On July 18, 2004, during a practice run for an American Le Mans Series race at Sonoma, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was involved in a terrifying crash. Nearly 20 years later, a resurfaced clip from his 60 Minutes interview has once again sparked conversation. In that interview, Dale Jr. spoke about the harrowing moments inside the burning car and shared an eerie belief: someone pulled him out—and he thinks it might have been his late father.The crash happened in a flash, and Dale Jr. suffered second-degree burns on his legs, neck, and chin. He was inside the car for sixteen seconds as flames shot nearly 40 feet into the air. The in-car temperature spiked from 115°F to over 750°F in just seconds before the sensors failed. While the footage clearly shows Dale Earnhardt Jr. climbing out on his own, he doesn’t believe that’s the full story. Speaking to 60 Minutes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. recalled the surreal experience."You think, I could die here. This could be how I go," he said.Despite the pain and panic, he managed to get out. But what haunted him later was the feeling that someone was with him in those critical seconds."I had my PR guy by the collar screaming at him to find the guy that pulled me out of the car," he remembered."I got to see this guy."But there was no one else. No crew, no track worker—just Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the burning wreck."That's strange because I swear somebody had me underneath my arms and was carrying me out of the car.""I mean, I swear to God." he added.When asked directly if he believed it was his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., who died in 2001 during the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn’t confirm it outright. Instead he shared that even now, just thinking about it unsettles him. The memory still sends chills down his spine. He believes his father is aware of everything he does, and holds on to the idea that people are eventually reunited with their loved ones—however that may happen.Dale Jr. opens vault of memories ahead of Becoming Earnhardt season twoOn July 14, 2025, Dale Jr. shared exclusive behind-the-scenes material for the upcoming second season of his podcast Becoming Earnhardt. The show focuses on the early years of Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s racing career. Season one, released in 2023, covered the 1979 Cup Series season in detail. Season two shifts focus to 1980—another important year in the life of elder Earnhardt.As production ramps up, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has gone back through his personal archives. Among these are race suits, gloves, and rare images from his aunt’s scrapbooks. Some of the items might even go on public display in the future, something Dale Jr. has said he’s considered for years.On social media, Dale Jr. posted a series of photos from the 1980 Mello Yello 300 at Charlotte. His thread described how David Pearson won the race after starting on pole. His father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., started second but crashed after 60 laps. Harry Gant had engine issues, and Bobby Allison, who started fourth, finished second while driving for Dale Jr.'s grandfather, Robert Gee.Dale Earnhardt Jr. also shared a rare image of Robert Gee standing next to the Camaro Allison drove that day. Another photo featured Earnhardt Sr.'s No. 2 Osterlund Ventura, the car he used to win the 1980 Cup Series championship.