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dale earnhardt jr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 165
Born: Oct 10, 1974
Birth Place: Kannapolis, NC
Number: 88
Cup Wins: 26
NNS Wins: 23
Most Popular Driver Swards: 15
Sponsor: National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet
Crew Chief: Steve Letarte

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    Dale Earnhardt Jr. relishes latest Bristol run, from flames to Victory Lane

    (9/19/23) Dale Earnhardt Jr. soaked in every high and low in his return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Friday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    A two-time champion some 25 years ago, Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t get many opportunities to get back to racing on the national-series level since his Cup Series retirement after the 2017 season. The Class of 2021 NASCAR Hall of Famer has returned to Xfinity competition at least once a year from stepping away, though, and maximized his most recent endeavor, leading 47 laps and running well inside the top five for much of the evening.

    Even a night that went aflame — literally, as an electrical issue sparked a fire beneath his steering column and near his feet inside the final 30 laps, leading him to a 30th-place DNF — couldn’t erase his post-race giddiness.

    “I just know one thing — I didn’t cause no problems tonight for nobody,” Earnhardt Jr. said with a laugh. “That was a big deal for me. I didn’t wanna come in here and screw up somebody’s championship. Everybody would be like, ‘That damn Junior don’t need to be out there!'”

    Unsurprisingly, Earnhardt Jr. proved once again he indeed still belongs in a race car. Friday marked his first race at Bristol since 2017 and latest overall since an appearance at Martinsville Speedway in April 2022, when he qualified 30th before rallying to finish 11th.

    It was qualifying that had Earnhardt — a 50-time winner across Cup and Xfinity competition — concerned at Bristol. That 30th-place qualifying effort at Martinsville barely saw him advance into the race.

    “I ain’t never been as nervous as I was (Friday),” he said. “I’ve raced my whole career locked into every race I’ve ever went to, and I’ve never really had to sweat it out or worry about something happening and missing the show. And that’s not fun. It’s the worst feeling ever. …

    “I did not feel like I got enough laps in practice to understand nothing. I felt like everything was way ahead of me, and I was way behind on what I was seeing and processing mentally — but that was the way it was when I came here as a full-timer. I mean, this place just takes time to get up to speed. Your brain ain’t processing everything that’s coming at it visually, but it eventually slows down.

    “So I feel like that was probably as nervous as I’ve ever been. Probably more nervous than my very first (Cup) qualifying attempt at Charlotte as a rookie. I mean, I’m thinking back, and there’s nothing more gut-wrenching than wondering if you might go home, missing a race. I ain’t never failed to qualify for a race, and being presented with that reality was frightening.”

    Luckily for Junior — and his swath of loyal fans — that fear was short-lived. His lap at 120.596 mph was good for 15th on the starting grid, plenty quick enough to make the show and charge to the front.

    Earnhardt Jr. lingered inside the top four much of the evening before eventually nabbing the lead. These days, he’s hesitant to set any sort of lofty expectations for himself, the result of doing this once yearly since 2018, although he’s scheduled to return a second time at Homestead-Miami Speedway in just over four short weeks. Since making these annual starts, Junior has viewed himself as a fifth- to 12th-place runner. He would have been plenty happy with that Friday. Turns out he was destined for a little better than that.

    “I guess if you aim low, you’ll never be disappointed,” Junior said. “I don’t set high expectations, especially at this point in my life, except for certain things. But when it comes to racing, I try not to really get too competitive because when I get competitive, I get miserable, even when I’m running well. These races, for me, are about just coming back and smelling the smells and hearing the sounds and getting reminded what’s going on inside the car and what a driver thinks about.

    “I feel like that the further I get removed from my driving career, the harder it is to be a broadcaster and an analyst,” continued Earnhardt, a regular in NBC Sports’ NASCAR commentary booth. “And so running these races is all about learning and relearning really and reminding yourself what a driver thinks and goes through in certain situations and just so that stuff’s fresh on your mind.”

    He certainly got the full experience on Friday night when an electrical short inside the cockpit led to a fire near the floorboard of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

    “We had a positive wire short up in the top of the dash, and the casing on the wire melted down onto the leg brace and caught the foam in the leg brace and the cloth cover of the leg brace on fire, so it burnt the leg off my uniform. It was like another lap, and I was probably gonna be blistered up.

    “No burns on my leg. Just barely escaped,” Junior smirked. “I was disappointed to have to get out. We were gonna run fourth or better.”

    The charred fire suit of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s right leg after his NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol

    At age 48 — 49 by the time he races again on Oct. 21 at Homestead-Miami — how often Earnhardt will make these one-off appearances back in one of NASCAR’s national series remains to be determined. But Friday served as a good shot in the arm that he can still be competitive when he zips up the fire suit, pulls on the helmet and straps into one of his team’s quick Chevrolets.

    “I mean, I’ll run as long as I can. I like running one here and one there,” he said. “I mean, certainly not until I’m 60 years old. But I think I still feel young. I overachieved tonight in my eyes in terms of how I ran, so I guess that gave me some confidence to try to do one here and one there for a couple more years.”

    Oh, and he still got to visit Victory Lane — thanks to JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier, who wheeled the No. 7 Chevrolet to the win.

    “I’m real happy for Justin,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Winning at Bristol is such an amazing accomplishment for any driver. This kind of ranks up there with Darlington in terms of being a driver’s race track. You’ve got to be tough and move around and defense and be on the offense and gotta (have your) head on a swivel out there. All the good drivers seem to do well and figure this place out. It’s not a place where you get any flukes. Proud for him.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. To EP NASCAR Docuseries For Netflix

    (8/21/23) Netflix is speeding into its latest sports docuseries.

    The streamer has ordered a series that tracks the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and championship race this fall.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has won 26 races in the Cup Series and is the son of legendary motorsports driver Dale Earnhardt, is exec producing the untitled project.

    The five-part series has already starting filming as the drivers battle it out to secure their spot in the NASCAR Playoffs, which begin Sept. 3 at Darlington Raceway.

    It will feature exclusive access to drivers and teams both on the track and at home.

    The series will premiere in early 2024.

    Words + Pictures, the company launched by former ESPN exec Connor Schell that is backed by Peter Chernin’s The North Road Company, is producing alongside NASCAR Studios.

    Jackie Decker and Tim Mullen, who exec produced ESPN’s Quest for the Stanley Cup, will serve as showrunners of the series with Earnhardt Jr. exec producing alongside Schell, Libby Geist and Aaron Cohen of Words + Pictures, Tally Hair of NASCAR Studios and Ben Kennedy, Tim Clark and Matt Summers.

    It is Netflix’s latest sports docuseries, coming days after the streamer unveiled plans for a series about sprinters, alongside Formula 1: Drive To Survive, Break Point, Full Swing and Quarterback.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. sets Homestead-Miami for second Xfinity Series start in 2023

    (7/6/23) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s destination for his second scheduled start of the Xfinity Series season was announced Thursday, with the NASCAR Hall of Famer planning to compete at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Since his retirement from the NASCAR Cup Series in 2017, Earnhardt has competed in one race each season in the Xfinity tour. This year, the 48-year-old driver is set for two events — Sept. 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway and now also the Contender Boats 250 on Oct. 21 (3 p.m. ET, USA, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) at the 1.5-mile South Florida oval.

    Earnhardt’s appearance at Homestead-Miami is a return trip in his post-retirement tour. He finished fifth there in 2020. Since his transition from the Cup Series to an analyst role with NBC Sports, Earnhardt has also raced at Richmond Raceway (2018, 2021), Darlington Raceway (2019), and Martinsville Speedway (2022). His most recent Xfinity Series effort ended in an 11th-place finish, topped by a post-race cooler of beer on Martinsville’s pit road.

    Earnhardt has won 24 times in the Xfinity Series, racing to the circuit’s championship in 1998-99. His best Xfinity finish at Homestead was a runner-up outcome that capped his second title march.

    Earnhardt’s most recent Xfinity Series win came April 23, 2016 at Richmond, where he dominated by leading 128 of 149 laps.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. unveils paint scheme for 2023 Xfinity Series Bristol race

    (5/25/23) (Photo) Dale Earnhardt Jr. unveiled the paint scheme for his annual return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Thursday at JR Motorsports Fan Day.

    He is slated to compete in the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 15, which marks the playoff opener for the series.

