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Dale Earnhardt Jr Lets Slip Frustration 25 Years After Loss His Irreplaceable Father
Dale Earnhardt Jr Lets Slip Frustration 25 Years After Loss His Irreplaceable Father
Dale Earnhardt Jr is a veteran in NASCAR. He won 26 times across Cup events, besides winning back-to-back Xfinity championships. But he was also bested several times by his rivals. One such time, his adversary was none other than his father, ‘The Intimidator’ himself. The thrilling last-lap rivalry still sends goosebumps across the NASCAR community.
And it is the perfect time to bring up this historic incident. Last weekend, we witnessed a chaotic finish to the Richmond race, as Austin Dillon went rogue to cross the finish line. But as we head towards Michigan, it would be poignant to remember the last-lap finish that trumped Dillon’s bump-and-run.
Dale Earnhardt Jr recalls family rivalry
The golden age of NASCAR was famous due to a slew of talented racers. However, Dale Earnhardt Sr‘s name may be the most iconic, as his ‘intimidating’ tactics were legendary. Ranging from his ‘Pass in the Grass’ move in 1987 to spinning Terry Labonte in 1999, Dale Sr is hailed for his aggressive moves. However, the year 1999 also witnessed him battling with an unlikely opponent at Michigan International Speedway – his own son, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
NASCAR on NBC recently posted the final lap moments of the IROC race held that year in Michigan. The caption dug into the spicy details about the father-son rivalry. “25 years ago, Dale Earnhardt beat Dale Jr. to the line by just 0.007 seconds to WIN at Michigan in IROC.” Although many Cup races have unfolded on the racetrack since then, Dale Earnhardt Jr still remembers the moment vividly. So he captioned his feeling of regret at being bested by his iconic dad. “I had him!!! Dang it. ”
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The 1999 showdown at the Michigan track was truly thrilling. The epic face-off saw the father-son duo run side-by-side for a while, as Dale Sr effectively used side-drafting to get ahead. Ultimately, the Intimidator beat his son by a razor-sharp margin of 0.007 seconds. In a 2017 interview, Dale Earnhardt Jr beamed with pride at the incident. “Dad drove to the bottom, so I just went around a little bit higher, and it stuck, and I got along his outside. I was going by, and he hit me. It seemed like only me and him were racing each other for the win. I was very proud of that because I thought he was the best in the sport at the time.”
A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
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Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
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