Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Marty Smith interview after Dale Jr.'s final race | ESPN

I like being with my guys at cocky commotions in check I you know I told him when this race is over with hopefully we finished the race and were able to come out there Road that means the world to me these guys are like my brothers and I'm gonna miss them we lean on each other and take care of each other and support each other so that's the one thing that I'm gonna miss the most I love being with them and seeing the smile on their faces after tonight and these relationships how do you describe that camerado describe it what is it family man I mean we've way around each other all the time so the thing is is like it means it matters so much to have some I believe in you and you know I've been around people to do them when I you know these guys out here they believe in me as a driver and hence fears where I didn't feel that and this group here that I've worked with all these years I've always had that feeling that they believe we can do it when things are right we can do the job and that to me was the most of that to me was the was the best gift they could ever give me you know was I believe you gotta like you gotta like people you work with man working with them I'm going to miss racer rink I love making that man proud happy the racetrack but there's other ways to do that he's like a father to me so we got other things in our lives to do together and accomplish together you're the so we'll see I'll be able to you know I'll still be able to have these relationships driving it's great about the I'm in touch with all these guys on regular basis that was a hell of an embrace and a hell of a moment you just shared with Rick when you climbed out of this thing would you say to them well we tried to talk to each other for I got in the car we couldn't hook up drive I told him how much I appreciated what he done for me personally professionally there's a drive ride that was easy to just thank you for that what he's definitely as a as a person is he's been like a father you know I really feel like that he filled the void for me in my life you know it's just like if you hope that you hope that you know he just means to so he's done so much for me personally that I'll never be able to repay that man for what he did for me you know I know you know he could've easily made a change made it you know got another driver there were years when I wasn't doing my job well enough he couldn't change who's driving these cars I was so thankful for him giving me my first opportunity to drive boys a stick I just can't believe you did that it's races won the Daytona 500 they made me so happy to make him he's done something you know I don't know what he could he's done so much and so many people like me he's just an amazing person we should celebrate him when you were 10 years old you said I just want to be a race car driver and you got to show up and be a race car driver 20 damn here right I'm glad if you could look into that crystal ball as little bail and it come out like this what would your thoughts mean I would be amazed because when I was little I didn't think I would have the fortune to be around the people that I've been around inside the car outside the car never would have dreamed that never maybe so I was so scared of what my life would be like if racing wasn't part of it I was so scared I knew that you know my name is champion I've seen a lot of sons try to follow their fathers in a lot of different professions and strong I just wanted to make a living driving cars I wanted to be able to pay my bills I didn't care for through Bastian I'll think you've doing all my life yeah I mean that's all I wanted was to just pay my bills and have fun and enjoy it and I've got more out of it than I ever thought I would have won so many races and a couple changes in these miniseries I've been able to make these amazing filmy freaky friendships I mean everywhere I look there's somebody to care about and it just amazes me I don't feel worthy of all happening what I just feel so at this bill fortunate and so lucky I just don't feel like that I feel like I've been the last ten times over and never will never I'll never be able to really come to terms but having everything happen to me I can hand I just don't know if I said it with that but I got a lot of people around me without love you're one of them thank you and come on friends we'll be friends forever you know what we're gonna do but we're gonna drink one of these beers how many one I'm going [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I'm proud as hell you bub [Music] [Applause]

Channel: ESPN

Views: 150,559

Keywords: espn, espn live, dale earnhardt jr, dale earnhardt, dale jr, dale earnhardt jr., nascar, dale, bud, dale earnhardt jr tribute, dale earnhardt jr 2017, marty smith, dale earnhardt jr marty smith beer, marty smith espn, marty smith nascar, marty smith dale earnhardt jr

Id: -yRwDlUEzO0

Length: 7min 37sec (457 seconds)

Published: Mon Nov 20 2017