Racing in the top division of American Stock car racing demands not only technical skills but also the mental head game to succeed or at least try to succeed. Recently, while speaking with Kenny Wallace, Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. explained how he could have won the 2004 Cup Series championship only if he had the mindset his legendary father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., had during one of his championship-winning years back in the 1980s.
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While discussing his best-ever season throughout his career, Junior mentioned, “Best time in my career is probably the 2004 season. We won the Daytona 500 and 6 races. It was disappointing because we didn’t, I didn’t know what kind of, I didn’t realize that we could have won the championship that year.”
“No point in that season did I wake up and go, ‘Damn, I got a shot at this’ and I regret that. I wish I had seen it because I remember my dad telling me and I remember reading an article or seen it seen in a video where he says, ‘Man, there was a point in that 1980’s season where I thought Damn, I might can win the championship this year.'”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. explains the thought that prevented him from a title
Speaking further, he elaborated that his father one day noticed himself leading the points table and it dawned upon him that he could as well win the championship. Junior added, “He’s like, ‘Shit, I could be, I could actually win this championship. We might could do this.'”
According to Junior, Earnhardt Sr. must have thought about it despite knowing drivers like Richard Petty and Darell Waltrip would eventually catch up to him.
At the end of the day, it was the realization that the Intimidator could actually win the whole thing that made him fight for it. However, for Junior, “that never really occurred” to him back in the 2004 season.
He said, “So, regretfully I think that was probably my best shot at the title that never happened.” Had Junior realized his potential chances that season, he might not be without a championship today.