    Dale Jr. will pilot the Hellmann’s No. 88 Chevrolet. The blue and yellow paint scheme harks back to his father dawning the iconic color duo in the Wrangler Chevrolet. In 2010, Dale Jr. took the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet to an emotional victory an Xfinity Series night race at Daytona International Speedway.

    Since beginning his one-and-done Xfinity races per season in 2018, Earnhardt Jr. has tallied three top-five finishes with his best coming at Richmond Raceway where he finished fourth (’18). He finished 11th in his most recent start at Martinsville Speedway last spring.

    After 27 years, NASCAR returns to once-abandoned North Wilkesboro Speedway for All-Star race

    (5/19/23) When Dale Earnhardt Jr. entered the gates of North Wilkesboro Speedway on a cold December day in 2019, he took one look around the dilapidated track and thought it would never host another NASCAR race.

    Weeds were growing up through cracks in the track's asphalt surface.

    The grandstands were rusted out and falling apart. Scraps of metal, wood and plastic fencing were scattered about, and the weather-tattered press box in the infield had paint chips falling off. There was no plumbing, no electricity.

    North Wilkesboro Speedway had proudly hosted two Cup Series races per year and was the site of 15 Richard Petty victories before it was abandoned 27 years ago as NASCAR transitioned to bigger markets. It was essentially a ghost town.

    "I'm looking around and thinking, 'this track is too far gone,''' Earnhardt said.

    Not that racing at North Wilkesboro was on Earnhardt's mind at the time.

    He arrived that day with a crew of 21 to help clean up the track's surface and preserve it forever for iRacing's digital platform. That meant cleaning the overgrown track thoroughly enough to have it "mapped'' through laser scanning.

    Less than four years later, North Wilkesboro Speedway is hosting the NASCAR All-Star race.

    The story of the dramatic restoration of one of racing's oldest tracks began on a flight from Charlotte to Las Vegas in September 2019.

    Marcus Smith, the CEO of track owner Speedway Motorsports, had agreed to fly Earnhardt out West after the Hall of Fame driver's airplane crash-landed at Elizabethtown Municipal Airport in Tennessee a month earlier, leaving him without transportation. On the flight, the two men began discussing NASCAR's future, and Earnhardt, a racing historian, asked Smith if he would give him permission to preserve the 0.6-mile oval track for future generations.

    Smith agreed.

    It didn't take long for North Wilkesboro to become the most popular track on the iRacing platform, and fans began talking about the need for live racing to return there after more than a quarter of a century.

    "There was a tsunami of support. It grew and grew, and as it continued, I was like, people don't get it,'' Smith said. "They don't get it. They didn't really understood how far dilapidated the track was beyond repair.''

    Smith thought the push would fade, but it didn't. Finally, he agreed to host the CARS Tour race last August at North Wilkesboro dubbed the "Racetrack Revival.''

    That night changed everything.

    Earnhardt agreed to drive the Sun Drop car and thousands of fans poured into the track to soak in a little history. It didn't matter to them there was no plumbing; they used Port-A-Johns. Food trucks made up for the lack of concession stands. Even the traffic backups didn't seem to bother fans.

    "The grace the fans showed was incredible,'' Earnhardt said. "They didn't care about all of those things falling short. Everybody was just so happy to be there, so excited. They were basically in utter disbelief that this was actually happening.''

    So was Earnhardt.

    He had goosebumps as he prepared to climb into the racecar that night.

    "I have never experienced the energy and excitement that I felt that night,'' Earnhardt said. "This was by far the most surreal, amazing feeling that I have experienced at a track before.''

    Smith recognized something special was happening, too.

    "That was the first time it became apparent we could really do something if we really put our minds to it,'' Smith said.

    The magical night, combined with an $18 million allocation from a federally backed economic revival program, persuaded Smith to begin pursuing a Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro.

    A few months later, North Wilkesboro Speedway was chosen to host the All-Star race for NASCAR's celebratory 75th anniversary season, and restoration on the track shifted into full gear.

    On Sunday night, there will be indoor plumbing, electricity and updated grandstands that will help host nearly 30,000 spectators. There's a new sound system, a new retro scoreboard tower and, yes, Wi-Fi. There's new signage along with plenty of new paint.

    SAFER barriers have been added to the inside and outside walls of the track for driver safety.

    Significant traffic issues are likely, given the two-lane road leading into the track, but the money allotted for further infrastructure improvements will help fix that in the near future. The track itself, which hasn't been paved since 1984 and has been patched in several areas already, may need to be fixed once stock cars begin turning all those laps.

    But right now drivers say they're eager to give it a spin.

    "It's going to be electric,'' said Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Chevrolet. "This may be the best experience of the year for our sport. It's something different, and I personally love the nostalgia associated with the track. I'm sure everybody is excited to see how the racing turns out and I think it will be great. It will be a blast from the past.''

    Smith said he hopes fans feel like they're stepping back in time.

    "We are in the memory business,'' Smith said. "Hopefully fans feel like they have stepped into a piece of history and they can enjoy that while they're here.''

    Earnhardt can't wait to hear the roar of the NextGen car engines Sunday night accelerate toward the start/finish line Sunday night.

    "It will be pretty emotional,'' said Earnhardt, whose father Dale Sr. won five Cup races at the track. "I think that is when it will all sink in, like this is actually happening — this track, one that was long forgotten by the industry, will be brought back to life.''

    What happens to North Wilkesboro Speedway beyond this weekend remains uncertain. There are no future Cup Series races on the docket.

    Earnhardt hopes this weekend changes all of that.

    "If we leave there on Sunday and everyone is saying, 'I hope we get to come back someday,' then we've done a good thing,'' Earnhardt said.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers

    (4/27/23) Dale Earnhardt Jr. has excelled whether it’s on or off the track, and on Thursday he was named to NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers — joining his dad, who was part of the original 50 on the list.

    Delivering the news was NBC’s Steve Letarte, Earnhardt’s crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports from 2011-14 when Junior scored five of his 26 wins in the Cup Series.

    Like his dad, Earnhardt Jr. had a knack for restrictor-plate racing, compiling two victories in the Daytona 500 (2004, 2014) and six wins at Talladega Superspeedway. Earnhardt Jr. also won twice in the Daytona summer race, including an emotional victory in 2001 in the first race at Daytona after his dad’s death there earlier that year.

    Among Junior’s other big wins were a Bristol Night Race victory in 2004 and a Martinsville clock in the fall of 2014. In addition to his Cup success, he also won back-to-back championships in the Xfinity Series in 1998 and 99 while driving for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. He had 13 wins over those two seasons, giving him the bulk of the 24 Xfinity wins that are on his record.

    Earnhardt’s popularity with the fans is, of course, well known, and he won the NMPA’s Most Popular Driver Award 15 times from 2003-17, a number bested only by Bill Elliott’s 16.

    Earnhardt’s down-to-earth personality and his love for the history of the sport have served him well in his career as a broadcaster after he retired from full-time racing. Fans can hear him as part of the booth team for NBC Sports during their live broadcasts of the races or on the airwaves through his Dale Jr. Download podcast on Dirty Mo Media.

    Earnhardt also has a strong connection to the iRacing gaming community. He led an effort to clean up North Wilkesboro Speedway and map it for iRacing as a way to preserve the track. Three years later, NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports are getting ready to revive North Wilkesboro with this year’s All-Star Race on May 21 (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM).

    ‘Such great energy’: Dale Earnhardt Jr. savors the surreal in North Wilkesboro’s revival

    (4/7/23) The feeling of disbelief from Dale Earnhardt Jr. about North Wilkesboro Speedway’s comeback story can now be measured in months.

    The NASCAR Hall of Famer had that feeling when the historic .625-mile track was reborn with racing at the regional and touring level there last August. He was an active participant on the Late Model side, and the facility – while still wanting for creature comforts and basic amenities – responded with a warm embrace from those in attendance.

    That feeling has kept going, from Earnhardt getting the official word last September that North Wilkesboro would host the NASCAR All-Star Race in 2023, bringing the Cup Series back to the foothills track for the first time in nearly 27 years. He received another shot of reality Thursday, when officials shed light on a fittingly old-school All-Star Race format for the May 21 event.

    Earnhardt wistfully flashed back to his appearance there last summer, thanking the fans for their grace in bearing with the track’s rough edges from early in the reconstruction process. Once the engines roared back to life there, not many folks there seemed to mind.

