Dale Earnhardt Jr. literally grew up in and around NASCAR. Back in the day, Dale Earnhardt Sr. would frequently station himself alongside mechanics as they assembled engines, modified components, and fine-tuned machinery, and Junior used to accompany him. When Dale Jr. recently posted a throwback clip from those formative years, what stood out the most was his hairdo.
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Dale Jr. posted footage believed to be from 1991. Well into his teens, he is seen in the video navigating the Richard Childress Racing garage, sporting a mullet and wearing acid-washed denim. He was keenly observing mechanics laboring over Chevrolet race cars, from engine construction to operating hoists and wielding various tools.
Junior had captioned the throwback, “Didn’t know how lucky I was to be around this @RCRracing group back then.” Brad Keselowski found Dale Jr.’s look fascinating, and did not waste time weighing in on his appearance.
Didn’t know how lucky I was to be around this @RCRracing group back then. https://t.co/RPXjtL5dPn
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) January 10, 2026
Keselowski first tried to estimate the year of the video. He suspected the footage was from a Friday session, June 1991, in Michigan, noting the garages matched his recollection. He commented on Junior’s post, declaring that if the timeline checked out, he was also present at the track that day.
Junior admitted he wasn’t sure about whether the clip was from Michigan in June 1991. “But I do know that Amy won’t let me grow that mullet back,” he joked. Keselowski pressed further, attempting to jog Junior’s memory by highlighting specific details.
“Big boy on the trash can [Michigan brand], engine change but not rushing [post Friday qualifying, possibly post Saturday happy hour], people are dressed for 60-70 degree weather [June is cooler than August in Michigan],” wrote Keselowski, before addressing the mullet.
Keselowski threw his support behind Amy’s position. “As for the mullet, I’m with Amy. You look great now,” he declared, diplomatically siding with Junior’s current hairdo over his teenage experiments.
As the son of seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt Sr., who drove RCR machinery from 1984 to 2000, Junior has credited that organization for his racing education. Those countless hours absorbing knowledge in the Richard Childress Racing shop molded his understanding of the sport’s mechanical intricacies and competitive demands.
