Dale Earnhardt Sr. built his legacy on blunt, no-nonsense answers, but his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., cut out a different reputation, one marked by respect, diplomacy, and an old-fashioned sense of courtesy. Over time, Junior stepped out from under the shadow of the “Intimidator” and became his own man. Yet, as his wife Amy Earnhardt recently revealed, even his polished charm comes with its quirks.
Advertisement
Life with a wife and two daughters has made him a favorite at home and in the outside world, and sharpened his understanding of women. He’s big on courtesy, respect, and treating women with care. But when the subject turns to the dance floor, Junior is more reserved than many might expect.
Traditionally, it’s the man who asks his partner to dance. In their case, Amy said she’s often the one doing the asking, since he’s not fond of dancing, though he rarely turns her down once she asks.
On the Bless Your Hartt podcast, sitting alongside Amy, Junior recalled, “When me and Amy met, I refused. Like for the first couple of years, we’d be sitting somewhere where people were at a restaurant or bar or wedding or whatever, places where dancing happens.”
“All (of) a sudden, people start dancing or Amy’s song comes on… or whatever, and she’s like ‘All right, here we go, time to dance now and I’m like, ‘The hell!’ I’m like, ‘I don’t dance.’ She’s like ‘The hell you don’t; you do now,'” he continued.
They later confirmed that after two years of that back-and-forth on the topic, the couple decided that if Amy asks him to dance with her, he usually obliges. Still, Amy couldn’t resist a playful jab at his gentlemanly image, remarking, “Chivalry has loopholes, doesn’t it?”
Even so, there’s no doubt about Junior’s traditional streak. He still tips back a beer only after a cheers and a tap on the table, and he’ll offer a steadying hand to help a woman down the stairs. But when it comes to dancing, that’s one tradition he hasn’t fully embraced.