    “Everybody was just so happy to be there, and as soon as the cars started rolling, everybody was like, you know, sort of this surreal moment where you’re thinking, ‘Man, I can’t believe that this is happening,’ ” Earnhardt said. And I was thinking that in the car and after the race, and I’m like, ‘I just can’t believe that we actually raced here, and that we had such a great turnout, and we had such great energy.’ And everybody, even all the drivers, competitors are just so happy to be part of it.

    “And I think that it’s just going to multiply when we go there for the All-Star week, and when we’re all standing there, all of us here, when we’re standing there, for that race to begin, that moment is going to happen for all of us. We’re going to be like, ‘I never thought this would happen. I can’t believe this is actually about to happen.’ “

    Earnhardt was on the early edge of trying to preserve the speedway, getting his hands dirty in helping a crew prepare the track for iRacing simulator scans way back in 2019. The progress has advanced well beyond that weed-whacking, shoveling and sweeping in recent months, with a North Carolina government grant helping the track’s leadership group breathe new life into the place.

    Renovations continue to take shape, with new concrete being poured, a new LED scoring pylon, and salvage efforts for the existing structures that ring the Wilkes County oval. Marcus Smith, Speedway Motorsports president and CEO, has called the rejuvenation a “resto-mod” with efforts made to retain the track’s vintage character while adding modern underpinnings. He also has a longer-term vision for what the track could be, even beyond racing.

    “From the beginning, I have been interested in seeing the speedway be a venue for entertainment and a kind of a destination for festivals and music events, car show events, Christmas shows and of course, races,” Smith said. “So we’re already fielding calls for special events that can happen there and working on the future calendar. I think that those are things that we definitely intend for the speedway to be a spot that people go to for many, many years ahead.”

    The steps that have already been made at North Wilkesboro, plus that vision for permanence, have also resonated with NASCAR competition officials, who have watched the track’s rebirth with interest. The 2024 racing calendar hasn’t come to light yet, but Steve O’Donnell — NASCAR Chief Operating Officer – said Thursday that the support for the rebuilding efforts has made an impression.

    “I think still too early to talk about even ’24 but it’s something that certainly has us intrigued in terms of the fan feedback, the fact that it’s already sold out is really neat, and the industry getting behind it,” O’Donnell said. “So that’ll be important once we get through there — how’s the track hold up, what do the drivers think, how’s the Next Gen car perform. All that’s certainly something we want to look at and wouldn’t rule out going back there as well.”

    In the meantime, what’s old is gradually becoming new again. The former ghostlike, crumbling vestiges of North Wilkesboro Speedway now beam with fresh paint. The All-Star Race was for decades a Charlotte Motor Speedway mainstay that only recently rotated among other Speedway Motorsports tracks; it’s now breathing anew, and without throwing any major gadgetry at the race format.

    Smith had jokingly – or perhaps not so jokingly – tapped Earnhardt on Thursday as the track’s de facto chairman of the board. The 48-year-old racer turned NBC Sports analyst plans to return there next month, competing in a CARS Tour event during the weeklong run-up to the main event. Whether his seat at the head of the table on the North Wilkesboro board is imaginary or not, Earnhardt said that he’s hopeful for the future of both track and event.

    “It’s perfect, right? I mean, that race needs a reboot. And here we go,” Earnhardt said. “I mean, it’s great for the track, it’s great for the All-Star Race as well because, this talk about ‘Do we need the All-Star Race?’ Come on. We need the All-Star Race. You know, there’s been a little talk about man, maybe we shouldn’t have it. Maybe we don’t need the Clash. … I don’t like that conversation. We need the Clash. We need the All-Star Race. We need these non-points, low-pressure, winner-takes-all moments that happen throughout, once or twice a year, and this race needs to matter, right? And maybe this will steer it back in that direction.”

    JR Motorsports’ strength in numbers fades in Daytona overtime

    (2/18/23) JR Motorsports team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted about the queasy feeling he had as Saturday evening’s NASCAR Xfinity Series opener headed into its final stage. Three of his four cars had spent time leading on Daytona International Speedway’s high banks, and the lot of them were squarely in the top five and in contention for victory as the laps ticked away.

    The nausea turned out to be a fairly accurate predictor of the bedlam that ended Saturday’s Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300.

    The JR Motorsports quartet of Josh Berry, Justin Allgaier, Sam Mayer and Brandon Jones all sat lined up second through fifth in that order in the closing laps behind Austin Hill’s No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, but none could mount a united charge to overtake it — each with results that varied on the disappointment scale and with questions about the timing of their late-race bid for the win.

    When overtime came, the list of JRM hopefuls had been trimmed to two who each seemed to have an edge against Hill — Allgaier, who led at the white flag, and Mayer, who avoided his teammate’s block and zipped by on the high side through Turns 1 and 2. The two nearly touched but a tight squeeze with Hill turned Mayer’s No. 1 Camaro into the outside wall, where it made contact and flipped, throwing sparks as it skidded on the backstretch asphalt. He was checked at the infield care center and unhurt, just missing out on his first Xfinity Series victory.

    “That really sucks. I mean, I’m more emotionally drained because I was so close yet again,” Mayer told NASCAR.com after returning to the garage area with a 27th-place finish, last among the JRM drivers. “It’s just like, you can taste it, you can see it, you can feel it, and then all of a sudden, you’re feeling something completely different that ain’t that good. But I mean, our team, I’m super proud of everything that we put together today. I mean, we’re hauling the mail, we were able to control the race for a little bit and experience that.”

    Allgaier wound up keeping his car straight after his closely contested battle with Mayer, placing third behind Hill and runner-up John Hunter Nemechek. As he took the white flag, Allgaier built out a lead of several car lengths that was quickly erased by Mayer and Hill in front of the more aero-efficient pack. “I knew that if I lifted, I was gonna get swallowed up,” Allgaier said, “and I just didn’t think that was the right choice.”

    The choice that Allgaier made with just two laps left in regulation helped turned the outcome. His No. 7 team told him over the radio communications to be ready, preparing him for the move that would break up the single-file group. When Mayer appeared to feint low, Allgaier dove to the bottom lane to set JRM’s attack in motion.

    “I really thought it was a little late to be honest with you, which is kind of funny,” said Allgaier, who led 36 laps, second only to Hill’s race-best 39. “You know, (Mayer) felt like it was a little early; I felt like it was a little late. I thought we made the right move, just then you’re worried about running out of fuel and all the other scenarios.”

    Said Mayer: “I think it was probably one lap early, but I think the cars, the way we’re set up here, I think it’s what you have to do almost in certain situations. Because once you get the lead, it’s easy to control it once you get up there. You’ve just got to get there first. So I think that’s why he did what he did and why everyone did what they did. But I mean, it’s Daytona. All hell’s gonna break loose anyway. No matter what you do, something’s gonna go wrong, and sometimes you’re on the short end of the stick like we were tonight.”

    Behind them, the jostling continued and contact between Berry and Jones sent the latter’s No. 9 Chevrolet out of line and spinning into the backstretch grass. He drove away from the off-course excursion and finished 14th, on the lead lap.

    “Josh did all he could do to try to win the race, right,” Jones told NASCAR.com in the Xfinity garage. “He wanted to make the move to try to get that train started. And here I was late, I was slow, whatever it was, just to make that block and he can’t lift, I don’t think at that point, you know what I mean? If he lifts, it’s gonna stack his deal up, and at that point, I’m committed. I’ve got to try to take it and hope for the best. And it’s something I’ve just got to work on a little bit probably in the future, is just really getting aggressive with making the move like that.

    “But it’s just tough, right? You run around all day, and wait and wait on when the plan is going to happen, and when we’re all going to make our move to go. And really, it’s kind of coming a little late for me. I was thinking in my head, eight to go-ish and that’s when we need to start thinking about making this move. And then we get down to five (laps left) and it’s something that never really happened. And so it got down to where it was gonna be pretty late, you’re gonna have one shot at it.”

    Berry continued after his contact with Jones, but those same concerns that Allgaier voiced about running out of gas struck his No. 8 Chevy, which sputtered dry under yellow on the first extra lap.

    “I think Brandon was sort of late on that block obviously. The last thing I want to do is spin out one of my teammates, but I felt like I was plenty far up on him that I don’t feel like I did anything wrong,” Berry said after finishing 26th.

    None of their four efforts were enough to dislodge Hill’s solo march.

    “I feel like, everyone has a different opinion, but I felt like we were better with our strength in numbers trying to beat the 21,” Berry said. “He thought otherwise.”

