The Earnhardts will always be known for the impact they’ve made on the sport of NASCAR.

Obviously, Dale Sr.’s legacy will be remembered forever as one of the greatest NASCAR drivers the sport has ever seen, thanks to both his success on the track and his larger-than-life personality. However, Dale Jr. has also made a significant impact—particularly through his media company, Dirty Mo Media, and his continued involvement as both a driver and team owner.

But the Earnhardts may have made a bigger impact on another form of racing than many people realize. Yesterday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. released a podcast episode featuring three key members from the 2001 Rolex 24 Corvette program, where both Sr. and Jr. competed. The guests included Andy Pilgrim, Kelly Collins, and Doug Fehan, the program manager for Corvette Racing at the time.

The interview explored numerous stories from that year’s Rolex 24 and delved into the potential long-term impact the Earnhardts could have had in sports car racing.

One of the highlighted moments involved Dale Sr.’s excitement about participating in the Corvette Racing program and his interest in a potential career shift to sports car racing.

Throughout the conversation, it was confirmed that there were serious discussions about Dale Sr. possibly heading to France to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in what would have been the not-so-distant future.

“This was like a seed,” Fehan said, reflecting on the Rolex 24’s influence on Earnhardt Sr. “I think your dad [Dale Earnhardt Sr.] looked at it as a huge opportunity. I think he had in his mind when he was going to get out of this car [NASCAR], and I think it was relatively soon. His total experience with all the testing and racing was helping solidify his decision. There was a new chapter to be written in his racing career, and it was going to be with Corvette. I know he told me—and he told others—that his dream was, ‘I’m going to do one more year of Cup, and Doug, then we’re going to Le Mans.’”

Based on that timeline, Dale Sr. would have transitioned to sports car racing in 2003, following one final NASCAR season in 2002 with Richard Childress Racing.

Both Andy Pilgrim and Kelly Collins supported that claim, with Pilgrim noting that he had received that information in a letter from Earnhardt himself.

In addition to his interest in Le Mans with GM, Fehan also confirmed there was another potential opportunity for Dale Sr. to race again with the Corvette program later that same season, following their success at the Rolex 24.

Although Dale Sr.’s aspirations were cut short due to his tragic and sudden death nearly 25 years ago at the Daytona 500, the Earnhardts’ impact on IMSA (then known as Grand-Am) has extended far beyond that one weekend.

“There was pushback when your dad wanted to run with that sanctioning body,” Fehan said. “That didn’t come without resistance. But right after that, the NASCAR alliance got together and said, ‘We’ve got to look at this road racing thing.’ That was really the beginning—the birth—of IMSA/Grand-Am, and it was because of the impact you guys had.”

Fehan continued: “It was a huge impact. It kind of gets lost in the whole story, but it was game-changing for IMSA. If you look at the years that followed, it became standard practice for NASCAR guys who wanted to make that move. But someone had to be first and make that big mark. Maybe a NASCAR guy had done it before, but not like this. This was different.”

Andy Pilgrim also chimed in during this part of the conversation:

“NASCAR had never seen that many people at a sports car race,” he said. “We talk about the pre-race walkaround—there were more people in the stands across from the start/finish than we’d ever seen. And it was because you guys were there. It was massive.”

Pilgrim added, “With you guys there, it changed the whole dynamic of IMSA. You brought a different demographic. Your dad had his fan base, but you [Dale Jr.] were huge in another demo. And I think it was like—ah!—you know, lights went on for people who needed to think differently.”

Overall, the Earnhardts’ legacy in sports car racing, while brief, has continued to resonate.

Dale Jr. would return to compete for Corvette Racing in 2003 following his father’s passing and has since remained involved, even as part of the Rolex 24 broadcast team in recent years.

To this day, NASCAR names continue to cross over into IMSA competition, with Austin Cindric most recently making a start in this year’s Rolex 24 back in January.

It would have been fascinating to see “The Intimidator” take the stage at Le Mans and transition to sports cars in 2003. It really makes you wonder what could have been. But the legacy of this iconic racing family—and the impact they made and continue to build—lives on in our minds and hearts forever.