Planting Earnhardt's forest: everyone knew the legendary NASCAR driver as "The Intimidator." Off the track, he had a quiet passion for the outdoors

American Forests, Summer-Autumn, 2004 by Will Clattenburg

To many, Dale Earnhardt was the consummate athlete: cold, poker eyes hidden behind dark glasses, dedication and drive beyond any of his competitors, a winner's instinct and immeasurable prowess on the track. Yet to those who knew him personally, Earnhardt was not always "The Intimidator," ready to speed past you for the lead. Outside the racecar, his eyes were no longer so harsh; he smiled and joked. When competition was over, he no longer assumed the iron persona necessary for a winner.

While his racing successes ensured his legacy on the track, perhaps less known is his legacy off it as an avid sportsman and conservationist. Among Earnhardt's many passions was a keen love of deer hunting, fishing, and recreational activities. He loved the outdoors and he loved nature--and he loved his hometown near Charlotte, North Carolina.

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"There's no pressure on me when I'm in a race car," the late Earnhardt once said. "That's when I'm relaxed. That's the best time of my life." Clearly, for those who knew him, this was true. But if racing was Earnhardt's public love, the outdoors were his respite. How else could you explain a man who shaved his trademark moustache to enjoy scuba diving? Along with the thrill of racing comes the agony of bumps, bruises and exposure to intense heat. And though Earnhardt was an iron man, even he needed time for rejuvenation.

Growing up, Earnhardt had learned to race cars and work hard. And he learned to respect nature, the way you respect all people and things that give much and ask only a little in return.

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"Dale spent time outdoors every chance he could," his wife Teresa recalls. Hunting and fishing with his children "ensured that they understood the significance of what they were doing. He wanted them to have respect for the outdoors as he did."

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"From early on, I thought I understood hunting and fishing," Earnhardt once said. "I guess it is a lot like when you start racing. You don't really see and understand the whole picture. You think you are there just to have fun and race.

"When a person begins hunting and fishing it's the same way. As you grow in hunting, as in racing, you begin to understand the entire game. You finally realize that if you shoot everything, there will be nothing left. Then you begin hunting for quality, and you take only enough for that day so you don't deplete the stock."

A PRIVATE MAN

Despite his fame, Earnhardt chose to spend time with his family and friends and leave his legend alone. Dale's favorite spot to get away from it all, Teresa says, was their farm in Iredell County, North Carolina. "With over 300 acres of rejuvenated farmland, it was an environmentalist's dream." Fertile fields produced crops and wildlife and nature had top priority. Unharvested lands provided food for the wildlife. "Whether it was being on his tractor or walking on foot, Dale loved what the solitude of this area offered him," she says.

Earnhardt, who was knowledgeable about trees, was active in the development of the property, helping with the planting of many trees and ensuring that a forested area was left for wildlife, she adds.

"The farm is my pressure release," Earnhardt once said. "Sometimes I walk all over the place by myself, and other times I walk out into the woods and sit down with my back against a tree and listen to tree frogs, katydids, bluebirds, and I watch other forms of wildlife. I get a kick out of seeing what is going on around me."

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When Earnhardt died, the record of his achievements locked into place; the legend of a humble boy-made-American hero solidified in the hearts and minds of millions across the country and world. But although he died young, at age 49, Earnhardt died doing what he loved.

And he had already shown, in his quieter moments, that success could be used for furthering good causes. Much of his giving was done in private. When he gave money, he consistently chose charitable organizations that supported nature, children, and education. Instead of basking in the sun of his success, he funded organizations that made the community stronger and created promise for the future. Teresa, Dale's wife of 19 years, founded the Dale Earnhardt Foundation in 2002 to continue supporting the good causes Dale supported during his life.

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This past April, during the third annual Dale Earnhardt Day, the Dale Earnhardt Foundation announced a partnership with AMERICAN FORESTS, one inspired by Earnhardt's interest in environmental conservation. "Dale had a longstanding commitment to the conservation of natural resources," Teresa says. "This wonderful program will help fulfill his dream."

Together the groups agreed upon an initial plan to plant 77,000 trees in Charlotte and neighboring counties; 7,000 of the trees are destined for city streets and 70,000 for rivers and waterways. The number "7" is important and symbolic for Earnhardt fans. It represents Dale's seven Winston Cup victories, spanning his 26 years of racing the black Chevrolet. On the day of the ceremony, the Dale Earnhardt Foundation and AMERICAN FORESTS planted seven trees in honor of Dale's wins. Those first seven trees are located on Dale Earnhardt Highway #3 at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina.