Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues his father’s legacy in the Cup series.
NASCAR was famous for its wild drivers in the 80s and 90s who lived a wild life both on and off the track. However, as time passed and regulations became stricter, it became rare to see drivers living that way. Physical fitness became the focus. Dominant champions like the ones mentioned above set the example for the rest of the grid.
But not everyone was able to succeed by following Jimmie Johnson’s example. Dale Earnhardt Jr., his former teammate and NASCAR Hall of Famer, actually had to go back to old techniques to succeed at HMS. He couldn’t achieve the desired results when he tried to lead a balanced life like the current co-owner of Legacy MC.
“I must be one of the old guard… I need to drink and smoke cigarettes and tear it up.” š»š„
In a recent episode of his podcast, the 49-year-old driver recalled his experience with this. When he joined HMS in 2008, his team asked him to abandon the wild life in order to improve his performance. He decided to change his image by quitting smoking and getting in shape through exercise. However, this didn’t bring the results he expected. On the other hand, when Earnhardt went to parties with his friends in the middle of the week, he performed better. This made him question if he was more like the old guard who needed to drink and smoke to function properly.
In his early days, the 49-year-old driver raced for his father’s team, Dale Earnhardt Inc. However, the team had to close due to financial reasons, which led him to join the HMS team in 2008.
At DEI, Earnhardt stated that no one had ever confronted him about his ethics and dedication to the sport. That changed when he moved to HMS in the early 2000s. He learned how racing legends honed their skills and the practices they used. He also learned what it takes to become a professional driver and the importance of being responsible. Earnhardt incorporated all of these aspects at HMS, and they were reflected in his later career in how he handled conflicts and mistakes.
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