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Interview With Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Aired July 04, 2003 - 14:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Number eight has his first Busch pole of the season in tonight's Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona, and I don't even want to tell you how long it took one of our writers to learn enough NASCAR to write that sentence. It means Dale Earnhardt, Jr., is sitting pretty in a big race. Jim Guthrie (ph), we're so proud of you.
And for Dale Earnhardt, Jr., sitting pretty is not an unfamiliar position, pole not withstanding. He is a son of a legend and a force of his own right now. He's live from Daytona Beach to talk all about it. Dale, good to see you.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NASCAR DRIVER: Yes, ma'am.

PHILLIPS: You don't have to ma'am, me, but I'm highly flattered. I'm not that old, Dale, cut me some slack.

EARNHARDT: All right.

PHILLIPS: Hey, listen, I have to ask you about this. I was reading that you visited some of the guys that served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Will you tell us about that? I find that really interesting.

EARNHARDT: Yes, actually, we were invited to -- a couple drivers were invited to the military hospital in Washington, and it was, you know, it was an honor for me, I mean, and you don't really know exactly, you know, what to expect. So, you know, it was great to meet some of those guys, and they were, you know, really open to telling us all the stories and how they might be race fans and how we were trying to make some of them race fans, but we had a good time and spent all day there. When our time was up, didn't want to leave, wanted to hang out some more, wanted to come back. But made some really good friends and look forward to visiting the hospital again. You know, it's just great to be able to go in there and meet some of those guys and try to give them something to enjoy for a few hours, and we sure, you know, enjoyed being there. It was just amazing.

PHILLIPS: Well, I have to tell you something. When I was reading about this, I thought to myself, OK, I have to tell Dale this when I interview him. I was over there covering the war -- I was in Bahrain getting on a ship to head out to another ship, and I'm not kidding you, some of the soldiers that had a day off -- I turned around, and one of them is wearing an Earnhardt jacket, you know, your father's Goodyear jacket. It was amazing, and everybody just sort of turned around and went, OK, here we are in the Middle East, and he's wearing a NASCAR jacket. So, I wanted to tell you that. I mean, it's really had a big effect, even all the way overseas, NASCAR.

EARNHARDT: Yes, we have a lot of the military. I mean, NASCAR has always been pretty adamant about their support for the military, and they've always shown support through publications what not, network, and so, we have a lot of fans. I mean, we reach a lot of fans, and I think the military appreciates that and what we do for them, and we appreciate what they do for us. I mean, it's just our way of showing them that we want to thank them in some way or somehow. We have a lot of friends, and we get a lot of letters, and they always come up with some ingenious way to show their support for us, and it's pretty interesting.

PHILLIPS: Well, Dale, here you are at Daytona, you know, just around corner, and we can't help but think about your father. I was working that day, I remember. And I interviewed so many people that remember your father and love him so much. Is it hard for you to return to that track and race?

EARNHARDT: No, it's real easy, actually. You know, you would -- if you only knew, I guess, what it feels like to lose my father here, this of course, this would be the place that I would want to come and visit often, you know, for the rest of my life, whether I race here again or not. So, I look forward to coming back to Daytona every trip we make here, and I enjoy my time being here. I feel more comfortable at this race track than I do anywhere else, just, you know, generally speaking. So, yes, I enjoy it a lot.

PHILLIPS: When do you feel your dad the most, Dale?

EARNHARDT: Do what?

PHILLIPS: When do you feel your dad the most?

EARNHARDT: I think every time I climb into a race car, every time -- I don't know, every time I get up in the morning. Everything. I mean, it's just -- it's something that's always a part of you. I think a little bit of you that starts to overcome missing him. You start to -- I think you start to fill the void of missing him with good thoughts and stuff. So, every day is a little better, little easier.

And, you know, I've talked to a lot of people, of course, when that happened. I talked to a lot of people who came up to me talking about how they had lost a family member and how it was going to be and what to expect, and just having something in common or something relative in our lives was a big help.

So, you know, the thing about it is although, yes, he was a big, you know, he had a lot of fans and had a huge effect on the sport and a lot of people, you know, it just comes down to just a, you know, a son losing his father, and a lot of people deal with that, and I've got a lot of people to talk to about it.

PHILLIPS: Well, there's lot of people that like talking to you, specifically. We got a number of e-mails. I'm going to share some of these with you. Maybe you can answer these. Marc sent an e-mail and he said, "Dale, I'm curious how someone with little or no family history in the sport can still get the training and experience necessary to become a team driver." What would be your advice to Marc, Dale?

