Sometimes in life, you need someone with enough experience to come up to you and share something that gives you the strength to keep going. This is more so when you are competing with thousands of others for one spot. Such was the case for the drivers participating at the Kinross Speedpark in Michigan, when former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace, aka the Hermanator, showed up to speak with them. Wallace uploaded this video from 2019 on his Youtube channel this week.
Advertisement
As the meeting began, Wallace shared some of the pivotal learnings that he derived from NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. He urged the drivers to believe in themselves and told them that not making it to NASCAR did not mean that they were not great race car drivers themselves.
Kenny Wallace shares what Dale Earnhardt Sr taught him
A little later in the video, the Hermanator even turned it into one of the best motivational speeches those drivers would have ever heard.
Wallace stated, “That’s what Earnhardt taught me, he was an old redneck, sold tires… He didn’t have shit. He was a great race car driver. I raced all up in Michigan, all in Wisconsin and I’m telling you got some of the best engineers, mechanics I’ve ever seen.”
“You guys can make chicken salad out of chicken shit better than anybody I have ever seen. I walk in here and I see shit cobbled together and ya’ll wax my a**, right? So believe in your ability you all are really good. And that’s what Dale Sr taught me and I just wanted to pass it on to you okay?”
Wallace urged the drivers to believe in their own ability as a race car driver
As the video started, Wallace was telling drivers how they were still good, even if they never made it to NASCAR. As the video progressed, the veteran stated, “He said, Herman, that’s my nickname, there are thousands of great race car drivers all over the United States, all over the world. And just because you are not NASCAR, doesn’t mean you are not great. Hold on, some of the greatest race car drivers ever are here. So don’t get a chip on your shoulder ya’ll are good.”
“Just because you didn’t make it to NASCAR, doesn’t mean you’re lesser, you guys are incredible. I raced 70 to 80 races in a year and I get my a** waxed on a daily basis. And every time I pull into that suit and I run a guy, I’m like, that’s the guy, that’s the Gal that Dale Sr was talking about.”
Having these motivating and uplifting words from someone who was directly associated with the sport was truly a gift for everyone listening and would have inspired many in the crowd to keep themselves going.
