I tried to emulate it and that’s what got me in trouble early in my career.
I was a kid growing up in Vegas watching races. Then he had that swagger and that smirk to know what he was capable of at all times.
The way he went about himself with the Intimidator look and driving style, it was always there. Because Burt has the personality Dale had. You know, I know Burt Reynolds, that probably is a good comparison. No, no, no, I don’t compare him to Jesus. The fact that we didn’t get to see that happen is only going to continue to make him larger than life.įelix Sabates (former car owner in a 2006 interview): In a way, Dale dying did a lot for the sport.
He still had things to accomplish, he still had things he wanted to do.
He’s probably the best driver I’ve ever raced against, and certainly the way he left the sport is something that’s only going to leave his persona at an even higher level. Jeff Gordon (in 2006 interview): A Babe Ruth figure, that’s the way I look at him. He wasn’t letting anything get in his way. (Photo by ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images)ĭale Jarrett: The superstars don’t take no for an answer in their quest to be the best, and Dale was exactly that. It was just like, “OK, there’s another guy that we got to race against that is good that we got to beat.” Dale Earnhardt’s last NASCAR Cup victory came in 2000 at Talladega Superspeedway. I just don’t ever remember, especially it from Dale. Did that ruffle feathers? I don’t ever remember my dad’s feathers being ruffled. “I’m here, you gotta make room.” That’s kind of the way Darrell came in. Kyle Petty: He came in like Darrell (Waltrip) did. … He was that John Wayne character that wasn’t a fictitious character on the screen. He was the one with the focus and concentration and strength to live out his dream and take it to the greatest heights. Ken Squier ( during the 2001 broadcast of Earnhardt’s memorial service): I’ve always thought part of the magic of Dale Earnhardt was that he was the common man who did uncommon things. The guy running the backhoe and the shrimp boat captain and the carpenter, people out there working with their hands, they loved Earnhardt. Humpy Wheeler (former general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2006 interview): Dale Earnhardt was the last working-man driver that we had. Many continue to try to explain who Earnhardt was to those who didn’t witness his greatness on the track and the person off it. Twenty years after his death in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500, Earnhardt remains a relevant figure in NASCAR that time has enhanced, not forgotten.
Others compared him to James Dean, whose time ended well before it should have. Some looked at him as the sport’s Babe Ruth for being among the best at what he did. There were those who viewed Earnhardt as NASCAR’s Elvis for the fervor his fans showed. Many have tried to define Dale Earnhardt, explain the essence of the man behind the reflective sunglasses and thick mustache, whose mill town upbringing resonated with the everyday man even as Earnhardt did remarkable things with the black No.
This is the first in an oral history series that remembers “The Intimidator” though the voices of those who knew the seven-time Cup Series champion, who remains one of the biggest icons in NASCAR history. EDITOR’S NOTE: NBC Sports will take a look at the life, legacy, and long-lasting impact of Dale Earnhardt, who died on the last lap of the Daytona 500 on Feb.