By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: IMDB/Prime Video
The second episode of the Earnhardt documentary series, One Tough Customer, is probably the best.
Here are some of the takeaways from the episode:
Dale Earnhardt Sr Finally Wins Daytona 500
Dale Sr. has won seven championships. However, he could not accept the fact that he couldn’t win the Daytona 500. He hated that people would use that against him and question his greatness if he didn’t win the Daytona 500.
All the doubts, criticism, and curses ended in 1998. Dale Sr. finally got the monkey off his back and won the Daytona 500 on his 20th attempt. It is one of the greatest and most memorable moments in NASCAR history.
The part that people won’t forget and that gives you chills is when all the teams on the pit road shook Dale Sr’s hand to congratulate him. Kyle Petty said it best during the documentary: People were happy for Dale Sr, the person, not the driver.
The 1998 Daytona 500 is a great story. At one point, Dale Sr. wasn’t so liked by racing fans, but he gained the ultimate love and respect of the world when he won the competition.
The Rise of Jeff Gordon
Gordon is one of the greatest of all time in NASCAR. When you think about the Mount Rushmore of NASCAR, you must put Gordon up there alongside Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Jimmie Johnson.
Gordon emerged in 1992, but he went on an insane run from 1995 through 1998. Gordon gave Dale Sr a lot of problems on the racetrack and constantly beat him in races. Gordon was younger and a slightly better driver than Dale at that point.
Dale Sr didn’t like that a young hotshot, whom Dale called “Wonder Boy,” was taking the shine away from him. It made Dale Sr question whether he can still perform at an elite level.
Dale Sr. didn’t show weakness to his competitors. He was going to battle no matter who was there or how badly he had sustained his injuries.
From a Race Driver to Business Man
One of the best aspects of the episodes is seeing Dale Sr. become more of a businessman. He sold a lot of merchandise and opened opportunities for upcoming drivers.
Starting a business is hard, but it’s also exciting. Dale Sr’s decision to start a new business venture was one of the best decisions he made in his career. His brand grew, and he wanted to control his name and image. He paved the way for other drivers to think the same way about their careers.
The Tenacity of Dale Earnhardt Jr and Family Complications
Dale Jr had a hunger to become a race driver. All he wanted was to invest in driving cars and to make his father proud.
It didn’t come easy for Dale Jr. because he didn’t have unconditional love from Dale Sr. It was the same with Kelley Earnhardt. The kids felt that Dale Sr. didn’t do enough for him and showed that he cared enough for them.
Dale Jr realized that his father was proud primarily and supportive of him when Dale Jr would win races. What’s interesting is that Dale Sr wanted to please his dad, Ralph, and here is Dale Jr wanting the same thing from Dale Sr. That’s unbelievable how this generation cycle connects and continues between the Earnhardts.
Although Dale Jr struggled when he started racing, especially in the truck series and his first Daytona race, he had a sensational rookie season overall.
Dale Jr. also made the All-Star race team and won the competition in 2000. The script was beautifully written. The third episode’s last five or ten minutes are quite emotional, but not from a sad standpoint. It’s about the beautiful bond between father and son.
Dale Sr was about to send Dale Jr. to an art school, and here they are, embracing great moments together in victory lane. It’s a good thing Dale Sr listened and took a chance on his son.
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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