“Lump in my throat”: Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s Prime series leaves NASCAR insider speechless

Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s latest documentary, Earnhardt, on Prime Video has left viewers with strong emotions of sadness and nostalgia. The four-part series received a high rating from NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck, who was moved by the documentary and recommended it to his social media followers.

Earnhardt premiered on May 22, with Prime Video releasing two episodes ahead of the Coca-Cola 600, the first race covered by the streaming platform, featuring Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the booth. The remaining two episodes were released on May 29, receiving an overall rating of 8.9 on IMDb.

Dale Earnhardt's latest documentary received wide praise from the NASCAR community. The final episode, titled Dale, covered his fatal crash in the 2001 Daytona 500 and received the highest rating (9.6). Dale Jr., his sister Kelley, Michael Waltrip, and other industry figures opened up about the moments after the crash, leaving viewers with an intense feeling of grief.

NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck said he was left with goosebumps after watching the Prime documentary. He wrote on X:

"I know I’m late to the party here, but finally finished “Earnhardt” last night on Prime. I’d seen a lot of you say how good it was…and I STILL wasn’t prepared. Absolutely incredible. Goosebumps, lump in my throat…damn. Go watch it if you haven’t. Highest recommendation."

Jeff Gluck

@jeff_gluck

LINK

I know I’m late to the party here, but finally finished “Earnhardt” last night on Prime. I’d seen a lot of you say how good it was…and I STILL wasn’t prepared. Absolutely incredible. Goosebumps, lump in my throat…damn. Go watch it if you haven’t. Highest recommendation.

Multiple documentaries have covered Dale Earnhardt's storied career in depth, but the latest one also explores his personal life. Dale Jr. and Kelley provide insights into the life of 'The Intimidator.' The series is produced by Imagine Documentaries, NASCAR Studios, and Everyone Else, in association with Dale Jr.'s Dirty Mo Media.

Darrell Waltrip and Michael Waltrip also share significant screen time, narrating their relationship with the seven-time champion. The series also covers Dale Sr.'s relationship with close friend Neil Bonnett, who died in a 1994 crash at Daytona. Dale Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt's tough relationship with their dad takes center stage in the final two episodes.

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Veteran NASCAR reporter shares four reasons to watch Dale Earnhardt's documentary

Ryan McGee, senior writer for ESPN, shared the reason why Dale Earnhardt Jr. greenlit the Prime documentary, despite many documentaries covering his career in detail. McGee was involved in the films released by CMT Films (Dale, 2007) and ESPN (3: The Dale Earnhardt Story, 2004).

Responding to critics, McGee wrote that this was the first project Dale Jr. was directly involved in. He said it is an effort to continue the legacy of 'The Intimidator' and to make sure the story is told in the right manner. McGee wrote on X:

1. Actually, a lot of people care.
2. It's the first doc Jr's been involved in.
3. I worked on the other 2 big ones, CMT & ESPN, and he only did interviews and did them for free.
4. It's about making sure his Dad's story stays alive and is told right.
5. Kick rocks.

In an appearance on USA Today Sports, Dale Jr. said he wishes to introduce the new generation to his dad's legacy. He hopes to show why the community reveres his dad and has a broad reach.