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These days, it’s almost impossible to imagine Dale Earnhardt Jr. as anything other than a celebrity. Although he didn’t claim a Cup Series championship, the North Carolina native made quite a name for himself on the motorsports scene; in retirement, he’s still doing plenty of media work. There was a time, however, when Junior was pretty uncomfortable in the spotlight. Believe it or not, he even admitted to turning down some big-time opportunities due to stage fright.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. found fame and fortune as a NASCAR star

While there are plenty of diehard motorsports fans around the country, NASCAR hasn’t attained the same global appeal as some other sports. That reality, though, didn’t stop Dale Earnhardt Jr. from finding fame and fortune on the stock car scene.

Although he only started racing to form a relationship with his famous—and sometimes distant—father, Dale Jr. proved to have plenty of talent behind the wheel. He joined the Busch Series in 1996; two years later, he stepped up to the Cup Series circuit.

While he didn’t take things 100% seriously during the early stages of his career, Earnhardt Jr. managed to put together a solid resume. Over the years, he claimed two Busch Series titles, won 50 races across both levels of NASCAR competition, and dominated the sport from a popularity perspective.

Even if a portion of that popularity did come from his late father’s legacy, Dale Earnhardt Jr. still became one of the biggest names in the world of stock car racing. Whether you like NASCAR or not, it’s safe to assume you’ve at least heard his name before.

Passing up on some opportunities due to stage fright

NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. during the 2017 Cup Series campaign.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. during a 2017 NASCAR practice session. | Chris Trotman/Getty Images

From afar, it would be easy to assume that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has always been comfortable in the limelight; even before he became a celebrity, he was the son of a NASCAR legend. That reality, however, didn’t make him immune to stage fright.

Junior touched on that topic in an old ESPN story penned by Wright Thompson, based around the NASCAR star’s trip to New York City to appear on The Daily Show. While Earnhardt had at least partially overcome his fears, he did admit that they caused him to pass up some sweet opportunities in the past.

“I probably would have done a few more award shows,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. explained. “I got invited to attend and present at the ESPYS and the [Country Music Awards], and stuff like that. I probably would have not turned those things down. I turned them down because I get stage fright.”

These days, Dale Earnhardt Jr. seems pretty at home in the media

We’ve all heard the cliches about practice making perfect and the importance of facing your fears. Without knowing exactly what he did or did not do behind the scenes, it seems safe to assume that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has done just that.

These days, Earnhardt seems pretty comfortable in the role of a media personality. He’s the main man on the Dale Jr. Download podcast; he also works for NBC, calling some races and hosting Lost Speedways. He’s even spoken about wanting his shows to become some of the most-view programs around.

While you could argue that hosting a TV show or calling a race from the press box is quite a bit different than stepping on stage and presenting an award in front of a live studio audience, it still takes some guts to put yourself out there week in and week out. And, if we know anything about Dale Earnhardt Jr., he’s not one to back down from a challenge…except for Dancing With the Stars.

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Senior Writer, Programmer

Joe Kozlowski

Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he’s a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie.

Growing up loving Shaquille O’Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he’s continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives.

As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He’s barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe’s big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level.

Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.