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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Was Not Happy With Parents' College Suggestion

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated May 29, 2025 11:40 AM ET

Former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. opened up about his childhood in Prime Video's latest docuseries, "Earnhardt."

"Earnhardt" is all about the history of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. He raced his way to nationwide fame, winning seven Winston Cup Series championships and earning a spot in the Hall of Fame.

This docuseries premiered on Prime Video on May 22. While fans of "The Intimidator" enjoy seeing his intensity on the track, they also love learning more about his personal life.

After all, a major part of Earnhardt's story is his family. Although he had large shoes to fill, Dale Jr. lived up to expectations and earned a spot on NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers list.

Dale Jr. was always destined to become a NASCAR driver, but his parents weren't so sure of it.

During the Prime Video docuseries, Earnhardt revealed that his father suggested art school as a potential option. Unsurprisingly, he shot down that idea.

"I wanted to race cars just as badly as my dad. I used to draw race cars all the time at school in art," Earnhardt said. "I took drafting class just to draw race cars. Dad and Teresa came home one day with a giant box of all these supplies and they said, 'We thought maybe you'd want to go to art school. We were looking at this college down the road.' I was like, 'Are you out of your mind? What? Like I'm not an art student. I'm not into art.'

"I was so spun out. I was like, 'You're Dale Earnhardt, and I want to race. Help me race. What should I do in this moment to be getting closer to racing. Take all this art [expletive] out of here."

It's safe to say Dale Jr. made the right decision skipping art school.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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