    Streamline Hotel provides glimpse into NASCAR’s storied past

    (2/17/23) Vintage racecars crowded into the parking lot of the Streamline Hotel for a “legends party” Wednesday, and hundreds of fans got up-close looks at pieces of NASCAR history.

    They could have found even more by touring the historic building.

    The Streamline, which opened in 1941 and has been widely recognized as the birthplace of NASCAR because it hosted meetings between drivers and officials during its formative years, has once again become a landmark overlooking the “World’s Most Famous Beach.”

    Reimagined as a boutique hotel with a distinct art-deco design, it’s filled with pictures and memorabilia from NASCAR’s early days and stands as one of the few remaining reminders of the series’ roots. It’s a gathering spot — maybe even a tourist attraction — for anyone wanting a glimpse of what those olden days of racing on the beach must have looked and felt like.

    And there’s no shortage of curious customers this week as NASCAR celebrates its 75th anniversary.

    “I couldn’t help but walk through there and put myself in the shoes of 1947, ’48, somewhere in there,” said 2012 NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski, who poked around the hotel recently. “I couldn’t help but do that and think of myself as them and what that place must have looked like then. It’s interesting for sure.”

    It’s a masterpiece to some, something of a marvel to anyone who saw what the dilapidated building looked like less than a decade ago.

    Real estate magnate Eddie Hennessy bought the 44-room hotel in 2014. He spent upwards of $6 million restoring and renovating it. He delivered a Miami-inspired motif that includes lots of bright colors and intricate details that create the look of a bygone era and restored it to its original glory.

    “Not too many people could have done what I did,” Hennessy said. “It was the biggest mountain I’ve ever climbed.”

    Hennessy gutted the building down to original concrete and beams, raised ceilings, added modern amenities and gave the hotel a definitive NASCAR feel with pictures the France family allowed him to use. Close friend J.C. France, the son of NASCAR chairman Jim France, gave him exclusive access to NASCAR memorabilia that now adorn the walls of the lobby, the restaurant and the rooftop bar.

    “I’m a racer at heart,” Hennessy said. “I was raised by NASCAR and all kinds of racing. And being so close to the France family, it was out of respect also. This place has so much heritage.”

    He kept tributes to a masonic temple that was part of the original building, went to great lengths (and expense) to move and maintain a heavy vault door, and had racing-inspired murals painted on several interior walls.

    His years-long effort was featured in an October 2014 episode of the Travel Channel’s reality television show “Hotel Impossible.” The show “put us back on the map,” Hennessy said, and created extra buzz surrounding the famed hotel.

    Renowned gangster Al Capone frequented the hotspot in its heyday along with moonshiners who were among NASCAR’s first generation of racers. When they first started racing on the beach, they drove right by the hotel, which now sits on the western side of a scenic roadway.

    Hennessy recently purchased several nearby properties and cleared the land. He hopes to eventually build on those and further revitalize an area decimated by two hurricanes in 2022. In the meantime, the hotel serves as the centerpiece of that section of Daytona Beach.

    The rooftop bar regularly features live music as well as deejays and specially themed events such as Latin Nights, drag shows and yoga classes.

    The hotel generates much of its income during Speedweeks, Bike Week and Spring Break — all staples of the tourism industry in Daytona.

    Former NASCAR champion Chase Elliott has visited the hotel, and NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. rented out the entire thing for a private launch party for his High Rock Vodka last year. NASCAR also held a 75th anniversary celebration there last month.

    The legends party was the latest draw. Jim France, Hall of Fame driver Bobby Allison and NASCAR vice chairman Mike Helton were on hand for the event.

    “You have to have a vision,” Hennessey said. “People thought I was crazy when I bought this place. It was a lot of trial and tribulation, dealing with a lot of historical aspects, nationally and locally.

    “The hotel was in bad disarray for so long. And for me to change that stigma and reputation was another feat in its own.”

    NASCAR 75: Earnhardt Jr. says NASCAR ‘is family’

    (2/17/23) With NASCAR celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023, The Associated Press asked retired Hall of Fame driver and NBC Sports analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. to write an essay on the series and its role in his life. Earnhardt is a third-generation North Carolina racer, two-time Daytona 500 winner and has an important voice in the direction of NASCAR:

    What does NASCAR mean to me?

    Besides bent sheet metal and burnt motor oil? NASCAR is an ever-evolving machine. Looking back over the decades of change is overwhelming. But there is one constant that was always dependable.

    NASCAR is family.

    My earliest memory of being at a NASCAR event was 1981. Dad was grinding it out in the back of the top 10 almost every week. I was too young to understand that he was one season removed from winning the championship, and his career was now wandering off course.

    I just remember running up and down the roads, all of us in a custom passenger van, going to every race. I raced Matchbox cars in the floorboard on those trips. Once we got close to the house, Kelley would often get to sit in dad’s lap and steer us the rest of the way home. Today, I won’t put the truck in drive unless each of my girls is buckled in tight.

    Gatherings at my grandfather Robert Gee’s highlighted Charlotte race weekends. I eagerly analyzed all the various race cars that would come through his backyard garage. Short track, dirt and asphalt cars, big buck NASCAR Cup machines, his own Busch Grand National cars he polished and shined. The Gee family would gather on the back deck for steaks grilled by Robert.

    Days at the track as a kid were spent with friends like Brad Means, whose dad Jimmy raced as an independent. There was Scott Williams, whose dad Doug was a mechanic and crew chief. I still talk to Mike Whitcomb, whose dad was a car owner back then. Everyone had kids our age, it seemed. We all got along for the most part unless our dads wrecked each other. We would go up and down pit road begging teams to let us wax their cars. We never missed a pay-to-ride go-kart track in any town on the series schedule. We huddled in motel rooms building model cars at 2 a.m. and laid washers on the Darlington railroad tracks for the 1 a.m. train.

    All of this happened before I ever drove a lap in what would be an 18-year Cup career. But those early days shaped my perception of racing and my perception of NASCAR. NASCAR is family. There are the blood relatives who are part of the journey. But there are also the friends who become family – many of them, you put your life in their hands.

    NASCAR is community. It’s relationships. It’s people. The cars are constantly changing. The rules change, as do the facilities. But the constant is that people are the most critical ingredient. You race your entire life with family and friends, and that bond you create during the long days at the track is as durable as the anvil dad used to hammer out a homemade drive shaft hoop in 1984 for his Nova that now sits on the shop floor at JRM

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘humbled’ after tough day at Florence Motor Speedway’s Icebreaker

    (2/13/23) Early Saturday morning, Dale Earnhardt Jr. rolled into Florence Motor Speedway with high hopes. High hopes that the rainy forecast would subside for the annual Icebreaker event and also hopes of a strong finish for his JR Motorsports No. 3 Chevrolet — and when it was all said and done, only the former happened.

    Earnhardt wheeled his car to near perfection in the morning’s lone practice session, ranking atop the leaderboards that featured a stacked lineup of some of the best Late Model racers in the region. Racing alongside teammate Carson Kvapil in the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops entry, the outlook was bright for the pairing to have a solid result.

    But when qualifying came around, Earnhardt qualified mid-pack and was struggling through the early parts of the race in a tense battle for every position on the race track. In the end, it cost him.

    “The weather turned out to work out for us; what did not work out was how the race car drove,” Earnhardt Jr. said on Twitter after the race. “I didn’t do a good job. … Just burned the rear tires off of it. Thought I was riding, thought I was saving what I needed but when it came time to go at the end, we didn’t have anything left.”

    After a relatively clean race from the field, the closing laps saw a flurry of cautions that resulted in severe hood damage to Earnhardt’s Mom ‘N’ Pops Chevrolet. He went on to cross the finish line in 17th, though he was awarded another position after post-race inspection was complete.

    “You’re gonna show up and get your butt kicked some days and be humbled, and this is one of those days,” said Earnhardt. “We’ll try to get it going and next time we get behind the wheel, do a better job.”

    Former Late Model ace and current Xfinity Series driver for JR Motorsports, Josh Berry, has continued to be supportive of Earnhardt racing in the grassroots series and knows how hard the transition is for him.

    “I know he’s enjoyed coming back and racing these cars,” said Berry in an interview with NASCAR.com after the race. “It’s a big step from him, coming back to do this after racing Cup (Series) cars for so long. But it’s been fun. He’s had fun and I’ve enjoyed being a part of it and we’ll keep doing it, keep getting better and hopefully one of these days we can win one of these things.”

