5 iconic achievements on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s stacked resume as NASCAR megastar celebrates his 50th birthday

Apart from donning the iconic Earnhardt surname, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is regarded as one of the top drivers in NASCAR's history. In a career of over 20 years, the Hall of Famer has many achievements etched to his name.

Following in his father Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s footsteps, Dale Jr. became a stock car racer. With his aggressive yet calculated driving style, the North Carolina-based driver gained popularity among NASCAR fans.

As the third-generation racer celebrates his 50th birthday, here's a look at five iconic achievements of the NASCAR megastar Earnhardt Jr.

---

#5. Dale Jr. is one of the winningest drivers on the notorious Talladega Superspeedway

A couple of years after his debut in the Cup Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned the nickname 'The Pied Piper' by becoming one of the winningest racers on NASCAR's most notorious track.

Talladega Superspeedway, the 2.66-mile-long tri-oval racetrack is known for creating multi-car crashes every year. The massive 28-car wreck during the 2024 YellaWood 500 is a recent example of the circuit's difficulty level.

While winning once at 'Dega is a dream for most NASCAR racers, Earnhardt Jr. managed to accomplish the feat six times during his Cup Series career. He is tied in second place with Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon, with the top spot claimed by his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr. (10 wins).

---

#4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won back-to-back Xfinity Series championships (1998 and 1999)

Earnhardt Jr. won back-to-back Xfinity Series championships in 1998 and 1999. Driving the #3 car for his family-owned racing team, Dale Earnhardt, Inc., he was able to defeat Matt Kenseth in both years to claim the title.

Dale Jr.'s progress in the Xfinity Series was likely the reason his father, Earnhardt Sr. offered him a seat with the #8 team in the Cup Series in the 2000 season. He clinched two wins (Texas and Richmond) in his first year.

---

#3. Holds the longest streak of winning NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver award

In a career spanning 18 years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. claimed NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver award 15 times in the Cup Series. He is second on the list of the most popular drivers, with Bill Elliott holding the top spot with 16 wins.

However, Earnhardt Jr. holds the record for the longest streak of winning the title. He won every year from 2003 up until his retirement in 2017. Apart from the Cup Series, he has also won the title once in the Xfinity Series (1999).

---

#2. Co-owns a 3x Xfinity Series championship-winning team

Apart from being a race car driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. co-owns JR Motorsports along with his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, L.W. Miller, and Rick Hendrick of Hendrick Motorsports.

Although he started JR Motorsports in 2002, the team gained popularity in the 2006 season with a sponsorship from the United States Navy. Since then, the team has won three Xfinity Series championships (2014, 2017, 2018), 86 races, and has 1,023 Top-10 finishes to its name.

---

#1. Inducted into NASCAR's Hall of Fame in 2021

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was inducted into NASCAR's Hall of Fame in 2021. He was joined by Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer for that year's class. To make the moment special, his wife Amy was given the honor of presenting the inductee ring to Dale Jr.

"The people enshrined in this building, they're my role models, and they're my heroes, and one of them happens to be my father. So to join dad in the Hall of Fame is probably as good as it's ever going to get," Earnhardt Jr. said in his speech (13:16 onwards).

Here's a look at the video of the entire speech from YouTube:

For reference, Dale Earnhardt Sr. became a part of NASCAR's most iconic driver's list in 2010.