Dale Earnhardt Jr., widely recognized not just for his racing prowess but also as a team owner and a vocal commentator on various NASCAR issues through his podcast, has been associated with the sport since 1998. He stepped back from full-time NASCAR racing in 2017 after several concussions. However, interestingly, the era in which he raced isn’t his favorite period in the sports’ storied history.
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In a 2020 interview with Hall of Fame Curatorial Affairs Manager Tom Jensen, Earnhardt opened up about his preferred era of race cars. He reminisced,
“My favorite era of race cars is probably going to be the late ‘70s. I really enjoyed the ‘80s, lived it. The ‘80s were great. The cars were fun – old (Buick) Grand Nationals and (Chevrolet) Monte Carlo SS and all that was really amazing.”
“But the late ‘70s for me, the Chevy Laguna, the 442 – there’s a couple of Oldsmobile 442s in the exhibit – I just love the character and body styles.”
In addition to his affinity for the cars of yesteryear, Dale Jr. expressed a deep appreciation for the fashion and the larger-than-life personalities that colored the NASCAR scene during its formative years. He remarked on the burgeoning popularity of the sport, noting,
“It was still a bit of a niche thing … It was just starting to really get cool to like NASCAR and go to a NASCAR race or pull for a NASCAR driver. And they were starting to get into mainstream and pop culture.”
“So that had to have been a really interesting time for the sport. I would have loved to have been at the race track and walking around in the garage back in the late ‘70s and seeing what everyone was doing.”
When Dale Jr. proved his penchant for the golden era of NASCAR
In 2020, Dale Jr. was appointed by the NASCAR Hall of Fame to create a collection for the Glory Road exhibit’s fourth iteration, aimed at underlining the champions and important moments of the sport. He handpicked a lineup of 18 premier series championship cars, each resonating with fans due to their status in NASCAR’s history.
However, Dale Jr.’s selection heavily favored the ’70s and ’80s, proving his affection for that era’s automotive style and racing culture. Among the 18, eight hailed from these two decades:
1980 Champion: Dale Earnhardt’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
1979 Champion: Richard Petty’s Oldsmobile Cutlass 442.
1978 Champion: Cale Yarborough’s Oldsmobile Cutlass 442.
1981 Champion: Darrell Waltrip’s Buick Regal.
1973 Champion: Benny Parsons’s Chevrolet Chevelle.
1983 Champion: Bobby Allison’s Buick Regal.
1988 Champion: Bill Elliott’s Ford Thunderbird.
1989 Champion: Rusty Wallace’s Pontiac Grand Prix.
Born on 10th October 1974, Junior would have witnessed a lot of these race cars growing up. Although, he wouldn’t have been able to physically compete in the sport for some of the earlier makes, he sure would have loved to have existed during that time frame.
