By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: IMDB/Prime Video
Earnhardt is the newest four-part documentary series on Amazon Prime Video. It explores the legendary racing career and complex family dynamics of NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt.
The first episode of the documentary series, Ironhead, is the episode’s title, and it details his upbringing and the early beginnings of his racing career.
Dale and his father shared a similar passion for racing, but Dale’s father, Ralph, wasn’t an affectionate, loving father. He didn’t express emotion.
Ralph didn’t want his son to pursue a career in racing. However, this didn’t stop Dale from achieving and reaching his goals, and he had to do it without the help of his father. Dale secretly drove his father’s car when he was 12. Driving was meant for Dale, and it runs in the Earnhardt DNA.
Dale always tried to look for his father’s approval. It wouldn’t be a shock if that affected him psychologically to a certain extent as he got older. Only God knows.
Maybe Dale felt satisfied that he finally proved his father wrong, or Ralph was proud of him without him saying it.
Ralph won over 50 races in the Grand National (now the Winston Cup). Unfortunately, he passed away in 1973 after a heart attack. Ralph was just 45 years old.
Dale Earnhardt Jr and his sister, Kelley, had to rely on and support each other because life changed for them when Dale Sr got remarried. Their stepmother, Teresa, was very strict with them.
Junior and Kelley’s mother had moved to a different state, which put the kids in a tough position because they missed their mom.
Dale Jr. said that when he was a kid, he loved watching wrestling, but his stepmother made him stop because it would make him extremely hyper.
One of the interesting parts of the first episode is the rivalry between Dale and Michael Waltrip. This rivalry was great during the 1980s. Both drivers were great during their peak careers. Dale hated losing to Michael, and Michael hated losing to Dale. But there was mutual respect for talent.
Their rivalry was intense, which involved some bumps and crashes. Competing against Dale was no joke. You had to go through him to finish and win the race.
Review for episode one: 4.5 out of 5
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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