Dale Earnhardt remains one of NASCAR’s most legendary drivers, his legacy etched in the annals of the sport. Today, Dale Jr. continues to carry the torch, keeping his father’s spirit alive on and off the track.

Before February 18, 2001, at the Daytona 500, the Intimidator left an indelible mark on NASCAR, forging friendships and earning the respect of fans and competitors alike. On his podcast, Dale Jr. Download, fans are often treated to riveting tales about Dale Earnhardt Sr., shared by guests and the host himself, offering a heartfelt glimpse into the life of a racing legend.

One such memorable moment unfolded when Winston Kelley joined the Dale Jr. Download. Amidst the nostalgic chatter, Kelley shared a story that peeled back the layers of the legendary driver’s stern exterior, revealing a rare glimpse of his emotional side.

Winston Kelley remembers Dale Earnhardt’s words from the 1990s

Winston Kelley, the Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, joined in 2006 after a 27-year career of executive roles, including VP of Economic and Business Development and VP of Government and Business Relations for Duke Energy Carolinas.

On the Dale Jr. Download, Winston Kelley revealed that he and his group parked across the street from the racetrack to head towards the airport back in 1990. There were two lanes going in each direction. Barney Hall and Jim Phillips were slightly behind Winston Kelley’s group. And what happened next? Here’s in his own words.

Kelley explained, “Those two lanes that normally come this way, they looked right and didn’t see. They didn’t think to look left, and as soon as they walked out, they walked into the side of a motorhome. If it had been a little bit earlier, they may have been under it. They got taken to the hospital; both of them had a couple of broken ribs, and one of them had a collapsed lung.”

At the hospital, a nurse encountered a persistent gentleman trying to reach someone by phone. When Kelley picked up the phone, the voice said, “How in the hell do you call 400 laps of racing and you can’t see a G-D motorhome?”

Then, the next thing that Dale Earnhardt Sr. said, “Hey, idiot, it’s Earnhardt,. How are you? Do I need to send my plane to go get your mama and Karen?” That was when they knew that it was the former driver trying to offer help after the unfortunate incident.

Kelley concluded the story by saying, “Classic Dale Sr. Yeah, he’d give you a hard time, but he cared for you, though he didn’t want anybody to know about it.” This just shows that inside the tough exterior that we knew Dale Sr. to have, there was a man who cared about other people. Earnhardt was always ready to go out of his way to show that he cared about the situation.

Although we lost a legend at the Daytona track in 2001, we will never forget Dale Earnhardt Sr. His legend will live on, as even the Goodwood Festival of Speed wanted to honor the late driver this year.

The Intimidator’s car to take to the streets of Sussex

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NASCAR made a notable appearance at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, with Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s #3 Richard Childress Racing taking to the tarmac. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo participated in a run at the prestigious Goodwood Estate on the uphill section of the festival grounds. Used in the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series season, Earnhardt Sr.’s final full-time season with RCR, the car achieved his 76th and final win with this car at Talladega Superspeedway.

The 11th Duke of Richmond, Charles Gordon-Lennox, invited RCR to bring Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s #3 car to the festival. On being invited to such a prestigious event, Richard Childress said, “I was honored to be asked by Lord March (Charles Gordon-Lennox) to have one of the legendary RCR black #3 Chevrolets participate in this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. This is a great opportunity to promote the legacy of Dale Earnhardt not only in the United States but throughout the world.”

Along with Earnhardt’s car, even NASCAR legend Richard Petty attended the festival, where NASCAR was credited on a global scale. That being said, do you know more stories about Dale Earnhardt Sr.? If yes, share in the comments below.