Snow sends Dale Earnhardt Jr. crashing straight into a tree

Tricia Despres, January 17, 2018 1:32 pm

It could be said that former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has some of the best driving skills ever, having made a living out of going more than 200 miles an hour on some of our country’s toughest race tracks.

Yet, when snow is involved, even Dale Jr. can’t keep himself out of trouble.

“[North Carolina] stay off the roads today/tonight. Five minutes after helping these folks I center punched a pine tree,” Dale shared on his Twitter page on the morning of Jan. 17 shortly after stopping to help some stranded travelers on the road. “All good. Probably just needs a new alignment,” he added.

Of course, fans were quick to express their thankfulness that Dale wasn’t hurt further in the accident. “So glad all is OK,” one follower commented. “Be safe out there guys. We had over 70 minor accidents and approximately 10 major in SE Texas yesterday. Everyone get home safe.” Another fan weighed in saying “Dale Jr., the good Samaritan out there! But I feel ya bud, seems like a good day to stay in the house and crack a few daytime beers.”

And not surprisingly, there were other so-called fans that used the accident as an excuse to throw some digs Dale Jr.’s way. “Driving a little loose right,” one fan questioned, while many others joked about the condition of the tree. “Turn around and back into the tree … straighten it right up!”

It was quite odd timing for Dale’s mishap as the former NASCAR driver, voted the sport’s Most Popular Driver for 15 consecutive years, announced just the day before that he would be traveling more than ever as he will go overseas for the Winter Olympics and to the Super Bowl in the coming weeks as part of his new deal as a contributor to NBC Sports.

“It’s not going to be putting me anywhere outside of my comfort zone, obviously I’ve never been to a Super Bowl or South Korea,” Dale Jr. said in an interview with the Associated Press on Jan. 16. “What they are asking me to do is just go out there and be myself, and hopefully get people interested in tuning into NASCAR.”

Unfortunately, Dale Jr. was not the only driver to find himself in harm’s way thanks to the snow, as NASCAR driver Daniel Suarez found himself stuck in the snow on the side of the road in his sports car on Jan. 17.

Indeed, the adverse snow conditions in the south had many of NASCAR’s best drivers of both the past and present weighing in on the road conditions in states such as North Carolina, with Michael Waltrip deciding to give the road conditions a go.

Of course, other drivers such as Kevin Harvick thought better of it, making the decision to stay in and enjoy the snow off the roads.

However you plan to spend your snow day, everyone here at Rare Country hopes you make it a safe one out there!