“Would Have Made Dale Earnhardt Proud”: Jeff Gordon’s Past Tribute to His Greatest Rival Leaves NASCAR Fans Teary-Eyed

Jeff Gordon (L) and Dale Earnhardt Sr. (R). Image Credits: Imagn.

Twenty-four years have passed since the racing world lost Dale Earnhardt Sr. in a crash at the Daytona International Speedway. He is still missed sorely by the millions of fans who loved him. Among those millions is Jeff Gordon, four-time Cup Series champion and the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports. However, many aren’t aware of the fact that Dale Sr. was a huge mentor figure to Gordon back in the 1990s when he was just getting his NASCAR career kickstarted.

The Intimidator gave Gordon advice on branding, merchandising, maintaining finances, and other key aspects of the celebrity driver’s life. He also pulled his leg from time to time.

The impact that the Intimidator left on him was apparent from his words in 2019. He said, “As much as he messed with me, I always thought it was a sign of respect. He wouldn’t have said anything if he didn’t care. I respected the heck out of this guy. My experience with Dale was incredible. I miss him. I know a lot of people do.”

This tribute resurfaced on X on account of Dale Sr.’s death anniversary on February 18, and the fandom couldn’t help but shed tears. One comment said, “A legend remembering a legend. Dale had that rare mix of grit and heart, if he messed with you, you knew you mattered. Racing hasn’t been the same without him #IntimidatorForever”

Another added, “Dale thought a lot of Jeff and somewhat took him under his wing. Jeff was smart and humble enough to recognize that and learned a lot from Dale. I watched Jeff rattle a many cages at Bristol that would have made Dale proud.” Gordon won five races at the Bristol Motor Speedway. One of them, in 2002, was after Dale Sr. passed.

More fans wrote along the lines of, “He got a kick outta giving you the “business “ that’s for sure,” and “Boy Wonder” he loved you too Jeff.” The wisdom that Dale Sr. imparted to Gordon is useful to him even today. His teachings and life have inspired many fans, and every one of them misses his presence on race tracks.

When Dale Sr. forced Gordon to eat a shrimp head and drink vodka

When NASCAR went to Japan for exhibition races in the late 90s, drivers were pretty much out on vacation. Mostly because it wasn’t a points-paying race and it was one of the few times the sport headed outside of the country.

The drivers gallivanted around town trying to experience the exotic food and culture. It was during one of these visits that Dale Sr. took Gordon out for dinner at a Japanese steakhouse.

Once there, he had made him eat the head of a shrimp that was cooked right in front of them. Gordon narrated the incident last year with a laugh, “Of course. He tells me to do it. I did it. I mean, I didn’t love it. But now, it is a story. I’ll never forget. He got me into drinking vodka and grapefruit juice. It made me want to look at beyond racing.”

Such tricks that he pulled on Gordon were to test his character. The fact that the then-youngster did not break under the pressure had made Dale Sr. respect him a lot.
Post Edited By: Srijan Mandal
Dale Earnhardt Sr Jeff Gordon

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Gowtham Ramalingam

Gowtham is a NASCAR journalist at The SportsRush. Though his affinity for racing stems from Formula 1, he found himself drawn to NASCAR's unparalleled excitement over the years. As a result he has shared his insights and observations by authoring over 3000 articles on the sport. An avid fiction writer, you can find him lost in imaginary worlds when he is not immersed in racing. He hopes to continue savoring the thrill of every lap and race together with his readers for as long as he can.

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