The realms of country music and NASCAR have historically been united by a fervent and overlapping fanbase, one devoted to both high-octane races and country music’s musical traditions.

Over the years, NASCAR’s pre-race festivities have frequently spotlighted country music performers. Conversely, some NASCAR drivers have made appearances in country music videos, while at least one acclaimed country artist also pursued a career behind the wheel as a professional driver.

Further exemplifying the enduring synergy between these two iconic entertainment institutions, a few new, recent country songs have nodded to one of NASCAR’s greats, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Morgan Wallen and Eric Church recorded the collaboration “No. 3 and No. 7,” which nods to Earnhardt’s iconic black No. 3 Goodwrench car, while “Said No Country Boy Ever,” recorded by a cohort of country singers (Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Jerrod Niemann, Dallas Davidson and Rob Hatch, aka The Traler Park), also mentions Earnhardt by name. Meanwhile, Cole Swindell also recently released “Dale Jr.,” a touching tribute to fathers and sons, nodding to Earnhardt Sr. in the process.

Earnhardt was one of the most acclaimed drivers in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. In total, he had 76 NASCAR Cup Series victories. Earnhardt won his first Winston Cup championship in 1980 and went on to earn six additional Winston Cup titles in 1986-87, 1990-91 and 1993-94, tying NASCAR legend Richard Petty’s record in the process. Known as “The Intimidator,” in the iconic black “No. 3” Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Earnhardt Sr. gained a track record as a fierce driver, one unafraid of bumping and spinning out competitors on his way to earning the checkered flag. His career also came with frustrations, as he raced 19 times in the Daytona 500 before emerging triumphant as the race’s winner in 1998.

Earnhardt’s death in February 2001 from injuries stemming from a crash during the final lap of the Daytona 500 shocked the racing world and beyond, and marked the end of an era in racing. Earnhardt was posthumously inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006 and was named to the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2010. The recent four-part Prime Video documentary Earnhardt offered a deep look into the racing legend’s life and career.

Earnhardt Sr. was also a fan of country music, and had several ties to the genre. In 1985, he took part in the album World Series of Country Music Proudly Presents Stock Car Racing’s Entertainers of the Year, a project that featured NASCAR drivers singing original country songs. Earnhardt appeared on the album’s concluding track, “Hard Charger.” He also appeared in the music video for Brooks & Dunn’s 1997 song “Honky Tonk Truth,” dressing up identically to the duo’s Kix Brooks and playing on the uncanny physical similarities between the two. One of his lesser-known monikers, linking Earnhardt Sr. and his car, was his nickname as “The Man in Black,” a moniker more well-known for its association with Country Music Hall of Famer Johnny Cash.

In 2003, a tribute concert to Earnhardt Sr. became the first non-racing event to be held at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida. The event featured performances from Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Alabama, Sheryl Crow and more, with proceeds from the event going to the Dale Earnhardt Foundation. In the more than two decades since Earnhardt Sr.’s passing, his influence hasn’t dimmed, and numerous country songs have nodded to his competitive, award-winning career.

Of course, country music has long had ties to NASCAR in general, extending beyond simply many shared fans. Country singer Marty Robbins, known for hits including “El Paso,” was also a NASCAR racer, racing alongside NASCAR drivers such as Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison, and making it to the top 5 spot during 1974’s Motor State 400 in Michigan. In 1975, the album NASCAR Goes Country featured NASCAR drivers including Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough performing classic country hits such as “Hey, Good Lookin’,” and “King of the Road.”

Country music label execs have also been involved with racing. Big Machine Label Group founder/CEO/president Scott Borchetta (Lady A, Thomas Rhett, Riley Green) launched the NASCAR Xfinity Series team Big Machine Racing in 2021. In 2013, Benny Brown, founder of BBR Music Group (Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll) sponsored Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR), supporting Brown’s grandson, NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick.

Besides Earnhardt, other NASCAR drivers who have appeared in country music videos include Carl Edwards (Justin Moore’s “Bait a Hook” and Sara Evans’ “Slow Me Down”), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Trace Adkins’ “Rough and Ready”) and a slew of drivers, including Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin, Bill Elliott and Rusty Wallace, who appeared in Alan Jackson’s “Who’s Cheatin’ Who” video.

Meanwhile, country artists’ names and/or likenesses have shown up in several NASCAR cars. Chris Stapleton teamed with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports’ first entry in the Daytona 500 with the No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet. Luke Combs, Bailey Zimmerman and Taylor Swift have also been featured on NASCAR cars.

Fans and country artists alike continue to honor the life and legacy of “The Intimidator” and below, we highlight a handful of songs that nod to the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.