Do you remember Dale Earnhardt’s incredible save in the 1987 Winston? He was forced into the infield grass by Bill Elliott. However, because of the great that he was, he maintained his composure and came back to take the lead. Dale Sr. was nicknamed ‘The Intimidator’ for this very incident.
On February 18, 2001, one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history died at the age of 49 in a last-lap crash at the 43rd Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Earnhardt was driving his famous black No. 3 Chevrolet and vying for third place when he collided with another car, then crashed into a wall. After being cut from his car, Earnhardt, whose tough, aggressive driving style earned him the nickname “The Intimidator,” was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead of head injuries.
Dale Earnhardt and his tales are remembered by all, but on a recent episode of the Dale Jr. Download, his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., sits down with the Intimidator’s best friend, Donnie Rives. Donnie and Jr. share stories of him as they go down memory lane.
“Want to meet Dale Earnhardt again,” a mutual feeling voiced as Jr. and Donnie sit down for a chat
Dale Earnhardt, for the long and successful career that he’s had, was the face of NASCAR. During his time, he had dominated the sport like no one else. He won seven NASCAR Cup series championships. Out of which, thrice he won them back to back (1986-1987, 1990-1991, and 1993-1994). In his 26-year long career, he managed to get 76 wins, which ranks him 7th in the most career wins in NASCAR history.
For his achievements, Earnhardt Sr. was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame. Next, Dale Earnhardt Jr. upheld his father’s legacy as he himself had a successful career. In a Dale Jr. download episode clip shared on X, Jr. and his father’s best friend, Donnie Rives, shared some unheard stories about Dale Sr.
In a heartfelt moment, Rives talked about how he wants to see his friend again, he said, “I think about him every day. I’d be doing something and think you better not be doing this. You know. Don’t do this. Don’t do it that way. I pray that I get to see him again. It’ll be totally different.”
Hope is powerful and it’s palpably present in Dale Jr. and Donnie Rives’ feelings about seeing Dale Sr. again someday. 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/6P9hjxtZ8d
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) July 24, 2024
Donnie’s words took Jr. back to the tough days he faced because of the tragic loss. He also echoed Donnie’s words, wanting to meet his father again. Reminiscing about the old days, he said, “When dad was gone. It was a gut punch. You didn’t know what to do next. You didn’t know how you could do anything next, and the only way you could pull yourself together and be able to move forward and carry on in this life is to believe that you would see them again. That’s what’s in store. I think that really helped me.”
The podcast conversation continued as Donnie shared previously unknown stories about Dale Sr. Accodring to him Dale Earnhardt was the best driver because of his exceptional eyesight.
