NASCAR 2026: Dale Earnhardt book set for release ahead of what would've been legend's 75th birthday

A new book about the life and legacy of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt is set to be released ahead of what would have been his 75th birthday.

Titled EARNHARDT! The Intimidator's life, legacy and enduring popularity after 75 years and produced by The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the 160-page book is set to ship on April 24, 2026.

That is just ahead of April 29, which marks the 75th year since Earnhardt was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, back in 1951.

Tragically, 2026 will also mark another anniversary, with it being 25 years since the seven-time Cup Series champion lost his life following an accident at the 2001 Daytona 500.

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What is the book about?

Although not officially endorsed by NASCAR, the book promises that it has been crafted for fans that 'understand what the No. 3 means'.

Across its 160 pages, it promises to show rare photographs from across Earnhardt's legendary career, stories from crew members and rivals, as well as celebrate the 'moments that made him The Intimidator'.

The about the book section on the Pediment Publishing website reads: "Some Sunday afternoons stay with you forever. The smell of hot dogs drifting through the living room and motor oil filling the garage. Your dad leaning forward in his chair every time the black No. 3 made a move. The way the whole house seemed to hold its breath on those final laps.

"Dale Earnhardt didn't belong to NASCAR. He belonged to families like yours who gathered around the television and learned what it meant to never back down."

The about section later continued: "This 160-page commemorative book celebrates the life of the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, a record shared with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson, who turned stock car racing into something that mattered to people who had never set foot in a garage.

"The kid from a Kannapolis mill town became, as his own son put it, 'like Elvis ... beyond this world'."

Earnhardt documentary also available

If video is more your thing, you can tune in to Prime Video's Earnhardt documentary that was released on the streaming giant during the 2025 season.

The four-part docu-series looked at the untold story of Earnhardt's ascent as NASCAR's preeminent figure and its impact on his family and the racing world.

It has so far earned an 8.8/10 rating on IMDb and was produced by Imagine Documentaries, NASCAR Studios and Everyone Else, in association with Dirty Mo Media - Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s media company.