    Berry won the 2022 Icebreaker at Florence and serves as a crew chief for Earnhardt whenever he decides to race Late Models. His experience and passion for this level of racing are evident, after spending so many years making his name at the local arenas.

    “I just love this type of racing, love the grassroots, love all these tracks,” Berry said. “I mean, this is what I’ve done for the last decade. I enjoy coming out here every chance I get and it’s always fun. So, hopefully, we can keep doing it for years.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. to run Xfinity race at Bristol; JR Motorsports, Unilever extend partnership

    (1/10/23) Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back once again.

    The NASCAR Hall of Famer returns to the No. 88 Chevrolet on Sept. 15 for the Xfinity Series’ night race at Bristol Motor Speedway, JR Motorsports announced Tuesday. The announcement comes coupled with news that Unilever returns to sponsor Earnhardt and JRM for a 15th consecutive season. In addition to sponsoring Earnhardt at Bristol, the company will also don the No. 7 Chevrolet driven by Justin Allgaier in six races in 2023.

    “We’ve been partners with Unilever since the very early days of JR Motorsports,” Earnhardt said in a press release. “They’ve been with us as our program has grown and been an important part of our success – on and off the track. They’re a key component of our company. I’m grateful for their support, and I’m happy to watch our partnership continue to grow.”

    Earnhardt has made his love for short-track racing well known, bolstered by a Monday announcement that the 15-time Most Popular Driver of the Cup Series purchased the CARS Tour with partners Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Justin Marks.

    Since retiring from full-time Cup racing in 2017, Earnhardt has continued to make once-yearly starts in the Xfinity Series, making three of his last five starts at Richmond Raceway (0.75 miles) or Martinsville Speedway (0.519 miles). Earnhardt’s last Xfinity start at Bristol came in 2017 where he finished 13th, one lap down.

    Earnhardt, a two-time Xfinity Series champion, is slated to compete in two Xfinity races in 2023, marking the first time since 2017 that he will compete in multiple national series events. JRM has yet to announce where Earnhardt’s other race will take place, but announced on Nov. 1 he will compete with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops.

    Unilever has partnered with JR Motorsports since 2009, the organization’s fourth full-time season. The company now serves as JRM’s longest-tenured partner and one of the longest-running active sponsors in NASCAR, according to the release.

    “We are so proud and excited to continue our partnership with Dale Jr. and his team at JR Motorsports,” Ben Crook, VP/GM Dressings & Condiments Unilever North America, said in a release. “The equal passion that NASCAR fans have for their favorite brands like Hellmann’s and drivers like Dale Jr. is what makes this partnership so special. We look forward to continuing this ride with Dale for years to come.”

    As part of the sponsorship, Earnhardt has donned the Unilever colors at least once in each of the last 14 seasons. Allgaier, who finished third in the Championship 4 in 2022, carried Unilever to Victory Lane at Darlington and Nashville last season.

    For new CARS Tour ownership group, passion is the underlying theme

    (1/9/23) In 2014, Jack McNelly was faced with a choice.

    McNelly at the time owned the Pro Cup Series, a once-thriving short-track stock car series that had fallen on hard times. Car counts were down, and fan attendance had dwindled, leaving McNelly in an unenviable position.

    He either had to shut the series down or use the Pro Cup Series as a foundation for something new.

    McNelly, a passionate member of the short-track racing community, didn’t like the idea of giving up. So he founded the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour, which sanctions events for late model stock cars and pro late models across the Southeast.

    In the years that followed, a number of drivers who would go on to careers in NASCAR have found success with the CARS Tour. They include drivers like Josh Berry, Zane Smith, Myatt Snider, Christian Eckes, Corey Heim and Sammy Smith, to name a few.

    Fast-forward to Monday, when McNelly’s passion for short-track racing and drive to succeed paid off with the announcement that Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Justin Marks had partnered to purchase the series.

    “I just feel so lucky and so blessed to get to this point,” McNelly said Monday afternoon during a teleconference with members of the motorsports media.

    McNelly’s passion is shared by the new ownership group. Earnhardt, who competed in the CARS Tour race last year at North Wilkesboro Speedway, has been apart of the series for several seasons as a car owner.

    It was through his role as a car owner that allowed Earnhardt to get to know McNelly and, ultimately, that led to the opportunity to become one of the new co-owners of the series.

    “I was at Wilkesboro last year, and Jack mentioned to me that he was interested in having some people become involved in the series,” Earnhardt said. “Jack was going to continue to manage, with Keeley (Dubensky, series director) the day-to-day. None of that is going to change. He wanted some assurance that the series would be in good hands. That started the conversation with me and the rest of the group.

    “My passion is just to help short-track racing and help things continue. The identity of the series won’t change. We just want to give it an opportunity to continue to grow and be successful. I think we’ve got an incredible team put together.”

    Much like Earnhardt, Burton grew up racing late models in the Southeast before going on to enjoy a successful career in the NASCAR Cup Series. He became familiar with McNelly and the CARS Tour when his son, current NASCAR Cup Series driver Harrison Burton, competed with the series from 2015-17.

    He sees the CARS Tour as a proving ground for young racers and crew members as well as a home for passionate, veteran members of the short-track community.

    “[McNelly and Dubensky] built this great foundation, and we hope to be able to make them proud and improve where we can,” Burton said. “People in short-track racing are there because it’s their passion, not their job. We have to give them an opportunity to have a place to do that passion and exercise on it.

    “It’s just the very beginning of development of drivers, crew members, officials, all that stuff. This is the very beginning of that. Having a solid structure only makes that better for everybody.”

    Harvick has been a vocal supporter of short-track racing through the years after growing up racing late models on the West Coast. He wants learn about the challenges faced by competitors and what he can do to help make the CARS Tour and short-track racing in general thrive.

    “Short-track racing is really the root of the thing that feeds everything we do,” Harvick said. “For me, growing up and racing late models on the West Coast and being a part of my career and path to the ladder system of how things work is something that I have a passion for. When Dale and I kind of accidentally sat down and had the first conversation about this particular project, it really sparked an interest in me.

    “This is going to be fun because of the fact that I want to be in the car. I want to be in the pits. I want to be in the grandstands. I want to know what these competitors are struggling with and really be a part of this group and try to make it better.”

    Marks is the lone member of the new ownership group who didn’t grow up racing late models, but that doesn’t mean he lacks passion for the discipline. The co-owner of Trackhouse Racing is a firm believer that local short-track racing is a vital part of motorsports in North America.

    “It’s going to be a huge learning experience for me just understanding how this series operates and how short-track racing operates,” Marks said. “It’s something that is exciting for me, because while I didn’t really come up short-track racing, I did come up grassroots racing like everybody did. I understand how important that is and how much that serves the foundation, because it’s where the passion for racing really started for me.

    “I look at our sport as a marketer, as a brand manager and as a story-teller. There are so many amazing things happen in short-track racing. Great teams and drivers, passionate fans, historic race tracks. The work that we can do to amplify those stories and to show those to the world and to do all the work to put the CARS Tour on a stage that creates a valuable series and one where the economics work for all the competitors and the team is really of the utmost importance.”

    Earnhardt believes the acquisition of the CARS Tour is just another in a recent string of positive things to happen for asphalt short-track racing.

    Now comes the biggest challenge: keeping that momentum going.

    “There is good, positive momentum across the board for short-track racing right now,” Earnhardt said. “And I think everybody from the top down recognizes how important that is and that momentum and keeping that going.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Justin Marks partner to purchase CARS Tour

    (1/9/23) The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour will have new ownership when the green flag waves on its 2023 season in March. Today, NASCAR icons Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick and Justin Marks announced their acquisition of the Southeast’s premier asphalt late model series.

    “This is a dream come true for me,” said Earnhardt Jr., a NASCAR Hall of Famer and current NBC Sports analyst. “I’m a huge fan of the CARS Tour and local short-track racing. The competition, the tracks and the drivers are some of the best around. These regional series are vital to the quality of racing you see at the top level. Jack (McNelly, CARS Tour founder) has done a tremendous job establishing the CARS Tour as a preeminent series, and I’m thrilled to be part of its future.”

    Aside from the ownership transition from McNelly, the CARS Tour will remain unchanged. The 2023 schedule is set with 19 race weekends, and McNelly and his staff will continue to oversee operations and track events. The key addition will be the industry expertise brought by the current owners’ respective business units: DEJ Management, Jeff Burton Autosports, Inc., Kevin Harvick, Inc. and Trackhouse Racing. The contingent will collectively aim to bolster the health and longevity of the CARS Tour by providing proficiencies in brand management, business strategy and partnership acquisition and retention.

