Father's Day makes Michigan win special for Earnhardt Jr.
BROOKLYN, Mich. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that winning is great, but to win on Father's Day is particularly special.
Dale Earnhardt died in the 2001 Daytona 500 while his son was driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. Winning at Michigan International Speedway on Father's Day was something special for both Earnhardt Jr. and his sister and business manager, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge.
"My daddy, he meant a lot to me," Earnhardt Jr. said. "There's a lot of people that I look up to that just happen to be great fathers themselves, role models for their sons. It means a lot to me to do well on Father's Day. It's a special day for my family, special for my sister. She's very, very happy at home and in tears on the telephone, so it means a lot to her. I'm glad she's as happy as she could possibly be today under circumstances. And it makes me feel good.
"I know I can't tell my father, happy Father's Day, but I get the opportunity to wish it upon all of the other fathers out there, and I genuinely mean that when I say it, because that's what today is all about. It's for all of the fathers out there."
Earnhardt Jr. says he remembers racing his dad, particularly in the International Race of Champions Series. In 2000, Earnhardt won the race at Daytona - but only after a spirited run from his son.
"I swear, I had him," Earnhardt Jr. says. "And it burns [me] to this day that Rusty Wallace pushed him by me, because I wanted to beat my daddy so bad. And I had him, and he knew it. I'm telling you, it bothers me because I sat behind him, and he waved and waved telling me to stay there and I'm like, 'Man I've got to run my own race here, there's only 12 of us out here, can't you fend for yourself?' And I sat there like a good son until the last lap and put a good move on him, and he never gave me any credit for that because he knew I had [him].
"To me, I was more tired after that race than I had ever been in my life. ... I had to go to the infield care center get some IV after a 50-lap race in IROC because of how hard I had worked. I had worked like 10 men on that last lap. And I'm surprised that didn't get more play when people talk about me and him and our friendship, our relationship as father and son, because to me, that day ranks right up there with the Winston win. … I look back, I got that, it's in my bookmarks on YouTube so I can watch it just about any time I want."
