There only can be fireworks when NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt Jr. and NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley lock horns, and that was exactly what happened when the two met on a go-kart track. It was all for fun and caught on video.
Friday's meeting between Earnhardt and Barkley started two weeks ago after the Charlotte Bobcats were eliminated from the playoffs,
according to NASCAR. Earnhardt, a Charlotte fan, was "photoshopped" to appear to be with the Bobcats on vacation during "NBA on TNT," on which Barkley is a co-host. Barkley expressed interest in meeting the racecar driver.
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"Heck, I wanna meet Charles," NASCAR's 11-time most popular driver responded to Barkley's request, noted NASCAR.
NASCAR announced that Earnhardt-Barkley "race" was filmed for NASCAR on TNT's Summer Series and will be shown before the race at Pocono Raceway on June 8. Earnhardt said he enjoyed the meeting.
"I was really surprised how nice a guy he was," Earnhardt said of Barkely,
according to The Associated Press. "I really expected him to be a competitor. As a player, he was really fiery and aggressive getting into scuffles. He was super nice. Really has an appreciation for our sport. Just a real nice guy to be around."
Earnhardt comes from a legendary race driving family, led by his late father Dale Earnhardt Sr. His career victories, including the 2004 Daytona 500, ranks him 39th on NASCAR's all-time race winners list.
Barkley was named to the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2006 after a career where he became only one of our players in NBA history to compile 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Karl Malone.
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