May 30, 2026; Lebanon, Tennessee, USA; Team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. speaks after Justin Allgaier (7) wins at Nashville Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
May 30, 2026; Lebanon, Tennessee, USA; Team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. speaks after Justin Allgaier (7) wins at Nashville Superspeedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking the checkered flag at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona back in 2001 is one of those stories that write themselves.
It was the first time NASCAR returned to the track where it lost a legend to a tragic crash a few months earlier. For Dale Jr., winning at the track where he lost his father five months earlier, the win was emotional. Dale Jr spoke about watching that clip on his Dale Jr. Download podcast.
“The hardest part for me, because I know that I was young and naive, right? I lost my dad, but I was young and naive," shared Dale Jr. on the July 8 episode of the podcast. "And I didn’t realize what I’d lost. And Danny [his uncle] did. He was old enough to know.”
It’s been 25 years since that victory, and TNT Sports showed Dale Jr. a clip of those celebrations during the race in Chicagoland. Dale Jr referred to Danny Earnhardt, his uncle. While he was elated, as was everyone around him, Dale Jr. revealed that it was different for Danny.
Feb 12, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks on during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images
Feb 12, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks on during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images
“The hardest part of it is there’s a real short clip of Danny Earnhardt, my dad’s brother, and I remember the look on Danny’s face,” he added. “Danny Sr, has this look on his face, the same look he had on his face in February when we lost Dad.”
Dale Jr. said that while the moment for him was a release from all the anger and frustration he was holding on to, for Danny Earnhardt, returning to Daytona and seeing Junior win was a reminder of the great loss to not just the Earnhardt family but the whole NASCAR family.
Epic celebrations for Dale Earnhardt Jr’s third Cup win
Dale Jr. has 26 Cup victories to his name, but none as special as his win 25 years ago in Daytona during the 4th of July weekend race.
In his 8 Dale Earnhardt Inc Chevrolet, emotions were already high for Dale Jr, returning to Daytona after the loss of his father. Barely five months had passed. But he had to put it all aside and go racing once again.
Starting from 13th on the grid, Junior eventually led 116 laps that day. With a late caution restart with just six laps to go, Dale Jr, was in 6th, and he drove remarkably to get into the lead as his teammate Michael Waltrip defended off competitors.
Speaking to NBC, which uploaded a video of the race victory on YouTube, Dale Jr. said, “It might be my fondest moment as a race car driver.”
After winning, he drove onto the infield grass, where he got out of his window and celebrated as Waltrip joined in. Both Dale Earnhardt Inc. crews joined in, and both drivers got onto the roof of the car, hugged it out, and took all the emotions in.
Dale Jr. said on his podcast that he wanted to take a moment for himself and for his team before going through the formalities of victory lane.
It was his 3rd career victory, made even more emotional, being the first race he won since his father passed.
What memories do you have of the iconic Pepsi 400 in 2001? Let us know.
Read more at Daytona Racing Digest.
Written by
Debrup Chaudhuri
Edited by
Soheli Tarafdar