3: The Dale Earnhardt Story

Last updated
3: The Dale Earnhardt Story
Three the dale earnhardt story.jpg
Television release poster
Genre Biographical drama
Written byRobert Eisele
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Starring
Music by Louis Febre
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer Orly Adelson
ProducerLynn Raynor
CinematographyJames Chressanthis
EditorWilliam B. Stich
Running time90 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network ESPN
ReleaseDecember 11, 2004 (2004-12-11)

3: The Dale Earnhardt Story is a 2004 American biographical drama television film directed by Russell Mulcahy, written by Robert Eisele, and starring Barry Pepper as NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt. It chronicles Earnhardt's life from his humble upbringing in Kannapolis, North Carolina, throughout his career racing automobiles to include his rise to dominance in NASCAR, culminating with his death in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. [1] Its central theme focuses on the relationship between him and his father, Ralph Earnhardt, as well as the relationship between him and his youngest son, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Contents

The film premiered on ESPN on December 11, 2004. Pepper's performance earned him a nomination for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie. [2]

Many of the film's race scenes were filmed at Rockingham Speedway. The track had lost its races and at the time was used mostly as a test facility and driving school. Chad McCumbee, who portrayed Earnhardt Jr., later became a NASCAR driver in the Truck Series. [3] He also raced alongside Dale Jr. himself at the Pocono 500, driving Kyle Petty's 45 car, as Petty was in the TNT broadcast booth.

Actors playing the part of the Flying Aces were Ray Everett, Greg Davis, David Brooks, Robbie Hicks, and Don Gyr.

Synopsis

The film details the life of stock-car racing legend Dale Earnhardt. From an early age, Earnhardt learned about cars from his father Ralph, who worked at a mill to feed and clothe his family but also rebuilt jalopies in his garage and raced them at local events on weekends. Ralph, a minor legend in Southern stock-car racing, inspired Dale to follow his own passion for racing. After dropping out of high school to race, Dale started out in his father's shadow and struggled to establish himself for more than a decade, especially when tangling with legends in the sport such as Darrell Waltrip. Dale finally broke into NASCAR in the late '70s, and in time became the top prize money winner in NASCAR history. The lessons Dale learned from his father are revisited when Dale's own teenage son, Dale Jr., decides to take up racing at the age of 16. [4]

Cast

Cast MemberRole
Barry Pepper Dale Earnhardt
Elizabeth Mitchell Teresa Earnhardt
Ernest WhittedPit Crowd
Andrea PowellMartha Earnhardt
Sean Bridgers Neil Bonnett
David Lewis BrooksEarnhardt Pit Crew
Russell BrooksEarnhardt Pit Crew (as Russell Dean Brooks Jr.)
Joe ChrestJake Elder
Russell CookPress Conference VIP
Teresa Delgado Kelley Earnhardt
Tony DevonWill
Thunderbird DinwiddieConnie (as Traci Dinwiddie)
Tricia DyarDaisy (as Tricia Quattlebaum)
Corri EnglishKelley Earnhardt
Michael FlippoWayne Robertson
Daniel FreezeDale Pit Crew
Frank GliddenKerry Earnhardt
Craig S. HarperKenny Schrader
Andy HillenburgDeke
Kenneth M. JohnstonDarrell Waltrip Pit Crew Member
Jim KeislerGM Executive
Andrea KfouryMarion
James G. Martin Jr.Dwayne
Chad McCumbee Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Marshal McGeeDale Earnhardt Jr.
Ron Prather Richard Childress
Brandi RyansBrenda Gee
David SherrillH.A. "Humpy" Wheeler
Lori Beth SikesLatane Brown (as Lori Beth Edgeman)
J. K. Simmons Ralph Earnhardt
Zachary Dylan SmithDale Earnhardt Jr.
Kevin StillwellRod Osterland
Greg Thompson Darrell Waltrip
Olivia WestonDale's Mistress
David WilsonGM Executive
Meredith DiPaolo StephensDriver's Wife (uncredited)

