“His Goal Was to Proving Himself to a Ghost” – Dale Earnhardt’s Sister Discloses How Their Father Ralph’s Passing Ignited Dale’s Racing Obsession

Ralph Earnhardt, the father of Dale Earnhardt,  is one of the most iconic characters in the world of motorsport. After just 3 years of racing as a full-time driver, Ralph won the NASCAR Sportsman Championship in 1956. Getting as close as being the runner-up in 1955, and finishing 3rd in 1957. He also won the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1997 and he got named as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998, amongst many other significant achievements.

In a recent episode of The Dale Jr. Download podcast titled ‘Becoming Earnhardt Vol. 1’, Dale Earnhardt’s sister reveals how the untimely death of their father Ralph Earnhardt affected Dale and his racing career.

Dale Earnhardt’s Sister Reveals How He Worked All the Time to Prove Himself to Their Late Father

During the episode, Dale Earnhardt’s sister Kaye Earnhardt talks about the impact of their father’s death on Dale. She talks about how Dale started working longer hours to prove himself to his father.

Here’s what she said during the podcast.

“I think after daddy died, Dale kind of raced to prove to daddy, I gotta prove to the world, and show my daddy that I can do what he did,”

“Dale never said this to me,” Kaye continued. “It’s just a sister looking back at Dale going into that shop…you know, I lived right behind the shop with me and my girls. And I watched him work all hours of the day and night, and sleeping on a creeper. But Dale in the 70’s I think, his mission was proving himself to a ghost.“

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We’ll never quite know whether Dale Earnhardt was trying to prove himself to his father or if he was just trying to make a name for himself. But one thing is certain, he got more serious about his racing ever since Ralph died.

Dale Earnhardt Missed His Father Every Day After He Departed

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In a 1994 Baltimore Sun story, Dale Earnhardt opened up about how he’s dealing with the untimely death of his father.

He said, “There isn’t a day I don’t think about Dad. Oh, I don’t ponder it all the time, but he is always there. My dad is my hero. Everything I am is because of who he was and what he taught me.”

In an old ESPN: The Magazine story, columnist Tom friend also talks about how the death of Ralph affected Dale Earnhardt.

“His son Ralph Dale Earnhardt, who would become the legendary seven-time Winston Cup champion—was 22 at the time, and the death left him inconsolable.” He continued, “His father had always harangued him for quitting the ninth grade, for blowing paychecks on new tires. And now, just as they were reconciling, just as they were racing dirt tracks together, his father was gone.”

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Kaye Earnhardt’s revelation on how Dale Sr was trying to prove to his father even after he was gone, goes on to show what kind of person he was and what racing meant to him. He is surely one of the best that the sport has ever seen.