be “a profound, revealing, and definitive account of a historic American family.”

What makes this documentary particularly compelling is the unprecedented access to archival material and family involvement. The 30-second teaser trailer offers glimpses of Earnhardt both on and off the track, featuring interview clips including one with his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Unlike previous documentaries, this project boasts production from Hollywood heavyweights Brian Grazer and Ron Howard alongside NASCAR Studios and Earnhardt Jr.’s own Dirty Mo Media.

The documentary will make its debut on Prime Video during Memorial Day weekend, coinciding with Amazon’s first exclusive broadcast of the Coca-Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25. This timing is no coincidence, as Prime Video begins its five-race exclusive NASCAR Cup Series coverage that will run through June 22 at Pocono as part of NASCAR’s latest $7.7 billion media rights deal. The streaming service initially announced the documentary project in May 2024, but the trailer release marks the first major update since then.

Amazon’s NASCAR investment extends beyond just this documentary. The tech giant is already covering a majority of NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions this season, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. himself will serve as an analyst for Prime Video’s NASCAR broadcasts. This comprehensive approach demonstrates Amazon’s commitment to becoming a significant player in motorsports media.

For longtime fans, this documentary represents more than just another streaming offering — it’s an opportunity to introduce new generations to the man whose influence on NASCAR can’t be overstated. As Prime Video’s statement notes, “The history of the Earnhardt family is the history of NASCAR—you can’t tell the story of one without the other.”

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The repository of NASCAR documentaries

This Prime Video series enters the market as NASCAR films witness a golden period of delivering racing narratives to wider public audiences. Through the ear of Paul Newman in his 2007 film, ‘Dale,’ fans witnessed Earnhardt’s rise from ashes into NASCAR stardom by using extensive race video and raw conversational segments. FOX Sports later produced “Unrivaled: Earnhardt vs. Gordon” (2019), which chronologically studied the two racers who created a historical rivalry in the sport.

The modern documentary field covering NASCAR extends farther than the stories of Earnhardt alone. The upcoming “NASCAR: Full Speed” (2024) from Netflix will monitor nine Cup Series playoff racers, including Ryan Blaney, William Byron, and Denny Hamlin, throughout the 2023 playoffs. Additional episodes of the show are anticipated during 2025. In 2022, the USA Network produced “Race for the Championship,” which documented elite drivers Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and Joey Logano handling their NASCAR season responsibilities alongside managing family life.

Bubba Wallace’s story as the only full-time African-American Cup driver and his struggle during the racial justice movement is featured in “Race: Bubba Wallace” (2021) by Netflix. Viewers of historical content can explore abandoned racetracks across America through Dale Jr.’s Peacock series “Lost Speedways” (2020), while “Beyond the Wheel” on Fox Sports presents “One Team, One Dream: 40 Years of Hendrick Motorsports” and “Steve Park: Destined.”

The new Prime Video Earnhardt production stands out because it merges Amazon’s broadcast power with family input during a strategic release moment when the streaming platform enters NASCAR broadcasting. The storytelling potential of NASCAR attracts streaming platforms to adopt an Earnhardt documentary model, which establishes new ways to present racing legends to existing fans along with new audiences of motorsport fans. So, get ready to be hit with a wave of nostalgia this summer as you watch and get to see a new side of the Intimidator.