“Never Thought I’d Hear That Out of a Tough Guy” – NASCAR Veteran Unmasks Dale Sr & Rusty Wallace’s Unrivaled Mental Grit

Dale Earnhardt is one of the drivers to be considered the pinnacle of NASCAR. The seven-time Cup Series champion is literally worshipped in the NASCAR community, and quite rightfully. Considering his contributions and his influence even after his untimely death in 2001, to deny his stature is blasphemy. Looking at his career, one would wonder what powered Dale Sr’s never-ending hunger for victory.

Former NASCAR driver and Missouri Sports Hall of Famer Kenny Wallace revealed the secret behind Dale Earnhardt’s illustrious career. Comparing the mentality of Dale Sr to his older brother and former NASCAR champion, Rusty Wallace, Kenny and the 2023 Cup champion Ryan Blaney discussed the psychological facet of racing in NASCAR.

Kenny Wallace reveals why his brother and Dale Earnhardt were mentality monsters

Kenny Wallace came up as a driver alongside his two older brothers, Rusty and Mike Wallace. By the time Herman had made his way into the Cup Series, Rusty Wallace and the likes of Geoff Bodine, Dale Earnhardt, and the Waltrip brothers were competing for the championship. Unraveling his experiences of watching his brother and Earnhardt dominate the top flight, Kenny said, “I came up in an era where Dale Sr was a bada** and Rusty, they were all trying to show their strength.”

Former driver and analyst Jimmy Spencer was known as ‘Mr. Excitement’ due to his aggressive racing style. Exuding aggression on a NASCAR race track required a driver to risk his life potentially. While Spencer was considered a headfast driver by many, he fell behind Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace.

“Jimmy Spencer once said to me, ‘I could have never been as good as Rusty and Senior because they were stronger mentally,” stated Kenny. “You know, I did some TV with Spencer, and I looked at him and thought he was right. I never thought I would hear that come out of a tough guy like Spencer, but he said Dale Sr and Rusty were just mentally stronger. You could never break them. They were like boulders.”

Having had his struggles en route a maiden championship win in 2023, Ryan Blaney also understands the psychological challenges of NASCAR very well. Responding to Kenny’s anecdote, he put Rusty and Dale Sr on a different pedestal than their rivals, commenting, “I think everyone’s different, right? Dale and Rusty, those folks who can do that, they are a different breed of people.”

“Some people are like that. Some people have that mentality; they are just mentally tougher than everybody else. Even nowadays, all the Cup guys, I think there are a couple who are just mentally tougher than everybody else. But you just have that.”

For a race car driver, being able to see another car’s tail can be discouraging. However, the ability to do something about it and overcome the distance made Dale Earnhardt different from others. As the conversation continued, Kenny Wallace revealed Senior’s terror among his opponents on the race track.

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Ryan Blaney accurately pointed out the difference in drivers. As per the Team Penske driver, some drivers have that mental edge in racing. Citing the examples of Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace, he claimed that breaking their composure was impossible.

“You watched Dale and Rusty, like, you can’t get into those guys heads. They would get into your head. It’s just an advantage they had and with their demeanor of how they went about their sport. It benefitted them very well throughout their careers.”

Dale Earnhardt was an imposing figure on and off the track. The way he conducted himself had an aura of a champion, coupled with aggression. This often scared drivers, including Kenny Wallace, in one instance. Narrating his experience with the Charlotte-born driver, Kenny said,

“I remember myself at Dover. I’m looking in the mirror and I could see that black No.3 coming. As soon as he got to me, I just pulled over and let him go. He only gave you like a straightaway. There was none of this, ‘Well, I was gonna pull over in one more lap.’ He taught us that, and I tell people, Earnhardt was the man. But it got easier on him because he taught us all if you don’t pull over, he’s going to wreck you.“

The iron mentality was just one of the ingredients that made Earnhardt a successful driver. Combined with his aggression and talent behind the steering wheel, the juggernaut that is Dale Sr will be remembered forever in NASCAR.

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