The Dale Jr. Download Episode: "Dale Ate Dog Food & Signs from the Universe" Host: Dirty Mo Media, SiriusXM Date: December 17, 2025
Episode Overview
This special holiday edition of The Dale Jr. Download is filled with candid family stories, hilarious mishaps, and moments of unexpected reflection. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife Amy sit down for their “Bless Your Heart: Christmas Edition” to share Christmas chaos in the Earnhardt home, traditions old and new, and some wild tales—including Dale accidentally eating dog food, signs from the universe about distracted driving, and plenty of good-natured ribbing about holiday habits.
Table of Contents
- Christmas in the Earnhardt House
- Signs from the Universe: Distracted Driving
- Dale Eats Dog Food
- Holiday Traditions, Playlists, and Parental Challenges
- Listener Q&A – Holiday Traditions, Movies, and Advice
- Notable/Funny Quotes
- Memorable Segments & Timestamps
Christmas in the Earnhardt House
(03:01–10:39)
- Amy describes Christmas as the “Super Bowl for moms.” She’s stressed but loves making the day magical for her kids. Dale gives her heartfelt recognition for all her holiday effort.
- Dale: “You work so hard, you go around, you know, months in advance, start buying all these little neat… the things… add up into this really great experience for our girls.” (05:16)
- The logistics of shopping and wrapping are wild; Amy coordinates gifts for many children across both sides of the family.
- Amy: “There’s a lot to do. There's a lot to wrap… making it special is not that hard… bulk is more exciting than a special expensive present.” (07:58)
- Their daughters, Isla and Nicole, create chaos with presents, using the wrapped gifts as toys and even decorating the bags themselves.
- Amy: “Both girls are underneath the Christmas tree pulling all the gifts out and making like a choo choo train…” (09:39)
Signs from the Universe: Distracted Driving
(13:58–24:34)
- Dale shares a recent, frightening close call with a distracted driver while his daughter was in the car—right after he did a safety event for Nationwide.
- Dale: “Had the distracted driver appearance with Nationwide. And then this happened. Like, it's a universe sort of telling me that I… need to look at myself… Am I maybe on my phone a little bit too much?” (16:42)
- This triggers a memory from the 1990s: Dale flipping his truck while distracted by a CD player on Christmas Day. No major injuries, but his father's reaction surprises him.
- Dale: “I flipped my truck… I get out… I was like, Dad, I flipped my truck. I'm on the highway. He's like, all right, I'm coming that way… He just started laughing… ‘Man, I flipped my car when I was 18… just glad you're all right.’” (21:33)
- A full circle “universe moment”: The son of the couple who witnessed Dale’s truck flip is now moving into a house nearby.
- Amy: “That's also a quick reminder to not be distracted in your car. Like, there's a lot of Easter eggs the universe puts out there.” (22:34)
Dale Eats Dog Food
(24:34–30:39)
- Amy outs Dale for accidentally eating “dog ice cream”—a frozen pup cup intended for their dog, Gus.
- Amy: “Dale ate dog food. And in that moment, too, I'm thinking, why did I say anything? He would have kept eating it, and I couldn't let it happen.” (26:12)
- Dale: “I open it up, I dig out a little spoonful, and I take a bite, and I'm like, strange… And she's like, ‘That's for the dog.’ I was like, I’m caught. Right?” (27:02)
- Hilarity ensues as the family jokes about labeling food, Dale’s snack desperation, and debates over whether dog food should share freezer space with human food.
- Dale: “I'll look at a milk bone and know right away, I don't need to eat that… some stuff, you look at it and you're like, I might accidentally eat that…” (28:37)
Holiday Traditions, Playlists, and Parental Challenges
Car Decorations Debate
(30:44–34:40)
- Amy recounts wanting to put Christmas antlers on her car for their daughter, only for Dale to veto the idea.
- Amy: “I shamefully took them off and hid them from Isla. And she was so sad. And I blamed it on Dale, of course…” (31:47)
- Dale: “We are not gonna be those people that run around town with antlers all over our car.” (31:46)
- They compromise and laugh about local car decor traditions.
The Great Profanity Playlist & Parenting Language
(36:48–45:38)
- While driving, Dale plays a 90s rap playlist with plenty of profanity. Amy worries about what the kids are hearing—especially Nicole, who repeats everything.
