What wouldn’t every NASCAR fan give to reverse what happened on February 18th, 2001? Just to warn Dale Earnhardt Sr. to go easy in the Daytona 500. But, probably he wouldn’t have listened. He wouldn’t have given up his way of doing things, even if he knew it could mean death at the end of it. Sr. would probably just hit us with one of his most iconic lines, “Finishing races is important, but racing is more important.” And folks, it’s been more than two decades since his passing, but he’s still remembered in every instance possible. He’s been given countless tributes, but this recent one from Amazon Prime might just top them all.

The 2001 Daytona 500 has to be NASCAR’s darkest day! We lost a legend. Simple, calling him a legend might be an understatement, given how he shaped the sport. It’s unlikely that there would be a superstar as big as Dale Earnhardt Sr. All the grandstands got packed just to watch him race. Win or lose, if you were an Earnhardt Sr. fan, you’d stay one, till the very end. That’s just how he was. A man who single-handedly made NASCAR a household name in the 90s. So it was only time that we got a documentary on the sport’s all-time great. The teaser is out, and it’s already got the entire NASCAR community in tears.

‘Earnhardt’ is a genius move by Amazon Prime

Dale Earnhardt Sr. rose to such fame because of his relatable story to the common folk. A humble guy from North Carolina climbed the ranks to become NASCAR’s greatest driver. It was this story that resonated with fans. And that’s probably what Amazon Prime is trying to show through this documentary. Which is simply called ‘Earnhardt.’ Look, this won’t be the first film based on ‘The Intimidator.’ ‘The Dale Earnhardt Story’, released in 2004, was one that we can recall. However, it’s always more the merrier when it comes to stories about Sr.

And from the teaser, this documentary seems like one of a kind. Of course, it would cover his life as a racer but also dive behind the scenes into Dale Earnhardt Sr.‘s life. The teaser starts with a shot of Dale Sr.’s in-car camera. He says, “Welcome to my office. I’m glad y’all could be here.” That was probably enough to get everyone to mark their calendars for the release. And there are shots from back in the day, the hardships Sr. faced, and the success he enjoyed! The makers have probably tried to keep a balance between Earnhardt’s original footage from the past, along with interviews from his close ones. Take a look at the teaser:

Obviously, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in there, and Kelley Earnhardt’s there, too. In fact, The Intimidator’s daughter got all emotional seeing this teaser. In her recent Instagram story, she wrote, “I’m excited for this. It has been an emotional process to be a part of. But I am proud of what we will see.” And Kelley’s gotten emotional even after probably being a part of the whole thing. So for the fans, it’s gonna be a hell of an emotional ride.

This is a master stroke by Amazon Prime. They are releasing the documentary on Memorial Day. That’s 26th May and the same day we have the Coca-Cola 600. It’s the first race on Amazon’s 5-race schedule for the year! This is a great way to connect with the fans. Especially those who are new to the streaming world. And there couldn’t have been a better subject than Earnhardt Sr. to rope in both the old fans and the new fans together. Also, this is Prime Video’s first time broadcasting a live sport, so they need all the eyeballs that they can get.

Now, from the reactions to the teaser, it seems like fans are already accepting Amazon Prime into the NASCAR world.

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Fans get emotional watching Dale Earnhardt Sr. back on screen

From what we could decipher, this documentary is not just going to be Dale Sr.-focused. It’s probably been named ‘Earnhardt’ for a reason. As Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, the makers of the film, are looking to capture Sr.’s role in the Earnhardt family. How he helped Junior in his early days, and what his dynamic was with Kelley. Basically, everything around the family man Earnhardt Sr. was while becoming a NASCAR superstar. Or parts where he did not have time for his family. Like Junior has said in countless interviews. Whatever it is, it’s gonna be epic! And fans can’t wait for this to be released. One fan wrote, “I’m ready to cry.”

And that’s pretty much what every fan felt watching the teaser. Earlier, we called it a genius move by Amazon Prime because it struck a cord! And fans agree with that. Another fan, echoing the same emotion, wrote, “I don’t know if I am emotionally ready for this.” Look at the footage from the teaser. A lot of it seems to be footage that’s never been released before. Like Sr. strapping Junior in the driving seat of a race car. It just evokes a plethora of emotions.

You can’t help but put yourself in Dale Jr’s shoes. A 25, 26-year-old boy loses his father in the same race that he’s fighting to win and almost does win it! Folks Junior was just starting out in the Cup Series and got this massive shock. It’s obvious that fans are weepy. It’s the story of NASCAR’s greatest family name. One teary-eyed fan wrote, “I’m already weepy and this is only an advertisement.” 

And for the people who started watching the sport in the late 90s, Dale Sr. was the reason they joined in. He was already a multiple-time champion. And he was no longer a youngster, but still showed the same prowess he did in the 80s. How can you not be a fan? And then when he passed away, it left many fans unsatisfied. Fans were probably waiting for his eighth championship. For one such hardcore Intimidator fan, the movie is going to be tough to watch. They wrote, “Legend one of the main reasons I got into NASCAR my teens- this will be a tough watch! Still miss The Intimidator.”

Let’s hope the film captures the same emotion that the teaser has. As fans’ expectations are sky high now. One fan had goosebumps from the way the teaser started. They wrote, quoting the legend, ““Welcome to my office. I’m glad y’all come and be here. This is why I work everyday”. 🫡” Poetically, Dale Sr. was also the reason his fans worked every day, to save enough to get a glimpse of the man at the racetrack on Sundays as he whizzed by the competition.

How did you find the teaser? Are you more pumped for Memorial Day now? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.