For every NASCAR driver, the biggest goal is to win a championship in their respective series. It is so precious for a driver that they would perhaps trade anything in place of a titular win. But would someone give up a body part in exchange for a championship? Not sure about others, but the two-time Xfinity Series champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr., would never go to that extent.
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Despite winning back-to-back championships in the Xfinity Series (1988, 1999), Junior’s Cup career, which includes 631 starts, is short of a championship trophy. On that note, someone had asked Junior on X (formerly Twitter) if he would give up a toe for a championship. It was in 2014. Junior’s answer back then was the same as it is now: no, he wouldn’t.
But not even the little finger?
Earnhardt said, “You don’t know how important that thing is until you have it. I got to draw the line at body parts, man. I’m not going to give up a kidney or a toe. I’ve lived without a championship for a while; it’s not that bad. I don’t need to give a toe up.”
Would you give up a toe for a NASCAR Championship? 👣 pic.twitter.com/cBpAAVEdcP
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) February 18, 2024
Obviously, Dale Jr. doesn’t need a championship to prove his greatness. The impact that he has had on the sport far exceeds what a championship would have done for him, as proven by his NASCAR Hall of Fame induction.
The hole in Dale Earnhardt Jr’s career was filled with a prestigious title
For someone like Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose dad had seven championships to his credit, the pressure of excelling has always been huge. However, the JR Motorsports owner never won a Cup championship even after finishing top 10 on points seven times in 16 full seasons with the best finish coming in 2003, when he finished 3rd on Cup points driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. He also came fifth three different times. However, he got something that many championship-winning drivers don’t.
The prestigious induction into the 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame. In an interview with the two-time Superbowl winner Eli Manning, the veteran racer admitted that the Hall of Fame was an affirmation from the industry that he is an asset to the sport. “That was a good feeling for me,” he added.
Indeed, the contributions of Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the sport of NASCAR are just undeniable. He has done a lot for NASCAR as a team owner, a broadcaster, and a podcaster and has also popularized the sport in the arena of other internationally acclaimed sports like the WWE and the NFL.
Therefore, it is safe to say that Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t need a championship, and certainly; he doesn’t need to give up his little toe for one.
