'The human side of Dad': Dale Jr. on what new 'Earnhardt' documentary reveals

Scott Fowler, The Charlotte Observer on May 16, 2025

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Intimidator. The Man in Black. Ironhead. One Tough Customer.

Dale Earnhardt was called all of those — he was such a legendary NASCAR figure that just one nickname wasn’t enough. Considered by many to be the best driver in the sport’s history, Earnhardt died in a last-lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500 and has since attained almost mythical status among race fans.

But the new four-part Amazon Prime documentary that premieres May 22 won’t just concentrate on the seven NASCAR Cup championships and Earnhardt’s aggressive on-track persona, according to two of his children. Instead, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. said in a Zoom interview with reporters Wednesday, it will also include a heavy focus on Earnhardt’s personal relationships.

“It shows you the human side of Dad,” Earnhardt Jr. said of the documentary. “It celebrates the man on the race track, for sure. But it also celebrates the person he was, for better or worse. And there’s some tough moments in there. Some honest moments in there.”

Said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Earnhardt’s daughter, during the interview: “This is a human interest story. … The good and the bad, right? Life is full of that.”

Added Dale Earnhardt Jr. about his father: “To a lot of people, he was like Elvis. … Or a John Wayne figure. … They thought that he was indestructible and bulletproof and and couldn’t do any wrong. … And so they worshiped him. I think that was the challenge for me and Kelley. We knew him as a real person that was a good dad. And a tough dad. And a not-so-good dad sometimes, with all of these human imperfections.”

Earnhardt had four children and was married three times, having at least one child with each of his wives. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller have had prominent careers inside the world of racing as well and are known for their authenticity. Both are interviewed extensively in the documentary. Said Earnhardt Miller: “People have always said: ‘You guys are just like normal folks.’ And we are normal folks, and this documentary just showcases that. … At the end of the day, we’re all very similar in the way that we come through the world. Some people’s stories are just out there more so than others.”

After the first two episodes debut May 22 on Amazon Prime, the final two will drop May 29. In between all that, Amazon will stream the Coca-Cola 600 live from Charlotte Motor Speedway, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. as one of the primary broadcasters.

The timing of the documentary and the way it is sandwiched around the broadcast isn’t an accident. The idea, Earnhardt Miller said, is for NASCAR fans to get a sense immediately through the first two episodes of the documentary that Amazon’s groundbreaking five-race package of Cup Series races that begins with the Coke 600 is not a passing fling for the streaming giant.

Said Earnhardt Miller: “I think for Amazon that this (documentary) is an avenue for them to show our NASCAR fans how dedicated and serious they are about the NASCAR product that’s coming out, and the races that they’re going to be doing. And so I think the timing for all of that was super important and very relevant. They’ve got to gain that trust quick.”

This isn’t the first major documentary to delve deeply into Earnhardt’s life. The documentary “Dale” debuted in 2007, and Earnhardt Jr. said he has always believed that film was an excellent homage, particularly to his father’s racing career. But, he said, there is plenty of room for another documentary 18 years later, as Earnhardt’s death recedes in the memories of some younger fans and drivers.

Said Earnhardt Jr: “We are so far down the line from his passing and his impact on the sport … that a large portion of our fan base in NASCAR has never seen him race. And I see a lot of (new NASCAR fans ask): ‘Why is this person so respected and appreciated? Why was he so loved? I don’t understand. Help me understand.’ And so I feel like it was a great opportunity to introduce him to people that maybe don’t know him that well, or don’t know much about his career. There’s even drivers in the field on Sundays that don’t know, really, what this person was all about. … I think my dad was the most amazing person I ever met and that I’ve ever known. I just have so much respect and love for him, and I miss him terribly.”