The script of this film was not approved by Earnhardt's widow, Teresa Earnhardt and the Earnhardt Family. The film, although capturing the essence of Earnhardt, is inaccurate in many of the events seen in it. Richard Childress, the former car owner and team owner of Earnhardt, sued ESPN for copyright infringement with its use of the "3" logo. [5] In December 2005, the lawsuit was settled out of court. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Earnhardt</span> American racing driver (1951–2001)

Ralph Dale Earnhardt was an American professional stock car driver and racing team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series, most notably driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. His aggressive driving style earned him the nicknames "the Intimidator", "the Man in Black" and "Ironhead"; after his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the Cup Series circuit in 1999, Earnhardt was generally known by the retronyms Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Sr. He is regarded as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history and named as one of the NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers class in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Earnhardt Jr.</span> American racecar driver

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. is an American stock car racing driver. He competes occasionally in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro for his team JR Motorsports. A third generation driver, he is the son of 7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt and relative to many former and current drivers in the NASCAR ranks.

Kerry Dale Earnhardt is a former NASCAR driver and the eldest son of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt. He is the half-brother of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller. He was employed by Dale Earnhardt, Inc. as a consultant specializing in driver development until 2011. His younger son, Jeffrey Earnhardt, began racing for DEI in 2007 and currently competes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Kerry Earnhardt is known for his physical similarity to his father.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">YellaWood 500</span> Auto race held at Talladega, United States

The YellaWood 500 is a NASCAR Cup Series stock car race held at Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, Alabama, hosting an event in the NASCAR playoffs. The race is one of four NASCAR Cup Series races currently run with tapered spacers, the others being the GEICO 500 in May, the Coke Zero Sugar 400, and the Daytona 500. Through 1996, this race was normally held in early August or late July. In 1997, it was moved to early October due to the uncomfortably hot summer temperatures, and sometimes unpredictable summertime thunderstorms in the Alabama area. In 2009, the race moved again, this time to November 1 as part of a realignment agreement with Atlanta and Fontana.

Goody's Powder, also called Goody's Headache Powders, is an over-the-counter aspirin/paracetamol/caffeine–based pain reliever, in single-dose powder form, which is marketed and sold by Prestige Brands. The powder delivery saves the time needed for the patient's digestive system to break down a tablet or capsule, ostensibly causing the medication to work faster. Goody's Extra Strength Powder consists of aspirin, caffeine, and paracetamol (acetaminophen) in a formula identical to that of Excedrin, a product of Novartis, but in the no-digestion-needed powder form.

The 1990 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 42nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 19th modern-era Cup Series. It began on Sunday, February 11, and ended on Sunday, November 18. Because of a highly controversial penalty to Mark Martin early in the season, Dale Earnhardt with Richard Childress Racing was crowned the Winston Cup champion for the fourth time, edging out Martin by 26 points.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series</span> 50th season of NASCAR stock-car racing

The 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 50th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 27th modern-era cup series. The season included 33 races and three exhibition races, beginning with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Jeff Gordon won the Driver's Championship, the third of his career, and his third in the last four seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series</span> 52nd season of NASCAR stock-car racing

The 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 52nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States, and was the 29th modern-era Cup series. The season began on February 13 and ended on November 20. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Bobby Labonte was crowned champion at season's end. The NASCAR Manufacturers' Championship was won by Ford as they captured 14 wins and 234 points to better Pontiac's 11 wins and 213 points. Chevrolet finished third with nine wins and 199 points.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series</span> 49th season of NASCAR stock-car racing

The 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 49th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 26th modern-era NASCAR Cup series. It began on February 9 and ended on November 16. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports won his second Cup championship at the end of the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series</span>

The 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 47th season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 24th modern-era Cup series season. The season began on February 12 in Daytona Beach and concluded on November 12 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Jeff Gordon of Hendrick Motorsports won his first career championship.

