"A rookie doesn't run into seven-time champion" - Dale Earnhardt Sr. era crew chief recalls Dale Jr.'s rivalry story with his dad

NASCAR veteran crew chief Gary Nelson recently reminisced about an aggressive moment Dale Jr. shared with his father, Earnhardt Sr. The two raced together on the grid in the late 90s.

Throughout his career, Dale Earnhardt Sr. stood out as one of the most competitive drivers in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series. He, along with Richard Petty, held the record for most championships with seven, a feat later matched by Jimmie Johnson. Earnhardt Sr. was an aggressive driver, which earned him the nickname "The Intimidator."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., his son, appeared to have inherited his racing genes because he once faced a challenging situation while competing alongside his father. Gary Nelson, a longtime crew chief who notably collaborated with drivers such as Bobby Allison, Ricky Rudd, and Geoff Bodine, recently appeared on the Dale Jr. Download podcast. He talked about the time when Dale Jr. was a rookie and slammed into his father. He said [at 2:24:13]:

"Dale [Sr] goes into the turn and hits Elliot Saddler. [he] spins and you have nowhere to go and you hit him, but you're not damaged, your car is not that bad but it has ruined your day pretty much. I'm watching and your dad's, I think he's lapping you, and you just turn at the start-finish line right into his door."

Nelson further revealed that Earnhardt Jr. admitted hitting his dad on purpose because he was furious after the earlier contact. At the time, the former tried to explain to him that he couldn't go around hitting a champion just because he was "pissed."

"I said 'Dale, that's your dad in the car and you're a rookie, and he's a,' I think he was a six-time or seven-time champion, 'and a rookie does not run into a six or seven time champion just because he's pissed. You have to respect that what he's accomplished,'" he stated. [at 2:25:02].

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Nelson reveals how Earnhardt Sr. reacted to his son Dale Jr. winning his first NASCAR race

This incident between the father and son took place at Bristol, which was the sixth round of the 2000 Cup Series championship. The following race was set for Texas, and Dale Jr. was able to go and win it after Nelson had given him a lecture about maintaining etiquette with champions.

This was an extraordinary fate for a driver in their rookie season in the Cup Series. Dale Earnhardt Sr., however, had an interesting reaction, which Nelson revealed [speaking at 2:25:25]:

"You know what happened that weekend? You won your first race. And you know what your dad said to me? Same thing Richard Petty said about Kyle [Petty]. He said 'somebody needed to straighten that son of a b- out, and I'm glad you did it.'"

Dale Jr. and his father continued to share the track during the season, and the same was expected to happen in 2001. However, Earnhardt Sr. passed away tragically in the Daytona 500, the first race of the 2001 season. He continues to be remembered as one of the sport's most successful and competitive drivers.