Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares early-career regrets

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will end his long and storied career with a final full-time race at the Ford EcoBoost 400 this Sunday. And with that career-ending reality setting in, Earnhardt Jr. has begun to reflect on his 19-year career.

In looking back, Earnhardt Jr. acknowledges there are at least a few regrets. Chief among them was his indifferent attitude early on his his career.

Dale Jr says he wishes he'd been more focused early in his career. Recalls showing up seconds before practice started and staying up all night before races, playing video games. "If I'd taken it more serious in the Bud days, we might have had more… https://t.co/aBM7Ll7jfL

— Ryan McGee (@ESPNMcGee) November 17, 2017

“If I’d taken it more serious in the Bud days, we might have had more success,” Earnhardt Jr. told ESPN.

Earnhardt Jr. says he changed his ways after joining Hendrick Motorsports and observing the tireless work ethic of both Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. That’s also where he learned the importance of relationships, which led to another regret.

“I regret [not wanting to work with my uncle],” Earnhardt Jr. told the Sporting News of Tony Eury Sr. “That’s probably my biggest [regret] in motorsports as a driver, was that decision because it did nothing and it made our relationship a challenge to repair. Like I say, we’d won a lot of races together and he had been a big reason why I even got in the XFINITY car to begin with. He was my biggest supporter and we had won so many races together.

“I don’t know what … I got confused there a while thinking that I knew better than anyone else what was best for me.”

One decision Earnhardt Jr. says he has no regrets or second-thoughts over is retiring. He’s ready to ride off into the sunset and not look back.