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“She Was Just Mad” Dale Earnhardt Jr Daughter Expresses Disappointment, Her Reaction Got Everyone Talking
“She Was Just Mad” Dale Earnhardt Jr Daughter Expresses Disappointment, Her Reaction Got Everyone Talking
It is always nostalgic for parents whenever their children do something like they did when they were of a similar age. That is what former Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr experienced after the Xfinity Series race a couple of weeks ago at Bristol. Junior’s race ended prematurely due to a small fire near his feet, and his daughter, Isla, was not pleased. It reminded Junior of a time when his father was racing at Bristol and he had a similar reaction to when the seven-time Cup Series champion had to retire.
Dale Jr might have retired from the Cup Series 2017 due to a series of concussions, but he probably will never say goodbye to motorsports. Oftentimes he can be spotted at local racing events and even taking part in the Xfinity Series with the team he owns, JR Motorsports. In Bristol, fans were treated to an extraordinary sight as the 48-year-old led several laps of the race before retiring due to a fire hazard in his car.
Dale Earnhardt Jr reveals the time his father made him cry at Bristol
Junior did not seem very disappointed with what had transpired, despite having a shot of shocking the world and winning a NASCAR race. But his daughter, Isla Rose Earnhardt, was not very happy with that. So when Junior retired and was brought to the in-field care center, Isla was not elated, to say the least.
Dale Earnhardt Jr Daughter Expresses Disappointment
Dale revealed on a recent episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast, “I saw Amy [his wife] and I was like, ‘was Isla really bothered by the fire or just me coming to a stop and getting out, all that kind of hustle and bustle?’ Cause the fire, look man, okay it was just a small little fire but you know, nonetheless, it wasn’t a big deal. Could have been but it didn’t end up being that big of a deal and Amy’s like, ‘No not really. She was just mad you didn’t win’,”.
The 48-year-old went on to tell the story about how he had a similar reaction to his father, Dale Earnhardt, for not finishing a race at the exact same track, about 40 years ago. Sitting on top of a Comfort Coach van, Junior was watching his father drive in the Bristol night race in 1984.
The Intimidator was in a close title fight against another NASCAR legend, Terry Labonte, who was at the peak of his powers back then. Junior recalled how flawless Labonte was as a driver as he would never make a mistake over even suffer a mechanical issue. Junior said that his father was at the front of the pack in that race but suddenly, disaster struck and he did not take that lightly.
“I look over front straightaway and dad’s spinning around. Just spinning around down, comes to a stop. And I’m like c**p! He was running up front if not leading the race and now there he is sitting sideways on the front straightaway. Nobody hits him, he didn’t hit anything. I’m like “get going, get going” and he’s stuck,” Junior recalled.
“I started crying. So I’m 10. I’m sitting there, I’m not even 10 yet, I was 9. And so, man I just started crying, you know, I was just a 10-year-old kid or whatever and it was just like watching my favorite team lose, right? I was just starting to get really invested in what’s going on,” he added.
So when his daughter had a similar reaction to his DNF on the exact same track, it’s no wonder the veteran went back to his own childhood because that is exactly how he also reacted to his father. Junior had also revealed earlier that he was racing for his daughter at Bristol but was quite nervous before the race began.
Racing for his daughter, battling anxiety, and leading laps, Junior experienced it all at Bristol
Ahead of the Bristol race, Junior was talking to a reporter on track when he revealed the reason why he decided to race that day was his five-year-old daughter, Isla, who clung to his neck at the time.
“Well, I am racing for my daughter. So that she can see what we like to do, and what we have done all our lives. Just gonna have some fun. I missed Bristol, I ain’t raced here for 6 or 7 years,” he said.
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However, opening up to his close friend Mike Davis on a different episode of The Dale Jr Download podcast, the former Cup Series driver revealed that he was ridden with anxiety long before he had the incident with the fire.
“I was kind of like, I am taken aback by how nervous I was in that moment (Before the qualifying lap). Then in one minute, I was going to be completely on the other side of that extreme. (…) Dude, I don’t know how to not get that way. I wish I wasn’t like that. I wish I wasn’t that nervous or anxiety-ridden,” he added.
But all’s well that ends well. Yes, he might have had to retire from the race, but he was absolutely fantastic on the night, leading over 40 laps and putting himself in a position to go on and potentially win the event.
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Lewis Hamilton has opted not to make his Ferrari debut during the post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test, telling future boss Frederic Vasseur he wasn’t eager to jump into the red car so soon.
While Carlos Sainz, whom Hamilton will replace at Ferrari in 2025, will test for his new team Williams after the Abu Dhabi season finale, Hamilton will be focusing on pre-arranged commitments with Mercedes.
“I don’t want to block him,” Vasseur said, referring to Sainz.
As for Hamilton, Vasseur explained that Ferrari did not pursue the matter with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, citing contractual obligations. “They have a contract, so I didn’t even ask Toto,” Vasseur said.
Hamilton admitted in Qatar that missing the test could leave him slightly disadvantaged when he begins his Ferrari tenure.
“It will definitely slow down the process and make the start of next year more difficult, but we will do everything we can to make up for it,” he said.
The seven-time world champion also shared his personal reasons for skipping the test.
“I know that Fred wanted me to do the test, but I was in two minds,” Hamilton explained. “The idea of getting behind the wheel of a red car for the first time in Abu Dhabi did not excite me too much. In an ideal world, I would like the first runs to be done without much scrutiny.
“Toto and the team had planned ahead for me to meet some sponsors and say goodbye to them, so I don’t think I would have been allowed to take part in the tests even if I had asked,” he added.
Hamilton revealed that he had informed Vasseur of his feelings well in advance. “I have a contract with Mercedes until December 31, and it is not a problem for me because I told Fred in advance that I didn’t really want to do it.”
