Chasing Junior: Junior’s Golden Age

CHARLOTTE, NC — His dad was top of the mountain. He was the up-and-coming crown prince of NASCAR.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. set the sport on fire when he burst onto the Cup Series scene 17 years ago. I was there for much of that ride as a young (ish) sports guy.

Tonight, as he races a final season, we throw back on a Thursday to Junior’s Golden Age.

The Intimidator‘s son. Child of a NASCAR legend; a seven-time Cup Series champ. A shadow as long as the back stretch at Talladega. All the pressure of being NASCAR’s “chosen one” set to fall on his young shoulders.

“Seen so many drivers try to fill in their father’s shoes,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. this season. “So many second generation drivers come in and just, you know, have a hard time, for whatever reason.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had dominated the XFINITY (then Busch) Series, winning back-to-back championships in 1998 and 1999.  He then announced his readiness to race with the big boys, winning at Texas in 2000 in just his 12th start.

“He was talking about coming to Texas and winning his first Cup race,” said Dale Earnhardt Sr. in victory lane that day in Texas. “He won his first Busch race here. We knew the kid could do it!”

I got the chance to cover both father and son at the super speedways, Talladega and Daytona, watching Junior take the mantle for his dad following the day the world changed for the Earnhardts, and NASCAR.

Junior raced the very next week, but wouldn’t find victory lane again until the Pepsi 400, the first race at Daytona after his dad’s death.

That victory ignited the prime of his career. He’d sweep both races at Talladega in 2002.

“It takes certain mentality to run restrictor plate races,” said Junior after one of his Dega wins. “And some people are good at it, and some people aren’t. And you definitely gotta have the best car.”

His #8 Dale Earnhardt Incorporated Chevy dominated the super speedways, winning a record four straight at Talladega.

“We worked harder for this one than we have the other three, so just real special,” he said after winning in April of 2003.

“They own this place right now, and you gotta give them credit for that,” said Jeff Gordon that day. “That’s for sure.”

Junior finished 3rd in the Cup standings in 2003, and seemed destined for a title of his own.

“It takes a good rough toll on ya,” said Junior when I asked him about the grind of his schedule and trying to win a title. “I was, you know there’s days where you are to your limit on patience.”

He won six times in 2004, including the Daytona 500, but finished 5th in the points.

“He done so many great things here,” said Junior from Daytona’s famed victory lane. “And I had the best teacher in the world. And you know I did everything I could do out there that I knew would help me win.”

He’d racked up 15 wins in the first four years on the Cup Series, rocketing to the status of most popular driver in the sport. But times would get tough.

He’d leave the team his father once owned for Hendrick Motorsports, and win only four races over the next nine seasons. Before a career resurgence,  and second Daytona 500 win, in 2014.

“I didn’t know if I’d ever get the chance to feel that again,” said Junior after that victory. “And it feels just as good, if not better than the first, because of how hard we tried, year after year after year.”

For Junior it’s always been about more than just wins. He preserved, and even put his own twist on, the Earnhardt family legacy; staying true to his Kannapolis roots, while bringing a whole new generation of fans to the sport.

“Some of your accomplishments on the track sort of get forgotten,” said Junior this season, after announcing his imminent retirement. “But who you are a as a person never get forgotten. People never forget who you were. I hope just people thought I was good, and honest, and representing the sport well.”

Junior bounced back in 2013 and 2014 with three and four victories respectively. That third place points finish in 2003, still the best of his career. He’s been voted NASCAR’s most popular driver 14 times!