On Tuesday, April 25th, a bombshell rocked the NASCAR world. It was announced that Dale Jr. would be retiring at the conclusion of the 2017 racing season, which was news that led to both an outpouring of support and an outpouring of speculation on why he decided to hang his helmet up for good. After being out for the better half of the 2016 racing season due to concussion symptoms, it was unclear, even to Junior himself, whether or not he would come back to racing full-time, ever. By now, a week later, fans have become less skeptical and more supportive of Dale’s decision, striving to provide him with the best send-off than any driver has ever received.
With a career spanning nearly 2 decades, Dale Jr. has become more than just a NASCAR driver and a household name. In addition to reaching success in the highest level of the sport, achieving 26 Cup wins, he’s also created a brand empire. Dale Jr. fans are arguably the most faithful fans the sport has ever seen — right there next to fans of the late Dale Earnhardt, of course. Junior Nation is just that — an entire nation of fans supporting their driver through thick and thin. In addition to his partnership with Nationwide, Dale has started his own business endeavors in Whisky River and Dirty Mo Radio, both of which have branded merchandise of their own. His own racing team, Jr. Motorsports, also brings opportunity to other drivers in the sport, reaching success in both the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series. It’s clear to see that, even in retirement, Junior Nation is still going to be right there with Dale Jr. cheering him on every step of the way.
In celebrating Junior’s career, I reached out to a handful of different drivers, fans and racing personalities. I asked them to share their own personal favorite Dale Jr. memories. Take a look at what these contributors had to say:
Jesse Iwuji — #36 K&N West driver:
“My favorite memory with Dale Jr. was during my first year of racing. I got the chance to run into him in the pits at Sonoma Raceway. There were cameras all over him and interviewers trying to get a quick story. After he fought them off, I was right there and asked if he could take a picture with me. Prior to that, other drivers had declined because they were too busy, but he actually stopped and took the time to take a legit photo with me and have a quick word with me. This definitely made my day and taught me a valuable lesson, always be there for your fans.”
Blake Koch — #11 NASCAR Xfinity Series driver:
“My favorite memory with Jr. is when I met him last year at Daytona before the Xfinity race. I had introduced myself to him and he replied with “Hey, I’m Junior.”. It was really cool to see how he still felt like he needed an introduction and how down to Earth he was, especially with his level of success in the sport.”
Travis Benjamin — #7 PASS North SLM driver
“When he won at Daytona after his father’s death…that was a feel-good moment.”
Dan Winter — #81 Pro Series driver at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway:
“My favorite memory would be his 2004 Daytona 500 win. That was the first NASCAR race I ever watched, and it’s what drew me into the sport. Since then, I’ve always been a big fan of Dale’s.”
Ben Tinker — #19 PASS North Modified driver:
“My favorite Jr. memory would probably be his first Cup win at Texas. Dale Sr. came to Victory Lane to congratulate him, and it was cool to see what that win meant to both of them.”
Keith Petrin — #00 Mighty Truck driver at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway:
“My favorite memory was when he won at Daytona after the passing of his father.”
Charlie Sanborn III — #1 Sport Series driver at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway:
“My favorite Jr. memory would have to be when he won at Martinsville in 2014. That’s when he said in Victory Lane, “We are going to drink a lot of beer tonight.” When Junior said that, it showed that he’s more than just an Earnhardt…he’s just one of the boys like us. That was pretty cool.”
Andy Austin — New England radio personality & Beech Ridge Motor Soeedway commentator
“Dale Earnhardt Jr’s greatest contributions to NASCAR are only just beginning. He possesses a rare balance of self aware and business savvy. Dale continues to use the platform success has earned him in avenues that ensure his legacy extends far beyond his final Cup checkered flag.”
Kyle Baker — longtime NASCAR fan
“I wouldn’t understand if someone’s favorite moment about Dale Jr. wasn’t the 2001 Pepsi 400. Although I don’t remember watching it live, and likely fell asleep during the original broadcast, I get goosebumps every time I rewind it. There isn’t a person in this world whose faced a greater adversity, yet overcome it in a dominant and composed manner. He didn’t just stare fear in the face, he punched it in the mouth, and for that I’m thankful his inspiring performance provided not just the greatest moment in NASCAR history, but the greatest moment in all of sports. No one in the world deserves to go through want he did but he certainly earned his status as an American icon on that night.”
Kevin Girard Jr. — #19 Legends driver at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway
“My favorite memory would be when he won the 2001 Pepsi 400 at Daytona just a few months after his dad passed away at the same track in the same year. It was probably one of the most significant wins in NASCAR history and has always stuck with me.”
John Peters – #51 Pro Series driver at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway
“My favorite memory of Dale was honestly when he joined Twitter. This was the first time we got to see him on a personal level and appreciate his sense of humor. It made him a much more personable athlete.”
Joey Pole — #97 PASS North SLM driver
“My favorite memory was an IROC race with Dale Jr. and his Dad racing at Michigan. It had to have been in 1999 or sometime around there. He was leading, but his Dad used the air to get around him coming to the checkers. They were both in Victory Lane celebrating, and it was just really cool to see. It was an awesome race and those 2 had to have really enjoyed it.”
Evan Beaulieu — #56 Pro Series driver at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway
“Dad and I were at the 2004 Daytona 500. For the final 20 laps or so, the entire section around us was going insane whenever he was leading. With every lap that went by, the fans were counting down, myself included. When he won, it was like the biggest party that I’ve ever been at. This was the first of a few 500’s that I’ve attended, and definitely one of the coolest moments.”
Bobby Timmons — #48 Pro Series driver at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway
“I think my favorite Dale Jr. memory was in 2014 when they won the October race in Martinsville. Even though they were out of the Chase deal, just seeing how happy he and his crew were just to win really put into perspective how much it means to win a race at that level even though they were out of Championship contention.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has clearly made a lasting mark in NASCAR, and will continue his involvement in the sport for many years to come, even though his next big strides will be made outside of the racecar. It will be exciting to see what Junior’s next big move will be. But, one thing’s for sure — Junior Nation will be right there, cheering him
on.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this feature — you are what makes this sport what it is!
