🎬 FIRE IN THE MIRROR: Netflix Releases the Official Trailer for the Dale Earnhardt Documentary Series

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — In the history of American motorsports, few figures stand as tall — or cast a shadow as long — as Dale Earnhardt. Some called him “The Intimidator.” Others saw him as the fiercest driver to ever grip a steering wheel. To millions, he was simply the heartbeat of NASCAR.

And now, for the first time, Netflix is opening the door to the world behind the black No. 3.

Today, the streaming giant dropped the long-awaited trailer for “THE INTIMIDATOR: The Dale Earnhardt Story,” a raw, unfiltered documentary series chronicling the rise, domination, and enduring legacy of the man who changed stock-car racing forever.

What the trailer reveals is more than nostalgia — it’s revelation.

The Legend Behind the Black No. 3

The opening shot is pure adrenaline:
A field of cars thunders into Turn 3 at Daytona — and then the unmistakable black Chevrolet Monte Carlo appears in the frame, slicing through traffic with that familiar, fearless aggression.

Earnhardt built his name on moves that defied logic, physics, and fear. But the trailer hints that this series isn’t just about his victories — it’s about why he drove the way he did.

A narrator growls over vintage race footage:

“You didn’t just race Dale Earnhardt…
you survived him.”

But Netflix aims deeper, pulling from home videos, private interviews, and never-before-seen archive footage showing Earnhardt as few ever saw him — a father, a friend, a complicated man driven by something more powerful than trophies.

From Kannapolis to Kingship

The film takes viewers back to Earnhardt’s roots in Kannapolis, North Carolina — a small-town kid chasing a dream inherited from his father, Ralph Earnhardt, himself a racing legend.

The teaser shows young Dale in a dusty garage, sleeves rolled up, eyes sharp. Long before the fame, before the iconic mustache, before the seven championships, he was a kid who refused to quit.

A voiceover says:

“He didn’t want to outrun the world.
He wanted to outrun the life he came from.”

Victory, Violence, and Vulnerability

Earnhardt’s story is not clean.
And Netflix doesn’t pretend it is.

The trailer hints at the emotional and physical toll of his career — the broken bones, the rivalries, the near-misses, and the internal battles hidden behind the intimidating exterior.

We see clips of his on-track wars with Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Rusty Wallace — the titans of 1980s and ’90s NASCAR.

But the most striking moments are off the track:

• Earnhardt holding his newborn son, Dale Jr.
• Earnhardt limping from a crashed car, refusing help.
• Earnhardt sitting alone in the garage after a bad finish, helmet still on.

One quiet line from an old interview plays over slow-motion footage:

“People think I’m fearless.
I’m not.
I’m just not afraid to be scared.”

The Father–Son Legacy

Fans will feel the emotional weight of the Earnhardt dynasty. The trailer shows a young Dale Jr., already wearing a fire suit, already carrying the weight of a name NASCAR worshipped.

Netflix teases the complicated bond between father and son:

• the pride
• the pressure
• the expectation
• the unspoken love only racers understand

A clip shows Junior admitting:

“He pushed me because he wanted me to be better…
but I think he also pushed me because he didn’t know how to say he was proud.”

The documentary appears ready to explore how that relationship shaped both their careers — and how it defined Dale Jr. after the tragedy that shocked the sporting world.

Daytona 2001: The Moment Time Stopped

The trailer does not shy away from the crash that ended Earnhardt’s life and changed NASCAR forever.

The music drops.
The screen goes black.
And a simple text fades in:

February 18, 2001

Though the teaser doesn’t show the crash, it suggests the series will handle the moment with gravity, sensitivity, and honest testimony from those who were there.

Crew chief.
Competitors.
Family.
Fans.

This is not a retelling — it’s a reckoning.

A Legacy That Refuses to Fade

The final shot shows an older Dale Jr. standing at the edge of Daytona International Speedway at sunrise.

His voice softens:

“He’s gone…
but he never left.”

The trailer makes one thing clear:
This isn’t just the story of a driver.
It’s the story of an American hero, a cultural force, and a man who turned bravery into identity.

Green Flag Ready

With this documentary, Netflix isn’t just releasing a series — it’s reigniting the legacy of one of the greatest figures in sport.

When it premiers, fans won’t just be watching history.
They’ll be reliving the roar of a life lived at full throttle.

The black No. 3 is coming back — not to race, but to remind the world why he was called The Intimidator.

And when it arrives, the echoes of Daytona will rise again.