Humble beginnings. Even a driver as legendary as Dale Earnhardt learned the tricks of his trade on dusty old dirt tracks. His father, Ralph Earnhardt, was a stock car racer, and ‘the Intimidator’, back in the good ol’ days, spent plenty of time in the family garage, tweaking his vehicles and prepping for short tracks. And it’s that exposure and the early struggle that shaped the seven-time Cup Series winner into the champion we know and love today.

His background not only helped Dale Earnhardt get his big NASCAR break, but it also earned him a deep respect among grassroots competitors. Fast forward to today, and Earnhardt’s learning isn’t lost on the NASCAR community. In recent light, one Insider couldn’t help but pass on the deep respect the Intimidator had for grassroots racers.

Kenny Wallace gets real on dirt racers via Dale Earnhardt’s lesson

Speaking on the Herm & Schrader podcast, Kenny Wallace didn’t hesitate to drop what Dale Earnhardt once told him. He said, “We all spent time with Dale Earnhardt Senior, and I’m going to tell you what Senior said. ‘Herman, just because you’re a NASCAR driver does not mean you’re any better than anybody. There are thousands of great race car drivers.’ So, when Kenny Schrader went to Springfield, there were some guys that could beat Cup if, you know, they wanted to.”

Moreover, the ‘Intimidator’ learned the tricks of his trade in grassroots competitions. He started out on dirt tracks across North Carolina in a 1956 Ford, working as a welder and mechanic to fund his early career. Dale Earnhardt’s journey through the local racing scene gave him a deep respect for the struggles and talents of small-track drivers, a perspective he carried into NASCAR. He very often championed the underdog in the beginning and recognized the importance of nurturing racing talent from the ground up.

This is just one of the lessons Wallace has taken back from Earnhardt. Earlier in the year, he recalled another belief that Earnhardt believed and shared, saying, “Just because you didn’t make it to NASCAR, doesn’t mean you’re lesser, you guys are incredible. I raced 70 to 80 races in a year, and I get my a** waxed on a daily basis. And every time I pull into that suit and I run a guy, I’m like, that’s the guy, that’s the gal that Dale Sr was talking about.”

Fast forward to today, and while talking to Ken Schrader, Wallace had to bring up the veteran’s journey. The 69-year-old has built a meaningful legacy in the POWRi B-Mod division at Springfield Raceway, showing that even late in his career, he can compete at a high level in local racing. By 2023, he was regularly lining up in Springfield, and on November 18 of that year, he competed amongst 66 B-Mod entries, highlighting his continued passion for grassroots racing.

And Kenny Wallace couldn’t help but praise the veteran. Wallace added, “And it is no joke. It is no joke. So for you to make both races, it was a Kenny (Schrader), I’m bragging on you. What you pulled off was miraculous. Good job.”

Last year, Schrader’s major triumph at Springfield came during the track’s March Madness special. Leading from lap three, he drove past a 25-car field and pulled away to a dominant feature victory, a testament to both his experience and his ability to navigate crowded, competitive short-track fields.

Several NASCAR Cup Series drivers like Kyle Larson, Ty Gibbs, and even Kyle Busch have built their racing portfolios on dirt tracks. In fact, Larson and Gibbs are running tons of dirt track races in the off-season in California, refining their driving skills and car control. And this is what shapes NASCAR and its rising talents. But in a recent turn of events, especially with the legal battle going on, Kenny Wallace is stunned by the shape it’s taking in a sport he helped build.

Wallace is disappointed with the NASCAR lawsuit

Kenny Wallace didn’t mince words when addressing the newest batch of leaked text messages tied to the NASCAR antitrust lawsuit. The filings revealed a series of internal exchanges in which top NASCAR executives, including Steve Phelps, used harsh and crude language referring to veteran team owner Richard Childress.

Those messages surfaced through legal documents connected to the lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, who alleged that NASCAR has maintained monopolistic control over racetracks and media rights. This filing also highlighted private concerns with the NASCAR leadership about the SRX series, which they viewed as a potential rating threat despite its comparatively small scale.

In his latest Coffee with Kenny episode, Wallace didn’t hide his disbelief as he repeated one of the more explosive lines from the text.
Quoting directly from the internal conversation, Wallace said, “Steve Phelps from NASCAR, he’s not the president right now, but I can’t even believe I’m saying this. He said Richard Childress, one of our biggest car owners in NASCAR, needs to be taken out back and flogged because he’s a dumba** redneck. Should I repeat that?”

For someone whose brother, Rusty Wallace, joined by legends like Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip, this must feel like a sudden punch in the gut. And now NASCAR will never look the same as both teams prepare to make history on December one as they head to the courtroom for their trial.