- Amy: “He’s willing to risk it at all times with his music.” (38:34)
- Dale admits he uses music and radio as both a personal escape and sometimes a way to interact with the kids. He tries to reason with Isla about swearing:
- Dale: “You’re not allowed to say [bad words] until you’re at least 16, 17, 18 years old.” (42:25)
- Isla negotiates: “What about 17?” (42:53)
Playlist Stats & YouTube Habits
(54:01–58:03)
- Spotify Wrapped reveals Dale’s listening age to be “in the 60s or 85,” which both shocks and amuses him.
- Dale: “I found a bug in the software… I was like 85 or something.” (54:29)
- YouTube’s year-in-review lists his top interests as NASCAR races, home renovation, military history, and “exploring abandoned places.” Dale admits to watching old episodes of his own podcast.
- Dale: “My favorite videos, Dale Jr. Download. Hey, he watches himself.” (56:48)
White Noise & Sleeping Habits
(57:08–60:23)
- Dale prefers background noise to fall asleep (World War II “sleep stories” or the sound of race cars), while Amy needs total silence.
Listener Q&A
(48:01–68:20)
Christmas Traditions
- Picking out a real tree at the farmers market.
- Building gingerbread houses with the whole family.
- Driving around the neighborhood to see Christmas lights.
- Visits to mall Santas, which sometimes go hilariously awry.
Christmas Movies & Songs
- Favorite movies: Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Christmas Chronicles, The Grinch, Polar Express (for Dalton), and Elf (though somewhat overplayed).
- Favorite songs: “Carol of the Bells” (Lindsey Stirling version), “Last Christmas,” and debate over whether “Hallelujah” counts as a Christmas song.
Advice: First Holiday with Girlfriend/Boyfriend
- Amy recommends couples not yet married or engaged spend holidays with their own families to avoid drama and resentment.
- Amy: “You are not obligated… if it’s that important to you to stick with your traditions, then just do it separately.” (53:14)
New Year’s Resolutions & Celebrations
- Mixed feelings. Amy thinks it’s better to have attainable goals, while Dale likes to keep goals private.
- New Year’s Eve is beloved—especially since the Earnhardts were married on NYE. Dale prefers small gatherings and local bars to big, busy parties.
- They’re finally doing the Polar Plunge this year for charity after talking about it for years.
White Elephant Gift Ideas
- Amy recommends useful gifts or humorous re-gifts (like an Aura ring that didn’t fit, or something random from the house). Dale enjoys bringing a gift “nobody wants,” just for the sport of it.
Notable Quotes
- Dale: “I’ll look at a milk bone and know right away, I don’t need to eat that… Some stuff, you look at it and you’re like, I might accidentally eat that.” (28:37)
- Amy: “The Super Bowl for moms is coming up… the buildup is happening, every single day is important…” (03:02)
- Amy: “If it’s too good, they on the floor. You can’t have, they can’t taste that good. Mess their bellies up.” (29:49, also callback to intro segment)
- Dale: “Signs from the universe… it’s a universe sort of telling me that I might need to… look at myself… Are you maybe on your phone a little too much?” (16:42)
- Amy: “Dale ate dog food. And in that moment… why did I say anything? He would have kept eating it!” (26:12)
Memorable Segments & Timestamps
- Holiday Chaos & Gift Wrapping: 03:01–10:39
- Dale’s Near Miss with a Distracted Driver: 15:00–17:12
- Dale’s Truck Flipping Story: 17:14–22:05
- Dog Ice Cream Incident: 24:34–30:39
- Car Antler Decor Debate: 30:44–34:40
- The Profanity Playlist & Parenting Language: 36:48–45:38
- Spotify/YouTube Wrap & Sleep Habits: 54:01–60:23
- Listener Q&A Traditions, Movies, and Resolutions: 48:01–68:22
Conclusion
In this festive, down-to-earth episode, Dale Jr. and Amy give listeners a seat at their kitchen table with laughter, relatable parenting fails, and the kind of holiday craziness that feels both unique and universal. From eating dog food to seeing “signs from the universe” and arguing over car reindeer antlers, it’s equal parts earnest and hilarious. Perfect background listening—or, if you want the highlights, this summary brings it all home.