NASCAR knows family. Generations of racing fans have been thrilled and moved by the exploits of such renowned clans as the Bakers, the Waltrips, the Jarretts, the Allisons, and of course the Pettys. But one name evokes a passion that revs higher than all the others: Earnhardt. From patriarch Ralph in the 1940s and ’50s to the greatest father-son duo in all of sports—Dale Sr. and his son Junior—through to today, the Earnhardt name remains revered. The heart of the greatest family in racing history still beats loud and fast, influencing the sport on the track and from the owners suite. This is the story of the Earnhardts, the First Family of Racing.
EARNHARDTS
THE FIRST FAMILY OF RACING • THE EARNHARDT NAME REMAINS THE GOLD STANDARD
IN THE BEGINNING… • RALPH EARNHARDT: THE PATRIARCH
Sr. • THE INTIMIDATOR! DALE EARNHARDT SR.: THE MAN IN BLACK
SENIOR’S GREATEST • THE INTIMIDATOR’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
RACING’S DARKEST DAY • INTIMIDATOR’S DEATH AT DAYTONA IN THE 2001 CHANGED THE SPORT FOREVER
THE LEGACY • DALE EARNHARDT SR. WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED
Jr. • DESPITE HIS FATHER’S LONG SHADOW, DALE JR. MADE A NAME OF HIS OWN
JUNIOR’S GREATEST • LITTLEE’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
FATHER & SON • THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS COMPLICATED, BUT AT THE HEART WAS MUTUAL LOVE AND RESPECT
THE LEGACY • JUNIOR’S CLASS AND OPENNESS EARNED HIM ETERNALLY LOYAL FANS OF HIS OWN
THE ROAD AHEAD • RACING CHANGES, BUT THE EARNHARDT FAMILY ENDURES
DYNASTY BY THE NUMBERS • TEN AMAZING STATISTICS ABOUT THE EARNHARDT FAMILY
WHY WE LOVE THE EARNHARDTS • THE FAMILY IS STILL THE HEART AND SOUL OF NASCAR
The Earnhardts
PHOTO CREDITS