Guest Author - De Powell

There’s been an Earnhardt in NASCAR nearly as long as there has been NASCAR. Besides a love for racing, this multi-generational racing family also has the reputation for being tough competitors. They are known for racing hard and racing to win.

When Ralph ‘Mr. Consistency’ Earnhardt started building race cars in his backyard, he probably didn’t realize that he was just the beginning of a legacy. He was truly a man with a vision, and the cars he built were winning cars. He was the first to utilize ‘tire stagger’, the first to put ‘bite’ in a car, and the first to install crash bars into the drivers door to add safety.

Ralph seemed to be born to race, and was usually the one to beat out on the track. He was a tough racer, but preferred to stay close to home and race at local tracks rather than travel to race.

He won the NASCAR National Sportsman Championship in 1956, and continued to finish in the top ten for six more years. Over the course of his career, he raced in over 350 NASCAR races, as well as hundreds from local tracks. Ralph passed away in 1973 from a heart attack at the age of 45.

He passed down his love of racing to his son Dale. Dale was the type of driver that people either loved or hated - there didn’t seem to be many that were in between. Regardless of whether you loved him or hated him, you still respected him.

He had decided he wanted to be a racer long before he was an adult. His first Winston Cup race came in 1975, but his big opportunity came in 1979 when he was offered a full time ride with Rod Osterlund. His rookie season gave only a glimpse of the greatness that he had to offer. The very next year, he won his first Winston Cup Championship, beating out Cale Yarborough for the title. He still holds the honor of being the only driver to ever win Rookie of the Year and win the Championship the very next year.

Earnhardt briefly teamed with Richard Childress in 1981, but it didn’t turn into a successful, long-term relationship until 1984. Together, they won 6 Winston Championships. He earned his nickname ‘The Intimidator’ in 1987 after winning The Winston by spinning out Bill Elliott in the final segment. After 20 attempts, in 1998 Earnhardt was finally able to capture the ever-elusive Daytona 500 victory. An emotional Earnhardt said, "I have had a lot of great fans and people behind me all through the years and I just can't thank them enough. The Daytona 500 is over. And we won it! We won it!"
Earnhardt was the epitome of everything a driver should be. His drive and determination were easy to see with just a glimpse. He had a tell-tale glimmer in his eye and that ever-present ornery grin that told everyone he was out there having a great time. He was one that truly loved to race and it showed.

We were all grieved when Earnhardt lost his life in a last lap crash at Daytona in 2001. While pushing his own DEI team to victory, the NASCAR world lost a living legend.

Having to live up to the legendary status of his father hasn’t been easy for Dale Earnhardt Jr., but he’s doing his best to carve out his own name in NASCAR. His often laid back style has earned him the respect of fellow drivers and fans alike. It’s no coincidence that at any given NASCAR race, the primary color you see fans wearing is Budweiser red.

Earnhardt Jr. has become more than just a driver. He is truly the persona of NASCAR. When anyone thinks of NASCAR, his is one of the names that comes immediately to mind. He has bridged a gap between the veterans and the newcomers. His public image has done much for bringing the next generation to NASCAR with his entertaining commercials and TV appearances. His warm personality and love of racing has earned him ‘Most Popular Driver’ honors four different times.

In 2006, Earnhardt Jr. finished the Chase in 5th place, making it clear to all that DEI was competitive, and were going to continue to make their mark in the NASCAR circuit.

The Earnhardt legacy will be around for many generations to come. Dale Earnhardt Incorporated is recognized as one of the best in the NASCAR garages, and will most likely continue to gain in strength and size.

Kerry Earnhardt, eldest son of Dale Sr. has recently been hired at DEI to work as both liaison between the Nextel Cup and the Busch programs, as well as driving in a few races. Driving for DEI will give him opportunities that he hasn’t been given before. "I've been thinking about the company a lot in my head. It's hard to give up driving. Now I've come to a point where I realize that doing the things I'm doing is not doing me any good, just riding around and not having any decent finishes," Kerry stated. "I always wish I had the opportunity to be in equipment like this," said Kerry, "Now if I run three to five Busch races and can be successful with that maybe more things can come to me."

Bringing the fourth generation of Earnhardt’s to the field is Kerry’s son Jeffrey, who has been hired by DEI as a development driver. Jeffrey shows great promise that the Earnhardt name will continue for a long while.


Til next week......