Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks back at his family’s legacy at the track.

DAYTONA BEACH

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. chooses to love the place where his daddy died.

It may seem odd, even morbid, to anyone who is a passerby to the traditions of stock-car racing. Family and racing are bonded for life. Dale Earnhardt died on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Dale Jr. remembers vividly, but it will never be a dark memory.

“When he passed away here, I had two choices: I could hate this place for it or it could become even more special to me and I could become more connected to it because of that circumstance,” Dale Jr. said Sunday. “I chose to embrace the track more. I knew how special this place was to my dad. It’s more meaningful to me personally, maybe more so than to other competitors as a cornerstone of this series.

“I made peace a long time ago with this race.”

With peace comes comes acceptance, and honoring your father’s legacy in other ways. An homage to the bond between father and son ran in a new Goodyear ad during the race. The spot — called “Make a Name” — reflects on the Earnhardts’ relationship with Goodyear and is sung to the tune of the Jim Croce song “I Got A Name.’”

Later in the day, after checking his Twitter and Instagram accounts, Dale Jr. took time for more introspective reflection: “Honesty I don’t even think about it when the anniversary of dads passing comes annually. He lived so hard and fast. His life was so grand, the date never registers with me for some reason. But I see the comments in my timeline and they are appreciated. #LegendsNEVERDie.”

Dale Jr. returned to Daytona International Speedway as Grand Marshal for the Great American Race, a different role since the day in 1999 when he started racing in the Cup Series.

He has retired to focus on family and health after numerous concussions scared him straight. He seemed like a disinterested, accidental tourist at times last season, finishing 21st.

But he returns here re-engaged on both fronts. Wife Amy is expecting. And Junior is taking a highly-qualified cheerleader role in Hendrick Motorsports, rooting for the young man who replaced him – Alex Bowman.

Bowman — the pole-sitter — was strong throughout the day but ended up 17th after getting caught up in a multi-car wreck late in the race.

Earnhardt, 43, has said he will be up for a racing cameo now and then, including the Xfinity Series at Richmond International Raceway in the fall. Besides his engagement with Hendrick Motorsports, his full-time gig now involves working as part of NBC’s NASCAR crew, which reunites him with former crew chief Steve Letarte.

Earnhardt will also be attending the Pyeongchang Olympics as a contributor for NBC. As for the other stuff: “There’s moments when I see things I’m going to miss and things I’ve enjoyed being a part of, but you’re reminded too of things you won’t miss,” he said. “The pressure of performance. You put a lot of pressure on yourself. Expectations from the outside. That’s for every driver. I’m not saying my pressure level was different.”

No pressure. No expectations. Just enjoy the ride, and the memories.