EARNHARDT: Well, there's -- of course, there are schools that are not just for the casual fan who wants to know what it is like to drive a race car. There's schools that are legitimately out there to train people to drive cars and do a well job at it. There's also technical colleges you can go to within -- mostly within the southeast, from what I know that they can teach you a lot about the mechanics of the sport, which is very important if you are going to become a crewman or a driver.

And so, there's new outlets of things that weren't there, weren't in place five years ago, that are ways to get into NASCAR, whether it be a crewman or race car driver. The hardest way, but the sure fire way, is to scrape up what money you have and go with your local track with whatever you can afford to buy as a car and drive and learn yourself. I mean, that's really -- there's new outlets now that make it a little more feasible.

PHILLIPS: What about you? Will you give private lessons?

EARNHARDT: Yes, sometimes.

PHILLIPS: Does it depend on who's asking?

EARNHARDT: Yes, I don't know, you know. It's just like -- yes, I wish I could hold a day one at any race track, any race track, with a two seater race car and just give people rides because that's like -- that's the funnest thing is to give somebody a ride in a car that has never been on a race track, doesn't know anything about it. You would be surprised by some of the reactions you get from people.

PHILLIPS: I could just imagine, especially with you driving. Hey, back in 2002, you got a concussion at Fontana, but you didn't admit to it until about five months later in around September. Why was that?

EARNHARDT: There were reasons. At first, I was really scared that it was something that I was going to be affected by for a very long period of time, if not for the rest of my career or life. So, I was very nervous and trying to make a lot of decisions within myself on what to do about it, and over time, I talked to several drivers, and they had told me different ways, different things that happened it them and how it affected them and what to expect. So as time went on, it started to release itself from me or however you want to put it. It started to go away and, you know, no longer affected me on the race track.

But, you know, it was a scary deal having to go through something like that when you can't, you know, when everything is not quite as sharp. You can't really make decisions and everything like you want to. But you take things like that for granted, I guess, until you don't have them or they're not as good. But, you know, it was something that I didn't feel like, you know, I felt like -- and this may sound kind of a little bit boastful, but I felt like if I was 80 percent of the driver, I was still better than half of the field because, you know, that's just how race car drivers are. Their confidence level is so high. I mean confidence is the time on the race track. It's the speed on the race track. So, we're all very stuck on ourselves when we're out on the race track.

So, you know, I felt like even if I was hurt, I was still better than some of those guys out there. So, I didn't feel like I was at a hamper to anybody or, you know, putting anybody in danger.

PHILLIPS: Well, speaking of confidence, how's the love life?

EARNHARDT: It could be a lot better, I'll you that.

PHILLIPS: So you're looking?

EARNHARDT: Yes, oh, yes. Well, yes. I'm single. Single has been -- single is good sometimes, but relationships, of course, being married and having a family -- that's something you look forward to. You know, I mean, what me and my father went through and how we enjoyed racing together toward the end of, you know, up until he passed away, you know, it was something that inspired me, in a way, to have a son myself. So, I look forward to doing that one day, and I just got to find a right girl.

PHILLIPS: All right, we have a suggestion. Kay Jones -- I don't know if you have talked to her or not. She's our booker. Here's a shot of her right now in the control room. Cute little blonde. Give it away there, Kay. She's got the hots for you, Little E.

EARNHARDT: Oh, yes?

PHILLIPS: Yes. I don't know if you can see her. Can you see her there?

EARNHARDT: No, I can't see her.

PHILLIPS: Oh, well, take my word for it, she's a cutie pie. She loves NASCAR. And, you know, I have been to those races. I've seen those little hotties that are around, you know, checking you out, Dale, and you know, Kay's smart, she's successful, and she makes a lot of money. So, you could have a sugar mama.

EARNHARDT: That would be great!

PHILLIPS: Does that sound good?

EARNHARDT: Yes, it sounds good.

PHILLIPS: Outstanding. Hey, do us a favor. Would you come and change Kay's oil and mine?

EARNHARDT: Sure, no problem.

PHILLIPS: Right on. We are going to hold you to it. I have a souped up Pinto. We can go cruising, OK?

EARNHARDT: All right. No problem. Sounds great.

PHILLIPS: Good luck this weekend, Dale.

EARNHARDT: All right. Happy Fourth of July, guy.

