Earnhardt

Its not the 1st race car documentary that pulls on the heart strings.

It is as much about the personality, psychology and inter-personal relationships of the drivers, as it is about car racing.

Any extreme sport is fundamentally about a passion you put before your own life and health.

Motor sports are big money, and the fanbase and industry behind it may be unparalleled in other extreme sport. For these reasons you really feel the pull of these type of sports in its purist form.

Its a nominative determinism-that he earned money the hard way, with a lot of heart.

It is also a story of succession which really sets it apart from just a plain old sports movie. It really does play out like a Hollywood movie, as his son has to rise in the ranks like a member of Royalty in the aftermath of losing his father. The pressure and expectations must have been almost unbearable. It really is a real world example of the allegorical story of "The sword of Damocles".

Its a very exciting, enthralling and emotional ride.

To start there's 2 reasons I'm not giving this a 10. 1st it's a smidge too long. A lot of extra stuff and this could have been condensed to 3 episodes. 2nd where is Teresa and her and dales daughter? I find that very interesting they aren't in a documentary about the Earnhardt family that is focused on dale. They're Earnhardts. She claims he was the "love of" her life during the HOF induction. But can't appear on a documentary portraying history for folks like myself and others? Then whatever the lawsuits were about photos? Contract dispute with jr and his sister? Very interesting... Anyways, this was very eye opening about dale Earnhardt and how he was. I was born in 87 so I knew about him growing up but I was a football fan as was my dad. And basketball heck even hockey and baseball. NASCAR just wasn't a big thing like they portray it. But dale was like MJ. He made the sport. And then jr carried the torch.

This was a good doc to explain the relationship between dale and his family. It was not really good imo. It's a shame for jr. I mean he sacrificed his family for fame. Sure they've all panned out I supposed in the end but is it worth it? Interesting right? One of the tales as old as time when it comes to professional athletes and their families. It makes you wonder like if you could go pro but not see your kids or your wife but be a big dog in the sport would you do it?

I'd prob not personally. I'd say most people I know prob wouldn't. But then again, that's why we aren't legends in sports maybe...

A beautifully made 4 part series, the footage included is excellent. It does a great job of discussing who Dale was to more casual and/or recent fans of NASCAR, and I'm sure still makes excellent viewing to Earnhardt ultras.

Some of the editing is pure cinema - footage of Dale's charge through the pack at Daytona set to Ace of Spades, or his mid to late 90s battles with Gordon are honestly some of the best segments of television I've ever seen.

Dale Jr provides emotional insight, discussing the at times cold and distant relationship with his father, and his struggles to meet his approval.

Overall, NASCAR fan or not, I would absolutely recommend anyone to watch this.

Through 2 episodes, so far this has been an excellent documentary series. If you're a fan of Earnhardt, there's not really any new information here, but there is a lot of excellent footage that I hadn't seen before. If you're not a racing fan, and just curious about this racing icon, it's a great watch. So far, it's done an excellent job of showing who he was, both the good and the bad. Even if you're not a fan of auto racing, it's worth a watch if you're interested in American success stories. This was a guy who came from nothing and became an icon in motorsports. NASCAR wishes they had a driver that made people as interested in their series as people were when guys like Earnhardt and Gordon were still in the seat.

This is a wonderful insight into everything about Dale Earnhardt, his life, and legacy. Dale, Jr. & Kelley really bare their souls. And absolute must-see for anyone who cares about NASCAR and wants to gain any insight into the real life of a racing family. I'm so happy for Dale, Jr. That's he's been able help show the complexities of growing up in the shadow of a legend. And it was really such an eye-opening glimpse into the relationship between Kelley & Jr.

This series doesn't shy away from the controversies. You'll gain a deeper respect for Dale, Jr. Especially, and appreciate how he's grown as a man.