    “Owning and developing the CARS Tour has been an honor and one I’m immensely proud of,” said McNelly. “Fortunately, it’s in the best of hands with this new group. They have the passion and talent to take the Tour to the next level. I can’t wait to see what this next chapter brings for everyone involved.

    “I give my heartfelt thanks to all that have contributed to the success of the series over the years. It has truly been a team effort. The CARS Tour staff, officials, competitors, sponsors and fans have made this series one of the best in the country.”

    Earnhardt Jr., Burton, Harvick and Marks are all former or current drivers themselves. Both Earnhardt Jr. and Burton grew up racing regionally in the Southeast while Marks was bitten by the short-track bug after competing in several high-profile late model races. Harvick cut his teeth in regional action on the West Coast.

    “I grew up racing Late Model Stock Cars on the West Coast,” said Harvick, the 2014 Cup Series champion with 60 wins to his credit. “Late Model racing has always been a passion of mine, and I want to ensure short-track asphalt racing and the CARS Tour continue to grow and succeed. I look forward to sharing the responsibility with this like-minded group of racers.”

    Founded in 2014 as a continuation of the former Pro Cup Series, the CARS Tour enters its ninth season in 2023. Uniquely, the CARS Tour features both Pro Late Models and Late Model Stock Cars competing at the same track on the same night, becoming the first series of its kind to host two premier divisions under its banner at the same event.

    “This is something I’m really excited about, not only for Trackhouse and the initiatives that we’re pursuing, but for short-track racing in general,” said Marks, who led Trackhouse Racing to a runner-up effort in the 2022 Cup Series championship. “Asphalt Late Model racing truly is the foundation of NASCAR and bringing a group like this together will serve the racer and fan. The CARS Tour is so important to the racing scene in the Southeast, and this group can bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and passion to the series that will ensure authentic and valuable growth in the years to come.”

    The CARS Tour has produced a number of notable drivers who have built successful careers on the national stage, including Josh Berry, Harrison Burton, William Byron, Ty Gibbs, Sam Mayer and Myatt Snider as well as current series stars like Carson Kvapil, Deac McCaskill, Bobby McCarty and Layne Riggs.

    “The opportunity to work with a group of partners that I have so much respect for in the sport that I love is amazing,” added Burton, a 2023 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee and NASCAR analyst for NBC Sports. “Collectively, I believe we can contribute to grass-roots racing and the overall health of motorsports in the process. By building off the positive foundation Jack has built, I’m confident we can create a next-level experience for the competitors, partners and fans.”

    The CARS Tour season kicks off at Southern National Motorsports Park (Kenly, N.C.) on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to his roots, finishes ninth in South Carolina 400 at Florence

    (11/20/22) Dale Earnhardt Jr. returned to his roots Saturday night at Florence Motor Speedway by competing in the 30th running of the South Carolina 400 late model stock car event.

    Earnhardt, driving a car sporting a throwback scheme to the Bass Pro Shops car his father drove in the 1998 NASCAR All-Star Race, started deep in the field and overcame a pair of late-race penalties to finish ninth.

    The NASCAR Hall of Famer qualified 26th and methodically worked his way into contention ahead of the final 50-lap run to the checkered flag. With 13 laps left, Earnhardt made contact with Matt Cox down the backstretch while the two were racing for third.

    The contact sent Cox into the inside wall, and event officials penalized Earnhardt by sending him to the tail of the field for causing the crash.

    Earnhardt marched back through the field a second time, but an incident with Landon Pembelton with less than five laps left saw Earnhardt penalized a second time, resulting in a ninth-place finish.

    This one's not over!@lbpem0 gets turned around by @DaleJr with three to go.

    It'll be @03Butterbean leading with @Carson_Kvapil to his outside.@FloRacing | @FlorenceMSpdwy pic.twitter.com/odFsibk8r9 — NASCAR Roots (@NASCARRoots) November 20, 2022

    The race was Earnhardt’s first at Florence Motor Speedway since his formative years in the 1990s. Earnhardt is a major supporter of grassroots racing and has gone out of his way in recent years to support local short tracks like Florence.

    Despite title loss, JR Motorsports poised to build off strong 2022

    (11/17/22) Heading into Championship Weekend, Ty Gibbs – and Joe Gibbs Racing, in particular – had their work cut out for them.

    Of course, the work didn’t come much regarding a lack of talent or capability to win the title. The team in JGR and the driver in Gibbs certainly had the pedigree to win at Phoenix Raceway, and they inevitably did, ousting the trio of other contending playoff drivers en route to a win at the track and a title clinch in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

    Instead, the work cut out for JGR came from the team they were battling. After all, the three other Championship 4 drivers – Noah Gragson, Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry – called Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s co-owned JR Motorsports home. And while JGR might have prevailed over JRM when it was all said and done, the latter’s 2022 season could not be taken lightly. And who knows – even as drivers move up the league ladder, JRM’s breakout year could signify what JGR will have to contend with next season and beyond.

    So, what exactly did JRM accomplish this season if they didn’t claim the title? Glad you asked. For starters, JRM led all 2022 teams in wins with 15, the fourth-most by an Xfinity Series team in a single season and the most since JGR won 16 in 2010, per Racing Insights. JRM’s 15 wins were additionally a team-high in a single season, lapping their nine wins during the 2014 campaign.

    Spearheading JRM’s winning effort in 2022 was Noah Gragson, who found Victory Lane eight times. The 24-year-old acted as the ace and anchor for the team from start to finish, and a scorching start to the season certainly cemented this claim. According to Racing Insights, Gragson became the third driver to start the season with four consecutive top-three finishes. Collectively, Gragson led all drivers with eight wins, 21 top-five finishes and 16 stage wins. And just to add a cherry on top, Gragson’s four consecutive wins between Darlington Raceway (Sept. 3) and Texas Motor Speedway (Sept. 24) tied Sam Ard (1983) for most consecutive races won.

    Now, the question is bound to arise. With Gragson’s transfer to the Cup Series as captain of the No. 42 Chevrolet under Petty-GMS starting in 2023, what will JRM do to offset the loss in production? If 2022 was any indicator, then JRM will remain in stable hands. When speaking of last season, Allgaier and Berry were tied for fourth in wins (three apiece). The pair combined for 27 top-five finishes (16 and 11, respectively) and individually ranked inside the top five in this category among all Xfinity Series drivers (Allgaier t-3rd and Berry t-5th).

    Stage wins weren’t alien to the Allgaier-Berry duo, either, even when compared to Gragson’s total. Allgaier’s eight and Berry’s six stage wins in 2022 ranked third and fourth in the league, behind only Gragson and JGR’s Gibbs (10). And so, JRM’s success in winning stages only made it natural for the team to collectively break records in this category. JRM’s 33 stage wins were the most in a single season for a team, surpassing JGR’s 30 in 2019.

    JRM’s Gragson-Allgaier-Berry trio undoubtedly put together strong seasons from start to finish, and while none of the three came away with the championship, all three put themselves in a position to fight for it. With their bids in the Championship 4, JRM added to their resume by being the only team to place three drivers in the Championship 4, doing so in 2022 and 2017.

    A successful 2022 season from JRM sets the bar high for 2023. Challenge accepted. With Gragson’s departure comes Brandon Jones’ entrance, who will transition from JGR to JRM and take over Gragson’s No. 9 Chevy in 2023. Then, there is second-year driver Sam Mayer, who, in his first full-time season with JRM in the No. 1, tallied 11 top-five finishes and two stage wins.

    No matter how JGR looks in 2023, the team will still be reeling off a victorious 2022 season that saw them net their second championship in as many years. However, if JRM has anything to say about it, then the former will continue to have their work cut out for them.

    Bass Pro Shops partners with Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports for South Carolina 400

    (11/1/22) A longstanding partnership between the Earnhardt family and Bass Pro Shops is set to continue starting with the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive a Late Model Stock Car sponsored by Bass Pro Shops during the prestigious event on November 19. The scheme being used for the South Carolina 400 will pay tribute to the car his father, Dale Earnhardt, drove in The Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1998.

    Having known Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris for many years, Earnhardt is honored to have his company on one of his Late Model Stock Cars and is looking forward to representing the brand at the short track level.

