Dale Earnhardt Jr is having an off-season of sorts for himself in 2024. Without the commitments of NASCAR broadcasting with NBC, Dale Jr had to be content with his weekly podcast show and a few Late Model races. This was indeed a perfect opportunity to make the most of this free time by learning a new hobby, or, let’s say, a skill.

Out of all the things we can imagine, Dale Earnhardt Jr chose to try his hand at wakeboarding. What exactly is wakeboarding? Well, it is a watersport that is developed using the techniques of water skiing, snowboarding, and surfing. Unlike other water sports, wakeboarding requires the rider to be attached to a boat with a rope or cables. A high-speed motorboat tows the rider, who usually performs a trick or two with the waves caused by the boat.

We have seen Dale Jr weave his way through the racing circuits and the ovals. However, wakeboarding is a different ball game altogether. In fact, his initial attempts were failures, and he shared an update regarding the same via his X account. “wakeboard today…(tomorrow is a new day).” He also shared a meme stating, we tried and we failed.

But, like NASCAR races, Dale Jr wasn’t going to give up after a setback. Bouncing back is something he’s learned throughout his racing career. On his second attempt, he made it and learned a new skill, and just like that, Junior became a certified racer and wakeboarder. The 49-year-old shared the entire video of him wakeboarding via his Instagram account.

He achieved this feat despite the warnings and some disturbing stories from his fans online on X. Meanwhile, a few others had tips for Dale Earnhardt Jr on how he could polish his wakeboarding routine.

Fans were worried after Dale Jr. resorted to a non-racing hobby

Wakeboarding is a risky sport that can lead to fatal injuries. Seeing Dale Jr trying to learn the new sport with his initial attempts at the sport, this fan was quick to share his personal experience. “please be careful! I had 2 concussions from wakeboarding.”

This particular X user certainly suffered a similar fate as Dale Jr trying his hand at wakeboarding. Explaining his misery along with a tip, he stated, “Look at the back of the boat, not the water or board. Focus on who is in the boat, and the next thing you know, you’ll be on top of the water.”

Like a good supporter, a die-hard Dale Jr fan shunned all the critics and trolls with an encouraging response. “As long as a lesson can be had from your failures, then the day wasn’t entirely a failure 🤷 Glass half full, bud.”

Meanwhile, others were thrilled to see their favorite NASCAR star successfully pull off his first wakeboard ride. But they did chime in about the detrimental effects of wakeboarding for first-timers. “Using muscles you never knew you had lol.. Get ready for the pain for days … but worth it .. I hope 😂.”

A bunch of professional surfers and fishermen joined in the conversation, sharing a few tips on how Jr. could improve his technique. “Bend your knees, not your back!” Seeing him handle the wakeboard, a fan wanted Junior to try surfing next on real ocean waves. “Next time your in california I’ll teach you how to surf fun little waves at the beach.”

It will be interesting to see what’s next on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s radar or his bucket list.