Parents' Guide to Earnhardt

Earnhardt TV show poster: Dale Earnhardt Sr. in helmet looks over himself and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Cursing, logos, drinking, smoking in honest racer biopic.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 16+

Based on 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

EARNHARDT is a four-part docuseries about the life and career of the late race car champion Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Video footage of major car races and interviews with Earnhardt, along with conversations with family members, journalists, former racing crew, and some of his racing contemporaries like Kyle Petty and Jeff Gordon offer a detailed chronicle of how he grew up at the track thanks to his father, professional race car driver Ralph Earnhardt, and how he went on to build a legendary racing career that includes seven NASCAR Winston Cup championship wins. Earnhardt's talent and competitiveness, and the consequences of his unapologetic (and controversial) aggressive driving style that earned him the name, "The Intimidator," are highlighted. Meanwhile, Earnhardt's adult children, including racers Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, share their experiences growing up with and being mentored by their dad. They also talk about how hard it was, despite his public charm and charisma, to emotionally connect with him before his life was tragically cut short in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 3 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

The compelling docuseries offers a detailed and sometimes emotional look at Dale Earnhardt, Sr.'s legacy on and off the NASCAR racetrack. Earnhardt successfully intertwines the story of his professional racing life with narratives about his personal relationships, including the ones he had with each of his four children. The archive video documents the passion Earnhardt had for the sport, and how this motivated him to continue racing despite multiple crashes, NASCAR-imposed fines, and serious injuries resulting from his aggressive (and some say reckless) driving. The personal anecdotes shared by some of Earnhardt's adult kids reveal an emotionally complicated man who loved them but was so obsessed with building his racing career that he only seemed to be able to connect with them within that universe. NASCAR fans will enjoy this biographical reveal, but Earnhardt is so well-produced that non-racing fans may also find it interesting.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about NASCAR racing. What are some of the stereotypes associated with the sport? How does media perpetuate them?

  • According to Earnhardt, car racing was popular in the southern United States because of the lack of other major athletic events in the area. Why do you think the sport gained popularity across the country?

TV Details

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Earnhardt TV show poster: Dale Earnhardt Sr. in helmet looks over himself and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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