Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Richard Petty share a bond that stretches back to Dale’s early days in NASCAR’s spotlight. In that era, the King’s towering legacy lit a fire in the young driver’s heart with a small gesture as he grew up under his father’s shadow in Kannapolis.

Dale Jr., as a fan himself, knows the importance of an autograph. For instance, like when Dale surprised his friend with Michael Jordan’s signature on a pair of Air Jordans during a race weekend. “I’m usually not a thoughtful, caring person, but I said to Sean, ‘Michael Jordan’s going to come… Do you got a pair that you would love to get autographed? I will ask him to sign them,” he once shared. Those fanboy sparks never faded, especially during Petty’s era of dominance. And lately, Dale’s revisited one keepsake that hits

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