Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s persona was blunt, replete with no-nonsense answers. But his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., has quite the opposite reputation, marked by respect, diplomacy, and courtesy. Over time, Junior stepped out from under the shadow of the ‘Intimidator’ and became his own man. But his wife, Amy Earnhardt, recently revealed that even his polished charm comes with its quirks.
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Life with Amy and their two daughters has sharpened Junior’s understanding of women. He’s big on courtesy, respect and treats 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. That said, Dale Jr. rarely turns Amy down once she asks.
“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,” Junior recalled, sitting beside Amy on theBless Your Hartt podcast.
“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, the couple hit on a middle ground. If Amy asks him to dance with her, Dale Jr. obliges. Still, Amy couldn’t resist a playful jab at Junior’s gentlemanly image, remarking, “Chivalry has loopholes, doesn’t it?”
Even so, there’s no doubt about Junior’s old-fashioned demeanor. 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.
