“I was so mad”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. recalls the time he threatened his crew with a hammer after a costly pitstop blunder

Modified Mar 26, 2025 04:45 GMT

NASCAR: AAA Texas 500-Qaulifying - Source: Imagn — Dale Earnhardt Jr. during the 2015 AAA Texas 500 - Source: Imagn

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recalled a 2009 incident when he threatened to hit his pit crew members with a hammer. In an interview with Bussin' With The Boys, Dale Jr. admitted feeling "so mad" for running with loose wheels at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

At the time, Earnhardt Jr. was in his second year driving for Hendrick Motorsports. He was on the hunt for his second victory for HMS following a maiden win in the No. 88 Chevrolet at Michigan International Speedway the previous season.

While airing his frustrations on the radio, the Kannapolis native threatened his crew with a hammer. He reminisced about the moment and said (via Bussin' With The Boys):

"There's what they call 'Radioactive.' Every driver has multiple YouTube clips of themselves that fans have put together of all of their worst moments."

"There's one clip on there where I'm driving around and I got a loose wheel, and I was so mad, I was like, 'Y'all, if this f***ing wheel comes off, I'm hitting every one of you in the hand with a hammer,'" he added.

The now 50-year-old driver explained that he only wanted to make sure his pit crew understood how driving with a loose wheel can be frustrating.

"I was like, 'I don't know how to make you all understand like this is not fun for me to be out here wondering if this wheel is going to come off or not,'" Dale Jr. concluded.

Expand Tweet

Below is a longer version of the radio exchange from the 2009 season.

Expand Tweet

After the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 11th behind then-teammates Jeff Gordon (second) and Jimmie Johnson (ninth). Kurt Busch, who led the majority of the race, took the checkered flag.

Earnhardt Jr. only snapped his 143-race winless drought at Michigan International Speedway in 2012.

"Blaney is spicy": Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Ryan Blaney's recent frustrating DNF at Homestead-Miami

Dale Earnhardt Jr. touched on Ryan Blaney's disappointing DNF at Homestead-Miami Speedway last Sunday. As a former NASCAR driver, Dale Jr. thought Blaney's reaction was "not uncommon", especially considering the No. 12 team brought arguably the best car.

In the latest episode of his podcast, Dale Jr. Download, the 26-time Cup race winner said:

"Ryan Blaney had the best car at many points in the race and blew up an engine, hand grenaded in a spectacular fashion...Blaney, his reaction is not uncommon not unsusal but probably more on the frustrated side of things. Blaney is... spicy," [44:45]

With a blown engine on lap 207, Ryan Blaney received his third consecutive DNF of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. He is 10th in the standings with one top-5 and two top-10 finishes.

While Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Blaney don't have a direct connection on track, the two drivers share a close relationship. Blaney revealed on the Glass Case of Emotion podcast in 2017 that he wanted to drive for Dale Jr.'s JR Motorsports team but went the Team Penske route instead.

About the author

Zarec Sanchez got into cars as a kid when the NASCAR-based movie "Cars" came out. Fast forward to today, he gets to write about the sport with Sportskeeda. He is a seasoned writer with over six years of experience in aviation and automotive journalism. After completing his associate degree in aviation, he started his career as an aviation writer before transitioning into the automotive and motorsports fields, contributing to publications such as Stars Aviation, Philkotse, Daily Tribune, and CarBuzz.

Dedicated to providing accurate and relevant content, Zarec ensures his work reflects both his character and the company's guidelines. He stays updated with the latest developments in motorsports by utilizing various resources, including fan interactions that offer unique perspectives. He also attends media events to test-drive new cars and interview industry leaders.

While he has a deep appreciation for both drivers and constructors, Zarec finds himself drawn to the strategy and history behind the constructor battles. He is excited about the future of F1, especially with the entry of brands like Ford and the shift towards an electrified era.

He believes NASCAR has the potential to expand its global reach and popularity, although he feels it should avoid becoming fully electric. When away from his keyboard, Zarec likes to watch any content related to aviation, such as flight trip reports.

Know More

Edited by Anisha Chatterjee