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All Hendrick Motorsports drivers won Cup Series races this year. Kyle Larson stood out with the maximum, clinching 6 race victories. However, his teammate holds the bragging rights to achieving more than just race trophies. Chase Elliott went from a despicable season in 2023, where he injured himself and got himself suspended to snapping a 42-race winless streak. At the end of the year, he can pose with more than just race wins, having picked up the Most Popular Driver title.
Elliott brought a guest to the NASCAR Awards banquet – a blonde woman with striking blue eyes. Her presence confirmed the active status of our Hendrick Motorsports star’s dating life. His newly ordained better half recently poured her heartfelt wishes as Elliott turned 29th.
Ever since Chase Elliott failed to crack the playoffs last year, he has been on a mission. His snowboarding injury and race suspensions lent him the fury of a man redeeming himself. So this year during the April Texas race, Elliott edged out Ross Chastain on the second restart in overtime to win. Although his victories ceased after that, Elliott put up a consistent performance – clinching 11 top-fives and 19 top-tens. In spite of his dismissal from the Round of 8, Chase defended his Most Popular Driver status, winning the award for the 7th time.
To accompany him in receiving this honor was Ashley Stephenson, twinning with her new boyfriend in all-black attire. The talented hair stylist and lifestyle vlogger publicly posted a photo with Elliott at the Awards ceremony. Similarly, Anderson proudly uploaded a story on Instagram to celebrate Chase Elliott’s 29th birthday on 28th November. She proclaimed her love as she wrote, “Happiest birthday, Bubs!” She added her heartfelt 3-word message for Elliott: “Thankful for you,” and followed it up with affectionate emojis.
Not much is known about Stephenson and Elliott’s dating life. Both of them hail from Dawsonville, Georgia, and have reportedly been friends for a long time. According to rumors in the NASCAR world, Stephenson and Chase Elliott began dating each other after the Hendrick star split up with his ex-girlfriend, Kaylie Green. Stephenson works as a hairstylist and lifestyle vlogger in Dawsonville, often posting her work on Instagram. They have made multiple appearances on the racetrack together, and Ashley’s oldest picture with Chase on her profile dates back to mid-2020. Her appearance at the NASCAR Awards ceremony was their first public appearance together after a long while. She also shares a relationship with Ryan Blaney’s fiancee Gianna Tulio.
Dale Earnhardt Jr’s First Sighting in Infamous Firesuit Has NASCAR Fans Losing Their Minds.
After 17 long years, Dale Earnhardt Jr finally reclaims his legacy. The 26-time Cup race-winning veteran will sport those bright red colors on a racetrack once again. His estranged stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, offered an olive branch this year in June, allowing Junior to buy the trademark for the No. 8. She retained rights over the long-lost Dale Earnhardt Inc. team. But the update means one thing – Junior fans can relive a nostalgic dream!
The podcast host and JR Motorsports owner is already creating a flutter with a wardrobe drop. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s loyal army of fans will see a spectacle at Florence Motor Speedway on November 23rd. A fiery red firesuit embroidered with Budweiser’s famous logo is all that the NASCAR community is drooling over right now.
That Memory Lane was a long 2000-2007 journey, sprinkled with colorful victories. Starting from the 2000 DirecTV 500 win in Texas and ending with the 2006 Crown Royal 400 win in Richmond, Dale Earnhardt Jr collected 17 victories for Dale Earnhardt Inc. What stood out was his iconic bright red Budweiser fire suit that clung to the icon’s tired body during every Victory Lane celebration. From 2007, Dale Jr shifted to Hendrick Motorsports, as his stepmother tightened her control over DEI and the No. 8 logo. 17 years later, that scenario has finally changed.
Ahead of the upcoming spectacle in the South Carolina 400 race at Florence, Dale Earnhardt Jr dropped a teaser. A NASCAR fan shared a picture of modern-day Dale Jr smiling his heart out in the legendary ruby-red firesuit, holding a Budweiser beer can. The post caption encapsulated the soaring emotions of numerous fans’ hearts: “If you ever wanted to see present day @DaleJr in a Budweiser firesuit, here ya go.” Being under lock and key for so long, the famous logo will feature where it rightfully belongs – on the firesuit and car of Dale Jr, under his team JR Motorsports.
Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Florence entry will also mark the “Bud King of Beers” paint scheme’s first time on the track in 17 years. “It is an incredible opportunity for me to be able to reunite with Budweiser, and the No. 8,” Earnhardt, 50, said of the ride he made famous from 1999 to 2007. “Budweiser and I had some great memories with that iconic scheme and number. We’ve always supported each other over the years. It’s going to be really special for me to be able to represent that brand on the racetrack again.”
After all, Dale Earnhardt Jr has several precious memories in this firesuit. Less than four months after his father, the Intimidator, passed away in Daytona, Dale Jr roared back to win on the same track. Leading 116 of 200 laps, he won the Pepsi 400, and the pit crew, competitors, and fans all roared when he climbed out of his car in Victory Lane. Now that the same victory outfit is back in business, fans are ecstatic for more memories. One fan wrote, “Seeing him in a bud suit…nature has healed just a tiny bit more. The way I miss the old days though…” Another fan heaved a sigh of relief that we would be able to relive the golden era of NASCAR again. “All is right in the world,” they wrote.
Dale Earnhardt Jr holds the classic No. 8 close to his heart – given the numerous tracks he conquered wearing it. For instance, he won four of six Talladega races wearing Budweiser’s suit, the best memory coming in April 2002 when he led 133 laps. So the veteran sports an infectious smile while wearing that glorious suit today – enough to mesmerize fans. “Junior’s enthusiasm for everything NASCAR really is infectious. So glad he was/is my favorite driver,” somebody wrote.
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