"He was thrown into something his dad started": When Richard Petty reflected on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s rise in NASCAR

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty discussed how Dale Earnhardt Jr. rose to meet the standard that his father, Dale Earnhardt, set in the sport. Petty, in an interview from February 2013, spoke about how the younger Earnhardt had to step into the shadow of his father when he became a part of the sport and has exceeded the expectations set on him.

'The King' also elaborated on the fact that Earnhardt Jr. has been accepted by the stock car racing competition's fans because they are able to gauge who the driver is and what he is capable of.

At the time of the interview, Dale Jr. had already won the the title of NASCAR's 'Most Popular Award' ten times, acting as an ambassador for the sport - something that Richard Petty says he excels at. Petty said [via USA Today]:

"He must do a pretty good job because he keeps winning the [Most Popular Driver award]. You know what I mean? People perceive what he really does and what he really is. That's the reason he's popular. He handles adversity very well. I'm very impressed with it. He was thrown into the middle of something he didn't really start. His dad started it. He came along and picked up the mantle and was able to carry it like it should have been carried."

At the end of the 2013 season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. achieved 10 Top-five finishes and 22 Top-10s, giving him a fifth place in the points standings.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals how Richard Petty set the standard of interacting with fans

Richard Petty signs autographs for fans in the Fan Zone before the start of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR Cup Series race on July 9, 2024, - Source: Getty

In the same interview from 2013, Dale Earnhardt Jr. also opened up about what he has learned from the Cup Series champion during his time in the sport. The Hendricks Motorsports driver said that Richard Petty has been the foremost example for drivers in learning how to interact with fans. He said (via USA Today):

"How you handle fans. He set the standard back when he was driving. Everyone would say, and you'd heard quite often how he was the example of how you were supposed to interact with the fans and how you carried yourself around the garage and interacted with the other drivers. He just did everything the way you were supposed to do it. That was the standard. That still carries a lot of weight today.

"Even now when drivers look back, that's the standard. The Richard Petty Way is the way you're supposed to do it when you walk through the garage, and you get people wanting autographs. The idea was he signed every one that was put in front of him. That's the way you ought to think when you're in that situation."

At the end of his career, Richard Petty had achieved the record for most wins, having crossed the finish line to take victory 200 times. He has also scored 555 Top 5s and 712 Top 10s.