PHILLIPS: Hey, happy Fourth to you, too.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired July 4, 2003 - 14:49   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Number eight has his first Busch pole of the season in tonight's Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona, and I don't even want to tell you how long it took one of our writers to learn enough NASCAR to write that sentence. It means Dale Earnhardt, Jr., is sitting pretty in a big race. Jim Guthrie (ph), we're so proud of you.
And for Dale Earnhardt, Jr., sitting pretty is not an unfamiliar position, pole not withstanding. He is a son of a legend and a force of his own right now. He's live from Daytona Beach to talk all about it. Dale, good to see you.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NASCAR DRIVER: Yes, ma'am.

PHILLIPS: You don't have to ma'am, me, but I'm highly flattered. I'm not that old, Dale, cut me some slack.

EARNHARDT: All right.

PHILLIPS: Hey, listen, I have to ask you about this. I was reading that you visited some of the guys that served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Will you tell us about that? I find that really interesting.

EARNHARDT: Yes, actually, we were invited to -- a couple drivers were invited to the military hospital in Washington, and it was, you know, it was an honor for me, I mean, and you don't really know exactly, you know, what to expect. So, you know, it was great to meet some of those guys, and they were, you know, really open to telling us all the stories and how they might be race fans and how we were trying to make some of them race fans, but we had a good time and spent all day there. When our time was up, didn't want to leave, wanted to hang out some more, wanted to come back. But made some really good friends and look forward to visiting the hospital again. You know, it's just great to be able to go in there and meet some of those guys and try to give them something to enjoy for a few hours, and we sure, you know, enjoyed being there. It was just amazing.

PHILLIPS: Well, I have to tell you something. When I was reading about this, I thought to myself, OK, I have to tell Dale this when I interview him. I was over there covering the war -- I was in Bahrain getting on a ship to head out to another ship, and I'm not kidding you, some of the soldiers that had a day off -- I turned around, and one of them is wearing an Earnhardt jacket, you know, your father's Goodyear jacket. It was amazing, and everybody just sort of turned around and went, OK, here we are in the Middle East, and he's wearing a NASCAR jacket. So, I wanted to tell you that. I mean, it's really had a big effect, even all the way overseas, NASCAR.

EARNHARDT: Yes, we have a lot of the military. I mean, NASCAR has always been pretty adamant about their support for the military, and they've always shown support through publications what not, network, and so, we have a lot of fans. I mean, we reach a lot of fans, and I think the military appreciates that and what we do for them, and we appreciate what they do for us. I mean, it's just our way of showing them that we want to thank them in some way or somehow. We have a lot of friends, and we get a lot of letters, and they always come up with some ingenious way to show their support for us, and it's pretty interesting.

PHILLIPS: Well, Dale, here you are at Daytona, you know, just around corner, and we can't help but think about your father. I was working that day, I remember. And I interviewed so many people that remember your father and love him so much. Is it hard for you to return to that track and race?

EARNHARDT: No, it's real easy, actually. You know, you would -- if you only knew, I guess, what it feels like to lose my father here, this of course, this would be the place that I would want to come and visit often, you know, for the rest of my life, whether I race here again or not. So, I look forward to coming back to Daytona every trip we make here, and I enjoy my time being here. I feel more comfortable at this race track than I do anywhere else, just, you know, generally speaking. So, yes, I enjoy it a lot.

PHILLIPS: When do you feel your dad the most, Dale?

EARNHARDT: Do what?

PHILLIPS: When do you feel your dad the most?

EARNHARDT: I think every time I climb into a race car, every time -- I don't know, every time I get up in the morning. Everything. I mean, it's just -- it's something that's always a part of you. I think a little bit of you that starts to overcome missing him. You start to -- I think you start to fill the void of missing him with good thoughts and stuff. So, every day is a little better, little easier.

And, you know, I've talked to a lot of people, of course, when that happened. I talked to a lot of people who came up to me talking about how they had lost a family member and how it was going to be and what to expect, and just having something in common or something relative in our lives was a big help.

So, you know, the thing about it is although, yes, he was a big, you know, he had a lot of fans and had a huge effect on the sport and a lot of people, you know, it just comes down to just a, you know, a son losing his father, and a lot of people deal with that, and I've got a lot of people to talk to about it.

PHILLIPS: Well, there's lot of people that like talking to you, specifically. We got a number of e-mails. I'm going to share some of these with you. Maybe you can answer these. Marc sent an e-mail and he said, "Dale, I'm curious how someone with little or no family history in the sport can still get the training and experience necessary to become a team driver." What would be your advice to Marc, Dale?

