NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace has made a deeply personal decision regarding Amazon Prime’s acclaimed documentary series “Earnhardt”: He won’t be watching it.
The beloved racing personality and media figure opened up about his choice to skip the four-part series about his late friend Dale Earnhardt Sr., citing the emotional toll it would take on him more than two decades after the seven-time champion’s tragic death in 2001.
Wallace’s frank answer to a fan’s question about the documentary has since had a ripple effect throughout the NASCAR community. It spurs talks on grief, friendship, and how Earnhardt’s loss still haunts those who knew him best.
Kenny Wallace’s Emotional Decision
When asked about the Prime Video documentary, Wallace delivered a heartfelt and vulnerable response that struck a chord with racing fans everywhere. “I will not watch it because I already know what happened, and it’s too emotional for me. I do not want to put my heart through that again. However, the young generation needs to see it,” Wallace explained on social media.
I will not watch it because I already know what happened and it’s too emotional for me. I do not want to put my heart through that again.
However, the young generation needs to see it ❤️ https://t.co/NaV3FXt9he— Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace) June 29, 2025
This isn’t the first time Wallace has expressed these feelings. Earlier in 2024, when the documentary was initially announced, he shared similar sentiments, writing: “😔 sighhhh. So hard for me to watch these because it upsets me emotionally. So incredibly sad.”
😔 sighhhh. So hard for me to watch these because it upsets me emotionally. So incredibly sad. https://t.co/EXDUyL8wCu
— Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace) May 14, 2024
Wallace’s decision reflects what he sees as necessary emotional self-preservation. He’s been open about his psychological approach to dealing with difficult emotions often drawing from his interest in psychology and wisdom gained from mentor Dick Trickle.
For Wallace, avoiding the documentary represents acknowledging his own limitations while still recognizing its value for others.
The veteran driver isn’t alone in his emotional response to the series. Michael Waltrip, another close friend and former teammate of Earnhardt Sr., shared his own raw reaction on social media: “Laying in bed watching Earnhardt and crying like a baby. Remembering and missing Dale.”
Even Dale Earnhardt Jr. himself described parts of the documentary as “really hard to watch,” noting that it goes “way deeper” than previous documentaries about his father.
Wallace has also been deeply affected by how the documentary has impacted his own family, particularly his daughter Brandy, who has been “emotionally scarred” by watching the series despite never having met the Intimidator personally. She’s been “lighting up his phone” with emotional reactions, telling him: “Dad, if I could give Dale Jr. and Kelley a hug right now, oh my god, I would. They’ve been so hurt.”
Wallace’s honest admission powerfully reminds us that grief doesn’t follow prescribed timelines. Sometimes, the most genuine tribute to a friend’s memory is knowing when to step back and let others carry the story forward.
