I wish Michael Schumacher would come try NASCAR. That'd be cool. With everything he's done and how professional he's remained through it all, I think he's an awesome role model as far as work ethic and tenacity. He just seems like he knows how to get it done.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Categorized in : Thinking Role Models Work Ethic

The winner ain't the one with the fastest car. It's the one who refuses to lose.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

motor-racing motivational sports

Winning isn't everything to me, but it's a close second. Losing isn't something that I can just brush off and fake a smile to hide my frustration. It's that will and determination that I hope will get me where I want to go.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

frustration determination winning

The only way to be productive is to be positive.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

being-positive productive way

If my wheel comes off and I hit the fence real hard, I get to whack every damn one of you with a hammer.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

hammers wheels real

I've already done enough to have earned 'good driver,' so if I can be known as a great person and a good driver, that's better than only being a great driver.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

great-person done enough

I'm just trying not to get run over. That's number one. Number two is you gotta catch the guy in front of ya.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

running numbers two

That's life. You've got to deal with it, good and bad. We'll be all right. I mean, if we make the chase, we make it. If we don't, we don't.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

deals good-and-bad mean

Tried on daddy's 1979 rookie firesuit a while back. Smelled every bit of 36 years old.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

rookies daddy years

I mean, I've always felt like a lot of people's misconceptions of me have to do with how I grew up. I grew up poor, and I grew up rich. I think some people who have never met me have a misconception that when I was living with my father when he was successful, that I was somehow adversely affected by his success or the money he had and was making at the time.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

successful mean father

My father could look straight ahead but concentrate on something on the very edge of his vision, almost nearly behind him.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

vision father looks

There's some sorta big bar-be-que goin' on here in turn three. There's smoke all over the track! Some fan's got a big one goin' on.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

track fans three

I don't mind at all being approached when I'm 10 or more feet away from the car. If I'm anywhere away from the car, I'm fine. That's completely expected. But when I'm next to the car or within 10 feet of it, I'm thinking about that or working in that direction. And that's just something I'd rather be able to work on than be interrupted, really, by anybody.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

car feet thinking

I always have fun. I don't really go without fun too long.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

having-fun fun long

I felt like the track came to us, but then it went beyond us.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

track felt

In what other sport do you get a 15-second break every hour?

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

hours racing sports

The whole cap came off.. must've been a recap.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

caps whole

You would not believe how loose this car is for two laps after the green. Then, just like that, it's back to how it was before. But, those first few laps, damn, it's loose! JUNIOR NO LIKEY!

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

car two believe

Everything we do needs to be geared toward making the sport [auto racing] more accessible to the fans - the rules of the sport, how the race plays itself out, how people qualify into the races - everything needs to be as easy to understand as possible.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

race play sports

The car drives really really good so far. No changes on the next pit stop. It's great, I can hold it down right along the bottom here in the corners I'm just ridin' around out here just waiting until later to make a move

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

car waiting moving

I don't think I can adequately express my feelings about the car on national radio, but hopefully we'll get better and I'll be happier later on.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

car feelings thinking