Dale Earnhardt Jr : 10 Surprised Things About Dale Earnhardt Jr

Dale Earnhardt Jr : 10 Surprised Things About Dale Earnhardt Jr

Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a stop by the Richmond International Raceway media center to talk more about his upcoming retirement, which will take place following the end of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Visibly more relaxed than he was when he made the retirement announcement Tuesday afternoon at Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt was in good spirits as he spent 20 minutes or so chatting with the media.

Here are 10 takeaways from Earnhardt’s media availability:

1. The announcement

Earnhardt was concerned how fans and teammates would take the news, but it’s been very well received. “I was worried people were going to be upset and angry, like ‘What the hell?’ So I was glad that they… so far, for the most part it’s been real positive.”

2. The decision

There was no single moment that caused Earnhardt to decide it was time to go. It was more like an ongoing process. 

“Retirement was kind of always in the back of my mind and I never could get myself to 100 percent say ‘Man, I want to do an extension, I’m going forward 100 percent, I’m in mentally, everything is 100 percent.’ 

I couldn’t ever get there. I just was like that must mean it’s time for me to hang it up.”

3. His replacement

At this point, there’s no confirmation on who will replace Earnhardt next year and beyond, but the driver said he’d like to have input in the discussion.

 “I would love to have a lot. In my position, I’m paid to drive Rick’s (Hendrick) car. 

If he wants something else from me I’m going to wait for him to ask for it.

 I wouldn’t ever go in there and go, ‘Man, this is what you guys have got to do.’”

4. Team involvement

One of the hardest parts of retiring is that Earnhardt is fiercely loyal to team owner Rick Hendrick and his crew. 

“I want them to have a driver that I feel is plenty capable because I want to see those guys win races because they are my brothers and I also love it when Rick is happy and he likes to win.

 I certainly have… I’m invested in that team personally, so I would love to be a part of their future and what they decide to do.

 I will just wait and see if that is something they want me to be a part of.”

5. Frustration

Earnhardt expects to be a lot more chill now that the pressure is off. 

“Usually when we start practice and the car is tight in the center and stuff the tone of the conversation is completely different, but since being able to make that announcement and let my guys know and everybody else included,

 I am not going to get so spun out if something is just not perfect on the car or the car is not exactly what we need or we are a little slow.”

6. Winning

In this, his final season, Earnhardt would very much like to win again in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. 

“We just want to go to Victory Lane one more time just to get that experience one more time would be awesome for me and I think the guys would love it for sure. 

But, I certainly did feel a lot more relaxed now.”

7. Opportunity

Earnhardt knows his star power can make things happen in ways many drivers can’t.

 “Well, one of the things that enables me to do it is our notoriety, our ability to connect with partners to be able to bring in partnerships and to fund that race team at JR Motorsports. People want to come there and be a part of that.  

That gives us an opportunity to give drivers, crew chiefs, crew members, all those guys a springboard to whatever their dreams are.”

8. Leaving your mark

Creating an impact beyond the cockpit matters to Earnhardt. “You kind of want to leave a mark on the sport. 

You want to leave some evidence behind that you were a part of it and you were there and you did some things to help it move along. 

As we’ve ran through the last several years with the XFINITY program I’ve been really proud with what we have been able to accomplish.

 I feel like we have done a lot of great things outside the car as well as what we’ve done inside the race car on the Cup level.”

9. Life after racing

Earnhardt doesn’t know what he’ll be doing yet, but there will be no shortage of opportunities. 

“I want to stay busy. I want to work. One of the people that I really respected a lot was Benny Parsons (pictured above).

 I thought that he left as important of a mark outside the car as he did inside the car.

“Whatever mark I can leave, I would love to be able to be as big an asset to the sport as I can be beyond driving. 

It’s up to everyone else as to how big an asset … I love being around it and being a part of it and I love racing. I love watching racing. 

We’ve got a lot of things to be excited about. 

There’s a lot of young talent pouring in and they’re going to be fun to watch.”

10. Tributes

Every track Earnhardt visits for the last time will have some promotion on his behalf.  

“The tracks have got to do what they’ve got to do. None of that is going to rub me the wrong way. … Whatever the tracks need to do, that’s okay. 

It’s a little weird. The packages like the ’88 bucks’. That stuff has always been a little bit weird to me, but it’s whatever the tracks need to do. I’m cool.”