NASCAR Throwback: When Dale Earnhardt reacted to his son's first-ever Xfinity Series championship

In a throwback to 1998, NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time world champion himself, basked in the glory of his son's inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his own path in the world of racing, clinched the title in 1998. The NASCAR Xfinity Series then was better known as the NASCAR Busch Series. This marked a pivotal moment in the Earnhardt racing legacy.

As we turn the clock back by 25 years, this is the story of Dale Jr's first ever Xfinity Series Championship win and his father's reaction.

In an interview from the NASCAR archives shortly after Dale Jr's triumph, Dale Earnhardt was asked to reflect on this milestone. With the characteristic humility that endeared him to fans, he spoke of the profound pride he felt as a father witnessing his son's triumph. Earnhardt said:

"A proud father too, I'm telling you. You do a lot of things in your career and you're involved in racing like we've been, like with my dad. To grow up it was pretty awesome, and to go out and win races and championships."

Yet, it was the sight of his son's victory that truly struck a chord within Earnhardt. He emphasized:

"But to see your son do it, it really hits home. It really felt good to see him win races. He's able go out and do things he's wanted to."

Acknowledging the collaborative effort behind this milestone, Earnhardt commended the team led by Tony Eury and his teammates.

"I'm proud of the whole team. They've worked hard enough and I think they've helped Dale Jr. It's a great team effort," he said.

Dale Earnhardt imagines how his father would've felt after Dale Jr's Xfinity triumph

The conversation then turned to Earnhardt's own father, the legendary Ralph Earnhardt, whose absence was felt on what was an extremely momentous occasion for the Earnhardt family.

When asked how Ralph would have received the news of his grandson's triumph, Earnhardt said:

"I'm sure he (Ralph) would've been proud of him and hopefully proud of the way things have gone for him."

The seven-time Cup Series champion's sentiments resonated beyond the world of racing as he referred to parents everywhere who understand the joy of witnessing their children excel. Dale Earnhardt said:

"For all of the dads out there, it's a great day for me and I know how they feel when they see their son go out and do it for the first time, it's awesome."