Despite Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death, Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he could “never hate” Daytona racetrack

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has opened up about his emotional journey with the Daytona International Speedway.

The hallowed grounds of the Daytona 500 witnessed an indelible tragedy in February 2001 when Dale Earnhardt Sr. lost his life in an accident on the penultimate lap of the race.

Just five months after the fateful day, as the NASCAR circuit returned to the Daytona track, a sense of grief still loomed over the scene. Earnhardt Jr., still grappling with the enormity of his loss, found himself drawn to the track a week before the race.

In a recent video released by NASCAR, Earnhardt Jr. shared intimate stories and reflections from that pivotal moment in his career.

Recalling the poignant visit, Earnhardt Jr. shared his internal struggle:

"I hadn't been here since February, since dad passed away. I didn’t wanna walk in Friday for practice. I’m here for the first time. I’m not comfortable… I wanna leave, I don’t wanna be here. So I had to find that out, right?”

Sitting alone near the spot where his father's car had impacted the wall, Earnhardt Jr. recounted the bittersweet moments:

“I’m off on my own, I just sit there for a minute, just to see how it felt. I think at the moment I thought, 'I’m gonna keep racing, I’m gonna have to keep coming back here. I gotta be okay with this.'"

Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed his complex relationship with the Daytona racetrack. While he acknowledged the pain and turmoil associated with the location, he refused to harbor any ill will towards it. He remarked:

“I can't hate this race track. This racetrack didn't do anything. Dad loved this place. He wouldn’t hate the race track, right? I gotta stay in love with Daytona. I wanna win here and I wanna love coming here.”

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. recalls quirky Daytona adventure

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recounted an impromptu escapade that took place a week before a race at the Daytona track in July 2001. He began:

“So me and my friends drove down a week before the race. We drive out track we pull in. The track gate was open, we drive right across onto the front straightaway. Ain’t seen a guard yet.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his friends found themselves with unexpected access to the Daytona track. Taking advantage of the open gate, they drove onto the iconic track straightaway.

The 48-year-old continued:

“Pull up to the start-finish line and get out, and my buddies are taking pictures of themselves at the start-finish line. We drive around in the back straightaway and finally here comes the security storming up and slams on brakes in front of us and wedges us into the wall.

The two-time Xfinity Series champion described the interaction with the security personnel:

“He angrily walked towards the car, but when he saw me, he just asked what we had been doing on the track."

The security guard's apparent recognition of the racing legend seemed to have transformed the tone of the encounter.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed:

"After I explained that I wanted to visit turn four and have a minute, he left us alone."