NASCAR knows family. Generations of racing fans have been thrilled and moved by the exploits of such renowned clans as the Bakers, the Waltrips, the Jarretts, the Allisons, and of course the Pettys. But one name evokes a passion that revs higher than all the others: Earnhardt. From patriarch Ralph in the 1940s and ’50s to the greatest father-son duo in all of sports—Dale Sr. and his son Junior—through to today, the Earnhardt name remains revered. The heart of the greatest family in racing history still beats loud and fast, influencing the sport on the track and from the owners suite. This is the story of the Earnhardts, the First Family of Racing.
