Dale Earnhardt Jr. has rightfully earned the spot of an ambassador for NASCAR at this point. Son of the legendary Dale Earnhardt, the former Hendrick Motorsports driver has not only earned his fans from his driving but also his involvement in other facets of stock car racing.
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An active team owner in the sport as well as an avid content creator in the form of his production house Dirty Mo Media, Junior in the current day and age captures fans from all walks of life and is on his way to global recognition just like his father.
An avid broadcaster on network television as well, Earnhardt Jr. has often been the outside world’s introduction to NASCAR as a sport. One such instance came when heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson invited the JR Motorsports owner on his podcast back in 2018.
Tyson asked Dale Jr. how he felt during the spectacular crashes the stock car racing is known for, with the Kannapolis, North Carolina native giving a befitting reply.
“I was never scared. I was always thinking in my mind ‘I’m never going to be able to explain this to somebody. I’m never going to be able to tell somebody what this is like. You feel the car, it’s so damn heavy, but it’s flying through the air and you cannot describe it. It’s the weirdest thing,” said Dale Jr.
While driving a car at speed is the common denominator between driving on the street and racing on the track, Junior also added how he felt they are poles apart.
“I get nervous driving on the highway going 130 (miles an hour), whereas on a racetrack on a closed course, in a car that’s supposed to be as safe as can be, I’m not concerned.”
The 50-year-old NASCAR veteran’s words resonate with the world just as his father’s gutsy moves did back in the day, with one of boxing’s legendary athletes, Mike Tyson seemingly acknowledging the sportsman’s mentality of winning no matter what, despite the vast difference in genre.
Junior’s words “not concerned” offer a glimpse into how drivers go into races without consideration of anything other than winning over their peers, despite the known perils of motorsports. Who would know that better than Dale Jr. himself?
