Lessons Learned From Dale Sr: Kevin “Two Beer” Pennell (Part 2)

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. had his longtime friend and crew member Kevin “Two Beers” Pennell on the Download last time, their conversation was so engrossing that he had to come back for more. They pick up where they left off, in Dale Jr.’s rookie season in the famed Bud 8 car. They recall some choice encounters with Dale Sr., including a wreck at Bristol and their Cup debut at Martinsville, where Dale Jr. couldn’t get out of the way quickly enough. Dale and Kevin relive their thrilling victory in the 2000 All-Star race, where some key decision-making by Tony Eury Jr. helped put them in contention. The 2001 Daytona 500 is also discussed, with both men sharing their respective experiences of the post-race events after Dale Sr.’s tragic accident.

Dale and Kevin talk about some “ingenuity” and “innovation” that was taking place in the shop and on pit road to help close the gap on the more established Cup teams. They rehash the highs and lows of the 2001 season and their hot streak at Daytona and Talladega, which led up to the winning of the 2004 Daytona 500. Dale asks Kevin for his perspective on the team switch at Dale Earnhardt Inc., which stemmed from a falling out with Eury Jr. They also chat about Dale and Eury Jr. leaving for Hendrick Motorsports, and Kevin’s decision to stay loyal to DEI. The interview goes on to cover the whirlwind years of DEI, which saw it get absorbed by Ginn Racing, the acquisition by Tony Stewart, and the inception of Stewart Haas Racing and its eventual closure at the end of the 2024 season.

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