NASCAR Cup Series

With 40th birthday approaching, Dale Earnhardt Jr. turns reflective

Published Oct. 3, 2014 4:15 p.m. ET

Tom Jensen

Hard to believe, perhaps, but next Friday Dale Earnhardt Jr. will turn 40 years old.

It seems like only yesterday that NASCAR's most popular driver was a young kid slinging late models around at Myrtle Beach, then winning a pair of championships in what's now known as the NASCAR Nationwide Series before capturing the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race as a rookie in 2000.

But now, the big 4-0 is staring Earnhardt straight in the face as his 15th full season driving in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is headed to the final stages.

Friday morning at Kansas Speedway, Earnhardt said it's been a good ride so far.

"Definitely accomplished more than I thought I would when I was younger," Earnhardt said prior to Sprint Cup practice, where he wound up eighth overall. "I just wanted to make it, and being the son of a guy that was so successful, the more success he had, it seemed like the harder it would be for me to make it."

Earnhardt was able to climb out of the enormous shadow of his father's career, and this year is one of 12 drivers still in contention for the championship.

"I'm real happy with what I've been able to accomplish and who I have been able to work with and the friends I've been able to make," Earnhardt said."That is probably the best thing is the relationships that you create. Being a part of this sport there are so many great people in it, no matter what department you talk about. It's just fun getting to know all those people that helped get this thing going and move it from race to race."

Earnhardt is also pleased at his on-track record, which includes 22 race victories and 126 top-five finishes. Three of those victories have come this season, along with 11 top fives.

"The accomplishments as far as just the statistics, it's definitely exceeded my expectations," said Earnhardt. "We are still winning races and running good, so maybe we can get a few more wins and have some more fun before it's over. Definitely having this birthday come up makes you reflect quite a bit back on not so much the decisions or any regrets you have, just the fun stuff you have done and is the next 40 years going to be just as good, because the first 40 were pretty great."