It’s pretty well known how Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s time at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated or DEI, his late father’s team, came to an end. Earnhardt, who had raced his entire career for DEI, decided to part ways with the team and join Hendrick Motorsports in 2007 because of ongoing tensions with Teresa Earnhardt at that time.
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But Earnhardt Jr’s move to HMS, a move that made complete sense on paper, never really translated into wins, and eventually, his legacy as a racecar driver in the Cup Series. Junior retired without a Cup title to his name, to begin with. In fact, he won 17 races at DEI but only managed to win 9 at HMS.
Now, of course, there were many other factors that played a part in the second chapter of his Cup career. But still, one wonders, what would’ve happened if Dale Earnhardt Jr. had stayed with DEI?
This was a question former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace recently tried to answer.
Kenny Wallace on how Dale Earnhardt Jr. could’ve won a Cup title
Speaking in a recent episode of his podcast show, Wallace made a huge claim around the question of Earnhardt staying with DEI, saying, had Junior stayed with his father’s team, he would’ve gone on to win the ultimate prize. “In my honest opinion, if Dale Earnhardt Jr. could’ve worked it out with Teresa (Earnhardt), he would’ve went on to win a championship and won it all. That’s my opinion,” Wallace claimed.
He continued, “Unfortunately, we’ve listened on Dale Jr. Download, it’s no secret, I believe, my opinion, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s growth was stunted, slowed down because he could not get along with Teresa Earnhardt. That group right there, even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the Eurys, kind of split up a little bit, they could’ve got back together if DEI could have stayed going.”
“If Dale Earnhardt Jr. stays at DEI, DEI never ends. It keeps digging.”
Earnhardt Jr’s move to HMS looked good, but never materialized
Wallace further touched on the similarities between Dale Jr. and Chase Elliott, claiming they both were a product of trying to emulate their fathers. But then, the former driver touched on the sad aspect of Earnhardt joining Hendrick Motorsports, and how what looked good on paper, never really materialized further.
“When it all came to an end at DEI, Dale Jr. goes to Hendrick Motorsports, sounded good, looked good, clean, Rick Hendrick, a good man, this was a good spot, the right decision because it was a good home but the results were not as good,” Wallace said.
So to conclude, it’s obvious to wonder what would’ve happened had Dale Jr. stayed with DEI, how different his legacy would’ve been had he won a Cup title. But the truth is, his legacy is secure.
He is a NASCAR Hall of Famer and counted in everyone’s books as one of the most influential figures in the sport who continues to contribute to the sport to this day.
