“Second place is just the first place loser”: Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s 5 best quotes ranked 

Known as "The Intimidator," Dale Earnhardt Sr. is a NASCAR legend and is widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen. Throughout a career spanning over three decades, he secured 76 wins and seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, tying the record set by Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson.

Earnhardt Sr. is often remembered for his aggressive driving style and fearlessness on the track, which garnered praise from fans while stirring controversy from his critics. Over the years the North Carolina native also developed a reputation for his quick wit and wisdom that fans still remember. Here are his five best quotes ranked:

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The five best quotes by Dale Earnhardt Sr.

#5. "I've got to win every race"

Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s quotes showcase his incredibly focused and driven mentality. He never let the fans feel like he was racing to compete - but to win. For him, every race was an opportunity to prove himself and strive for the win, no matter the challenge that NASCAR racing will put upon him. He said in a special to ESPN in 1999:

"I've got to win every race."

Though he might not have achieved it the mentality always was to attempt it.

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#4. "You win some, you lose some, you wreck some"

The legendary no. 3 driver was known for his wit. He played on the original, "You win some, you lose some," a quote popularized by gamblers who used to bet on sports in the early 1900s.

"You win some, you lose some, you wreck some," Dale Earnhardt Sr. came up with.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. alluded to the fact that in preparation to be elite, a driver has to know that there are races where they might have bad luck or drive recklessly which can result in a crash, but that too is part of the learning process it takes to conquer the echelon of NASCAR.

However, this quote is a sobering reminder of the crash that killed the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series winner (then known as the Winston Cup Series) at Daytona 500 in 2001.

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#3. "I didn't mean to turn him around, I meant to rattle his cage though"

In the 1999 season, at the Night Race at Bristol, the Intimidator gave one of his most famous quotes in the post-race interview. In one of the most memorable finishes in NASCAR history, the #3 driver turned into the advancing Terry Labonte and ended up wrecking the two-time NASCAR Cup series champion.

"I didn't mean to turn him around, I meant to rattle his cage though," Dale Earnhardt Sr. said.

Kyle Busch, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion also used the quote after his violent altercation with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at North Wilkesboro Speedway in the 2024 All-Star Race, thus cementing this quote as a NASCAR favorite:

"I wasn't too pleased about that and did come back and retaliated. As one guy once said, 'I meant to rattle his cage and spin him out,' didn't mean for him to overcorrect and stuff it in the fence."

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#2. "Second place is the first place loser"

The phrase is often attributed to Dale Earnhardt Sr. However a popular belief among motorsports fans is that it was originally stated by Enzo Ferrari, the Italian driver and founder of the Ferrari automobile.

Despite murky origins, it was Earnhardt Sr. who popularized it. It gives us an insight into The Intimidator's fierce determination to never settle for anything less than the first place. It is not just a motorsports quote because it rings true in other sports as well just like, "Nobody remembers the second place team."

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#1. "Finishing races is important but racing is more important"

This was a reflection of Earnhardt Sr.'s deep passion for the sport of racing itself, where he felt that the process of racing—competing, pushing limits, and being in the moment—was much more important than crossing the finish line.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. was saying that racing is all about the journey, the strategy, and the effort involved in every lap. While finishing a race and winning is key to success, the act of racing, being part of the action, and the challenges faced along the way were paramount to him.