488 - Hank Parker Sr. - A Friendship Larger Than Life

In a conversation that gave us some intensely emotional moments along with plenty of laughs, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is joined by a great friend of his dad’s - bass fishing legend Hank Parker Sr.

Hank Parker and Dale Earnhardt were close friends who met even before they rose to the top of their respective fields. As they both experienced early career triumphs, with Hank winning the BassMaster Classic in 1979 and Dale winning the NASCAR Cup Championship in 1980, they began fishing and hunting together, forging a close bond that would carry through Dale’s passing in 2001.

This interview covers everything from why Hank Sr. traded his fishing pole in for a stock car, his journey from working at a marina to becoming one of the most recognized outdoorsmen in history, and the time he spent in the wild with the Earnhardts, with the hilarious and poignant stories to prove it. 

You may remember the racing endeavors of Hank’s son Hank Jr., who spent time in the All-Pro Series before moving up to the NASCAR Busch Series and eventually winning two races. But the racing bug and need for speed first resonated in Hank, and the story of how he bought a Busch Series car from Dale and attempted to qualify at Rockingham is one you won’t want to miss.

Hank also fills Dale Jr. in on why Hank may be responsible for convincing Dale Earnhardt to buy Dale Jr.’s first late model, and then relays some deeply intimate conversations he had with Dale during their hunting trips over the years, showing a side of the Intimidator you’ve never seen before.

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