Dale Earnhardt Fanboy Daniel Ricciardo Once Lived His Childhood Dream by Making a Cheeky NASCAR Swap
Daniel Ricciardo’s love for America and American sports is no secret. The Honey Badger is a huge NFL and NASCAR fan. Specifically, he is a big fan of Dale Earnhardt Sr. The Australian F1 driver watched Earnhardt Sr. race as a child and became an instant admirer. Imagine his reaction when he met NASCAR driver and Earnhardt’s son, Dale Jr.
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When Ricciardo joined McLaren from Renault, CEO Zak Brown presented him with a miniature Earnhardt Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Zak also promised to let Daniel take his current Chevy out for a ride when he won his first race with the team. When Ricciardo won the race in Italy, he drank the winning champagne from his shoe with Zak and took his Chevy out for a jaunt around the COTA.
Formula One F1 – United States Grand Prix – Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, U.S. – October 23, 2021 McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo drives Dale Earnhardt Sr’s 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR around the circuit REUTERS/Mike Blake
In 2017, Ricciardo was a guest of Chase Elliot when he went to watch a NASCAR race. Daniel wore a vintage Dale Earnhardt Sr. “The Black Knight” t-shirt. Speaking before the race with NBCSN F1 pit reporter Will Buxton, Ricciardo said: “The Earnhardt family are huge names in motorsport, not just in America but around the world. Yes, I wish him good luck. I hope I see him play well in Texas. I’ll try to do a headphone swap with him. We’ll see how we go. Later, Ricciardo traded helmets with Earnhardt Jr.
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Such was the influence of the NASCAR great on the Aussie that he tried to incorporate its aggressive racing style into his own.
Daniel Ricciardo was willing to risk everything to excel
How much of a Dale Earnhardt fan is Daniel Ricciardo? He adopted his racing number No. 3 as his own and raced with it in Formula 1. However, that was not all. The Honey Badger made some changes to his riding style and attributed them to Earnhardt’s.
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Formula One F1 – United States Grand Prix – Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, U.S. – October 23, 2021 McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo drives Dale Earnhardt Sr’s 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR around the circuit REUTERS/Brian Snyder
Speaking in 2021 to Ben Winstanley, Daniel said: “I got to a point where I didn’t really want to be the nice guy who’s just there to show up. I started, say, putting my balls on the line and actually, you know, doing some moves.
“One time I was able to show that I could still be that fun guy, but when the helmet comes off I’ll do whatever it takes,” Ricciardo said of his fierce attitude. “That’s when I felt I had earned the respect of the paddock. Yes, you see me smiling, but this shit means a lot to me.
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Watch this story: Daniel Ricciardo ready to drive NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt’s 1984 Chevrolet in Texas
Ricciardo will stay out of regular F1 action for a year. However, he vowed to come back in 2024, faster, better and stronger. This is exactly what his fans will want to see.