The 1991 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 43rd of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 20th modern-era Cup Season. It began February 10 and ended November 17. Dale Earnhardt of Richard Childress Racing won his fifth Winston Cup championship at the conclusion of the season. The season was marred by the death of driver and team owner J. D. McDuffie, who was killed in a wreck at Watkins Glen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chad McCumbee</span> American stock car racing driver

Chad McCumbee is an American stock car racing driver. He currently drives in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and has run four full seasons in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He is also known for his portrayal of Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story.

The 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series was the 41st season of professional stock car racing in the United States and the 18th modern-era Cup season. It began February 12 and ended November 19. Rusty Wallace of Blue Max Racing won the championship. This was the first year that every Winston Cup race had flag to flag coverage, with almost all of them being televised live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Earnhardt</span> American racing driver

Jeffrey Lynn Earnhardt is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 26 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. He is the son of Kerry Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Earnhardt, nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr., great-grandson of Ralph Earnhardt, and brother of Bobby Dale Earnhardt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 3M Performance 400</span> Motor car race

The 2007 3M Performance 400 was the 23rd race in the 2007 NASCAR season was scheduled to be held on Sunday, August 19, 2007 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. However, a day-long rain postponed the race until August 20, but another rainstorm postponed the race until the following day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Samsung 500</span> Motor car race

The 2008 Samsung 500 was the seventh race for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and run on Sunday, April 6 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. The race was broadcast on television by Fox starting at 1:30 PM US EDT, and broadcast via radio and Sirius Satellite Radio on the Performance Racing Network beginning at 1 PM US EDT.

This article documents historical records, statistics, and race recaps of the Daytona 500, held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Earnhardt, Inc.</span> Museum and former NASCAR team

Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) is a former race team founded by Dale Earnhardt and his wife, Teresa Earnhardt, to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series, the highest level of competition for professional stock car racing in the United States. From 1998 to 2009, the company operated as a NASCAR-related organization in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States. Earnhardt was a seven-time Winston Cup champion. He died in a crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Despite his ownership of the DEI racing team, Earnhardt never drove for his team in the Winston Cup; instead, he raced for his long-time mentor and backer Richard Childress at RCR. In the late-2000s, DEI suffered critical financial difficulties after drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip, and sponsors Anheuser-Busch, National Automotive Parts Association and United States Army left the team; DEI consequently merged with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2009, moving their equipment into the latter's shop, while the former's closed down. Chip Ganassi Racing's NASCAR operations was subsequently purchased by Trackhouse Racing Team in 2021.

The 2000 edition of The Winston was held on May 20, 2000, at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. This was the 16th running of the event. The race is remembered for Dale Earnhardt Jr. becoming the first rookie to win The Winston. Drivers Steve Park and Jerry Nadeau advanced to the main lineup, with Park winning the Winston Open and Nadeau winning the No Bull Sprint race. This was the last All-Star Race of Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt; Waltrip retired at the end of 2000 and called the 2001 race from the booth for Fox Sports, and Earnhardt was killed at the season-opening Daytona 500. This was Kenny Irwin Jr.'s only appearance in The Winston, as he was killed in a crash during practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 7. In addition, this was TNN's final broadcast of The Winston.

The 1987 edition of The Winston was a stock car racing competition that took place on May 17, 1987. Held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, the 135-lap race was an exhibition race in the 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Bill Elliott of Melling Racing won the pole and led the most laps (121), but it was Dale Earnhardt of Richard Childress Racing who won the race in a move that would be known in NASCAR history as the Pass in the Grass.

References

  1. Heffernan, Virginia. (December 10, 2004). A First Love Becomes the Family Business . nytimes.com. Retrieved November 16, his 2015.
  2. The 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards . sagawards.org. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  3. Chad McCumbee . racing-reference.info. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  4. "3". RottenTomatoes.com. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  5. Bell, Robert. (March 23, 2005) EARNHARDT'S '3' SPINS ITS WAY INTO COURTROOM A LAWSUIT FILED IN FEDERAL COURT IN GREENSBORO CHARGES ESPN WITH COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT . greensboro.com. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  6. "Earnhardt '3' lawsuit ends with settlement | Auto Racing | greensboro.com".