    “I’ve been looking for some opportunities to get behind the wheel of this car,” Earnhardt said. “I’m thrilled to be able to carry the Bass Pro Shops brand [for the South Carolina 400]. Johnny [Morris] has meant so much to the Earnhardt family and he had a great relationship with my father. This paint scheme means as much to Johnny as it does to us.”

    The renewed relationship between Earnhardt and Bass Pro Shops will continue long after the checkered flag waves at Florence in a few weeks.

    Bass Pro Shops is sponsoring JR Motorsports development driver Carson Kvapil for 20 races during the upcoming 2023 Late Model Stock season. The company will also sponsor NASCAR Xfinity Series championship contender Josh Berry for 11 races and Earnhardt himself for one of his two planned Xfinity Series starts next year.

    Earnhardt stressed the importance of Bass Pro Shops having a presence in short track racing and is optimistic that their partnership with JR Motorsports will start out on a high note with a strong performance in the South Carolina 400.

    “This’ll be great for Johnny, Bass Pro Shops and all of those managers and employees to get to know Carson this year and what he’s about,” Earnhardt said. “They’re going to be thrilled about that, but I just hope I can do a good job behind the wheel at Florence. I’m looking for more opportunities to drive this car throughout 2023 as well.”

    Talk Show Appearance

    (10/12/22) Tamron Hall - syndicated

    Friday, Oct. 21

    NASCAR legend DALE EARNHARDT JR. is adding children’s author to his list of accomplishments with his new book “Buster’s Trip to Victory Lane,” teaching kids to face their fears.

    iRacing Championship trophy renamed in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s honor

    (10/11/22) In collaboration with iRacing, the eNASCAR iRacing Coca-Cola Series Championship trophy will be renamed in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s honor beginning this race season.

    From winning the first race in the history of the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series to helping bring vintage content to life in iRacing — including 1987 NASCAR Cup Series cars and North Wilkesboro Speedway — Earnhardt Jr. has been instrumental in many of the company’s stock car achievements.

    “For decades, there has been no more important ambassador for NASCAR than you,” NASCAR President Steve Phelps said of Earnhardt Jr. “Your love and enthusiasm for NASCAR racing extends all areas of the sport — and that includes racing simulation and the influential role that iRacing has played in today’s NASCAR. Your commitment to iRacing has helped the technology grow over the years to become a widely popular platform that is helping NASCAR reach and engage new fans around the world.”

    JR Motorsports, Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team, has held an eNASCAR franchise since 2019.

    The eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series playoffs continue at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday from virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway. Be sure to come back to watch the championship race at 9 p.m. ET on Oct. 25 from virtual Phoenix Raceway to see who takes home the inaugural Dale Earnhardt Jr. championship trophy.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. announces strategic senior executive changes

    (9/22/22) Today, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced a series of executive-level promotions to strengthen his overall enterprise and support the growth of new business as his company enters its third decade. Among the company’s most impacted entities are JR Motorsports, which currently fields entries in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and several grassroots regional tours; DEJ Management, which oversees Earnhardt Jr.’s brand marketing and business relationships; and Dirty Mo Media, his multimedia company and digital content platform.

    Most notable of the executive changes, Kelley Earnhardt Miller will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) over all Dale Jr. companies. Already the backbone of the entire Dale Jr. enterprise, Earnhardt Miller has managed the career of her NASCAR Hall-of-Fame brother since 2001 and built JR Motorsports into a multi-championship-winning organization with more than 100 victories. She is the recipient of numerous sports business achievements, including Charlotte Business Journal’s Top 25 Women in Business honor, the Lyn St. James Foundation’s Opportunity Award, and Sports Business Journal’s Game Changers. Most recently Earnhardt Miller authored the book, Drive: 9 Lessons to Win in Business and in Life.

    “Kelley is one of the most prominent businesspeople in motorsports and for good reason,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “She is a brilliant mind and proven leader. Making her CEO is long overdue, but if we are going to position our businesses to maximize their potential and equip our people with the organizational support they need to succeed, there’s no better leader than Kelley.”

    Mike Davis has been named President and Executive Producer of Dirty Mo Media. He also has become an equity partner in the company, Earnhardt Jr. announced. Davis will devote all efforts to the continued expansion of Dirty Mo Media, which he co-founded in 2013 and launched with The Dale Jr. Download podcast. Since then, Davis has built the business into an industry leader in original content and producer of television/streaming programming.

    Tony Mayhoff will expand his responsibilities to lead management of the Dale Jr. brand as Vice President, Strategy and Development, for DEJ Management. In this expanded role, Mayhoff will oversee Earnhardt’s endorsement portfolio, equity partnerships, brand marketing, and public relations. Mayhoff will also assume oversight of The Dale Jr. Foundation.

    On-track competition will continue to be the cornerstone of Earnhardt’s business. Longtime motorsports licenser and marketer Joe Mattes has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Business and Strategy, for JR Motorsports. Mattes has spearheaded JRM’s corporate sponsorships and licensing endeavors since 2007. Before that, he helped seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt catapult the NASCAR merchandising business into a multimillion-dollar industry.

    L.W. Miller has been named Senior Vice President of Motorsports. A decorated racer in his own right, Miller has directed JRM’s competition department since 2011. In that time the company has earned three NASCAR Xfinity titles (2014, 2017, 2018), one NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championship (2020), the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Series crown (2017), and multiple track championships with the late model program.

    “Businesses thrive on people, and I am blessed to have some of the best working at our companies,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It was important that we clearly defined leadership in each of these areas so that we can seize opportunities, meet challenges, and thrive in a competitive economic climate. I am proud of what we’ve built and the people we have used to build it.”

    NASCAR returning to North Wilkesboro with ’23 All-Star race

    (9/8/22) NASCAR is returning to one of its original venues that it left more than a quarter-century ago — North Wilkesboro Speedway.

    Gov. Roy Cooper and North Carolina native Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the stock car body and the track’s owner on Thursday to announce that the track will host the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star race next year — NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season.

    “It’ll be something that people want to come from all over the country and enjoy — NASCAR All-Star week at North Wilkesboro Speedway — to enjoy the culture, the festivities, the history,” Marcus Smith, CEO of Speedway Motorsports, which owns the track, said at a news conference outside the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh. “We’re excited to revive it.”

    The .625-mile (1-kilometer) asphalt oval, located almost 70 miles (113 kilometers) northwest of Charlotte, hosted the year-ending race in 1949 for what became the Cup Series. It became an annual stop on the schedule, hosting two races a year starting in 1951, and was a throwback to the days when moonshine runners in the region — NASCAR legend Junior Johnson among them — drove fast cars to escape authorities.

    North Wilkesboro hosted more than 90 Cup races before it closed in 1996, a result of NASCAR’s dramatic growth during that time and arguments that it wasn’t large or fancy enough as the sport tapped into new markets. The track’s races went to New Hampshire and Texas.

    From left, Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Steve O'Donnell and N.C. Governor Roy Cooper listen as Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith speaks during a press conference announcing that the NASCAR All-Star Race will be held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May 2023. The press conference was held on the steps of the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. (Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer via AP)

    The oval went into disrepair, and non-NASCAR racing at the legendary track in the early 2010s fizzled. But former drivers like Earnhardt Jr., local boosters, and state officials wouldn’t give up on the venue, which has a direct connection to NASCAR’s birth.

    But a recent effort to renovate the speedway had taken off, buoyed by $18 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds earmarked by the North Carolina state legislature last year for infrastrcture improvements.

    The legislature has agreed in principle to provide another $4 million next year for additional improvements to host the race next May 21 and for “future events over the next several years,” said Greg Walter, general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Speedway Motorsports’ flagship venue.

    The All-Star race originally began in 1985 as The Winston and was usually held in May the week before the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It’s been held the past two years at Texas Motor Speedway, most recently won by Ryan Blaney.

    While the North Wilkesboro decision was months in the making, Smith and NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Steve O’Donnell said the concept was confirmed just in recent weeks. That’s when standing-room-only crowds attended a “Racetrack Revival” series at the reopened track, spearheaded by Speedway Motorsports, Earnhardt Jr., and the widow of the late Benny Parsons. Ryan Newman won the first race, while Earnhardt Jr. was third in a race last week.

    “I felt something at a race track that I hadn’t felt in a long, long time. And it was the true joy and the love that you just have for being there, whether you’re a competitor or a fan,” said Earnhardt, a television analyst and NASCAR team owner. “It’s just got a special place in our history. And I’m so excited to see what can happen beyond this.”

