"Oh man, it's a big deal": When Dale Jr. got emotional after a NASCAR announcement in the presence of wife Amy and sister Kelley Earnhardt

Four years ago, Dale Jr. learned he was being added to the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2021. The announcement was made live while he was with his wife, Amy, and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started his NASCAR career in 2000 and achieved 26 wins in the Cup Series during his 19 year-career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., in 2021. However, he was voted in during the summer of 2020, along with Red Farmer and Mike Stefanik.

During a live session, Dale shared that he felt valued to be included among great names in the sport.

"Oh man, it's a big deal..I'm just emotional because I, you know, I was so honored to be on the list of guys that were on that list. Just to be beside some of those names and being 45 years old, I knew I had a long time to be able to wait if my name was ever to be called. I could be, I was gonna be fine with being patient and having to wait," Dale Jr. said (05:29)

He also thanked the voting panel, stating that his induction is a win for everyone who has helped him throughout his career. Dale added that the recognition means a lot to him.

"It's great to have somebody pat you on the back. There are so many people in the voting panel that you have respect for...I think that they have that opinion of me means the world to me," he said (07:02).

Dale was also named NASCAR Cup's most popular driver for 15 years in a row, from 2003 until he retired in 2017.

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"People we've groomed into the sport" - Dale Jr. on recognizing his efforts beyond the Cup Series

Dale Jr. also talked about his career in the Xfinity Series and shared that his success is not just about winning races but about helping younger drivers grow in the sport.

JR Motorsports, partly-owned by Dale and his sister, runs a program with another team and Chevrolet. It helps young drivers compete in different series and offers education off the track.

"I was hoping that my body of work, the work we've done in the Xfinity Series, not only just the championships but the people we've groomed into the sport or helped create a path of their own into the sport, and there's a lot there, too," Dale Jr. said (08:01).

Dale Jr. started working as a commentator for NASCAR on NBC after retiring and mentioned that his work in broadcasting also helped NASCAR reach more fans.

The 50-year-old will move to Amazon and TNT's new NASCAR coverage in 2025.