EARNHARDT: Well, there's -- of course, there are schools that are not just for the casual fan who wants to know what it is like to drive a race car. There's schools that are legitimately out there to train people to drive cars and do a well job at it. There's also technical colleges you can go to within -- mostly within the southeast, from what I know that they can teach you a lot about the mechanics of the sport, which is very important if you are going to become a crewman or a driver.

And so, there's new outlets of things that weren't there, weren't in place five years ago, that are ways to get into NASCAR, whether it be a crewman or race car driver. The hardest way, but the sure fire way, is to scrape up what money you have and go with your local track with whatever you can afford to buy as a car and drive and learn yourself. I mean, that's really -- there's new outlets now that make it a little more feasible.

PHILLIPS: What about you? Will you give private lessons?

EARNHARDT: Yes, sometimes.

PHILLIPS: Does it depend on who's asking?

EARNHARDT: Yes, I don't know, you know. It's just like -- yes, I wish I could hold a day one at any race track, any race track, with a two seater race car and just give people rides because that's like -- that's the funnest thing is to give somebody a ride in a car that has never been on a race track, doesn't know anything about it. You would be surprised by some of the reactions you get from people.

PHILLIPS: I could just imagine, especially with you driving. Hey, back in 2002, you got a concussion at Fontana, but you didn't admit to it until about five months later in around September. Why was that?

EARNHARDT: There were reasons. At first, I was really scared that it was something that I was going to be affected by for a very long period of time, if not for the rest of my career or life. So, I was very nervous and trying to make a lot of decisions within myself on what to do about it, and over time, I talked to several drivers, and they had told me different ways, different things that happened it them and how it affected them and what to expect. So as time went on, it started to release itself from me or however you want to put it. It started to go away and, you know, no longer affected me on the race track.

But, you know, it was a scary deal having to go through something like that when you can't, you know, when everything is not quite as sharp. You can't really make decisions and everything like you want to. But you take things like that for granted, I guess, until you don't have them or they're not as good. But, you know, it was something that I didn't feel like, you know, I felt like -- and this may sound kind of a little bit boastful, but I felt like if I was 80 percent of the driver, I was still better than half of the field because, you know, that's just how race car drivers are. Their confidence level is so high. I mean confidence is the time on the race track. It's the speed on the race track. So, we're all very stuck on ourselves when we're out on the race track.

So, you know, I felt like even if I was hurt, I was still better than some of those guys out there. So, I didn't feel like I was at a hamper to anybody or, you know, putting anybody in danger.

PHILLIPS: Well, speaking of confidence, how's the love life?

EARNHARDT: It could be a lot better, I'll you that.

PHILLIPS: So you're looking?

EARNHARDT: Yes, oh, yes. Well, yes. I'm single. Single has been -- single is good sometimes, but relationships, of course, being married and having a family -- that's something you look forward to. You know, I mean, what me and my father went through and how we enjoyed racing together toward the end of, you know, up until he passed away, you know, it was something that inspired me, in a way, to have a son myself. So, I look forward to doing that one day, and I just got to find a right girl.

PHILLIPS: All right, we have a suggestion. Kay Jones -- I don't know if you have talked to her or not. She's our booker. Here's a shot of her right now in the control room. Cute little blonde. Give it away there, Kay. She's got the hots for you, Little E.

EARNHARDT: Oh, yes?

PHILLIPS: Yes. I don't know if you can see her. Can you see her there?

EARNHARDT: No, I can't see her.

PHILLIPS: Oh, well, take my word for it, she's a cutie pie. She loves NASCAR. And, you know, I have been to those races. I've seen those little hotties that are around, you know, checking you out, Dale, and you know, Kay's smart, she's successful, and she makes a lot of money. So, you could have a sugar mama.

EARNHARDT: That would be great!

PHILLIPS: Does that sound good?

EARNHARDT: Yes, it sounds good.

PHILLIPS: Outstanding. Hey, do us a favor. Would you come and change Kay's oil and mine?

EARNHARDT: Sure, no problem.

PHILLIPS: Right on. We are going to hold you to it. I have a souped up Pinto. We can go cruising, OK?

EARNHARDT: All right. No problem. Sounds great.

PHILLIPS: Good luck this weekend, Dale.

EARNHARDT: All right. Happy Fourth of July, guy.

PHILLIPS: Hey, happy Fourth to you, too.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com