    O’Donnell said later it was too early to tell whether a successful All-Star race could lead to annual race dates at the track, but “we wouldn’t be going back to North Wilkesboro if we didn’t think it would be successful and a place that we want to look to more than one year.”

    O’Donnell acknowledged holding more races outside NASCAR’s strongholds in recent years to grow the sport has led to weighing choices. The 2023 season also will feature a new NASCAR street race in Chicago.

    North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper speaks during a press conference announcing that the NASCAR All-Star Race will be held at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May 2023, on the steps of the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. Looking on, seated at centr are Dale Earnhardt Jr. and NASCAR Chief Operating Officer Steve O'Donnell, (Ethan Hyman/The News & Observer via AP)

    “As we’ve looked at evolving the schedule in the future, it’s certainly a nod to maybe new markets that we want to be in, but also balancing that with markets where people have been supporting us forever,” O’Donnell said. “You look at our 75th anniversary and the schedule that we’re putting together and it’s a perfect balance.”

    Richard Petty won a record 15 NASCAR races at North Wilkesboro, which is known for its downhill slope on the front strertch and uphill backstretch. Darrell Waltrip won 10 races, followed by Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Cale Yarborough with five each.

    Cooper, sporting a North Wilkesboro Speedway jacket, was The Winston’s grand marshal in 2000, when the younger Earnhardt beat his dad and Dale Jarrett to the finish. The governor said the track, which he visited in May, “is almost like a cathedral.”

    “This is a great day for North Carolina. Whether you care about racing or not. This means economic revival and more money in the pockets of everyday North Carolinians,” he said. “We are the birthplace of NASCAR.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. to serve as executive producer for ‘Race for the Championship’ docuseries

    (8/23/22) NASCAR Hall of Famer and NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. will serve as an executive producer for the USA Network’s new unscripted series “Race for the Championship,” which will premiere Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

    The 10-episode series will tell the story of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season and NASCAR Playoffs, from the competitive introduction of the Next Gen car at the Busch Light Clash at the LA Coliseum through the treacherous postseason road that brings four drivers their chance at championship glory in Phoenix.

    “I have such a passion and love for the sport that I feel like this type of content is something that our fans are starving for,” Earnhardt Jr. told Variety. “It’s always a lot of fun to work on a project that is unique and about something you’re passionate about. So that makes it easy to want to dive in, give input and get feedback — and be a part of the process.”

    As “Race for the Championship” documents the lives of NASCAR’s best on and off the track, viewers will get a rare glimpse of what it takes to balance personal relationships with the pressure to perform in the high-stakes world of NASCAR Cup Series racing.

    The series will feature a variety of drivers at different points as the drama of the 2022 season unfolds, including past champions like Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, along with others eager to write their own NASCAR legacies such as Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suárez, Ross Chastain, Corey LaJoie and others.

    “We need to give everyone a better opportunity to get to know the individuals that are involved in NASCAR,” Earnhardt Jr. said in the same interview. “I think this is a great opportunity to put a very human element into what we do and into our identity. It’s something I think that should have a profound impact on perception of the sport and also to give our fans a deeper dive into each individual.”

    The premiere episode serves as a perfect primer for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which begin three days later at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 4. That opening race airs at 6 p.m. ET and will also be broadcast on USA.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: ‘Can’t wait … for any of our four guys to get a (Cup Series) call’

    (7/17/22) Things have never been better at JR Motorsports.

    The powerhouse Xfinity Series team is fresh off Justin Allgaier’s strong victory Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the Chevrolet-backed organization’s sixth victory since late April and series-best seventh on the season. All four teams are communicating data intimately, all four are in the championship hunt inside the points standings’ top eight, and if you added any more proverbial cylinders to the mix, they’d probably be clicking on all those, too.

    The blend of people from those turning wrenches on the shop floor to those turning left and right on Saturdays is just working, and it has been a long time in the making for the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-Kelley Earnhardt Miller joint operation.

    “Trying to find the right way to fit those pieces together is always a fun challenge,” Earnhardt said after Allgaier’s win, the No. 7 driver’s third of the season. “And I think our lineup of drivers is as strong as it has ever been. I think our lineup of crew chiefs are working better together than they ever have. We’ve had some great crew chiefs like Dave Elenz and other people in our organization that were tough to see go but you know, when they work together, they can be stronger as a group. And so there’s a lot of great information going from car to car and we’ve got great engines. Really, really great engines from Hendrick. Our support from Hendrick when it comes to resources, engineering and sim and all those things, that river’s never flowed as smooth and as current as it does now. And so everything’s working well.”

    Then again, are they perhaps working too well?

    We’re at the point of the season where Cup Series rides of all sorts are starting to become available as drivers and teams play musical chairs with eyes cautiously looking ahead to the 2023 and 2024 seasons while keeping a keen focus on this year’s impending NASCAR Playoffs.

    Given how dominant JR Motorsports is at the moment and the variety of talent the four-car team boasts, it’s not unreasonable to think one — or more — of them could be pilfered up to Cup by a team looking to capture lightning in a bottle with a driver on the rise. And JRM offers an enticing menu of options for other teams to potentially take a look at, from the veteran guile of 30-somethings Allgaier and Josh Berry, who look like they could hop into a Cup car tomorrow and make it competitive, to young, aggressive upstarts Noah Gragson and Sam Mayer, who ranked fifth and ninth, respectively, among our 23-and-under prospect rankings from this year’s preseason.

    With a few Silly Season shakeups this past week alone — Tyler Reddick and Ty Dillon leaving their respective rides — there are rumblings Gragson could be among the favorites to land one of those opportunities.

    Not only can this be considered a good problem to have, according to Earnhardt, it’s actually a situation and environment Junior himself has cultivated — to make JRM a stepping stone to Sundays, even if it means part of the family has to move on.

    “The one thing I’ll say is that I can’t wait for the phone to ring for any of our four guys to get a call. I want to know about it as soon as it happens, and I can’t wait to help them make the decision of whether that’s a smart move for them or not,” the Hall of Famer said. “That was such a great day (when Aric Almirola called to tell me he was leaving to drive the No. 43 full-time). I was standing in the house, standing in the lobby or the foyer of my house, when Aric Almirola called me and he said I got some tough news. He said, ‘Richard Petty has called me to see if … ‘ and I was like, ‘You gotta go.’ I didn’t even let him finish the sentence. I was like, ‘That’s it. That’s what we do this for.’ Like, this is your chance, you know? And I was so happy. You know, because that’s like a win. That’s like a trophy. That’s like what happened today to get a call. It’s kind of like getting pulled up from the minors. And it could happen any minute right in the middle of the year.

    “And so yeah, I’m excited anytime that happens and the potential for Noah had that opportunity. I’m waiting. I’m waiting to hear that phone ring any second for him for any of our guys.”

    Until that happens, the gregarious team owner is content to just keep winning races, celebrating in Victory Lane with his racing family and focusing on the next race ahead from now through Phoenix while enjoying the ride.

    “We’re taking advantage of it and enjoying it for sure,” Earnhardt said. “We go home and have beer toasts and everybody, the morale in the shop, I don’t think could be better.”

    JR Motorsports’ Kelley Earnhardt Miller: ‘We do want to go Cup racing’

    (6/29/22) It’s really more of a “when” than an “if.”

    JR Motorsports co-owner and vice president Kelley Earnhardt Miller, in a call Tuesday with Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, all but confirmed a JRM entry in the NASCAR Cup Series at some point.

    “We’re thinking about it every day, we’re working on it it feels like every other day. We do want to go Cup racing. We believe that that’s a good spot for us,” said Earnhardt Miller, the sister of NASCAR Hall of Famer and JRM co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. “We want to stay in the Xfinity Series, too, so you know, what that looks like is certainly up for grabs.”

    The timing here is interesting. Over the weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, No. 8 JRM driver Josh Berry indicated he has “a set goal of racing in a Cup car one day.” The veteran has proven to be a contender this year in the Xfinity Series and could potentially be a steady candidate to pilot a ride as the team gets its feet wet at the premier series level.

    Earnhardt Miller didn’t provide a concrete timeline for when this could happen, and there are, of course, some hurdles to overcome before it becomes a reality. Still, the intention is fully there.

    “The biggest barrier is that charter cost and just looking at the business model and trying to figure out sponsorship and trying to really make that leap,” she said. “I think right now, we saw it last fall where there was a high demand for charters and a lot of conversations went on and purchases went on. I don’t think there’s a lot of charters up for grabs at a reasonable cost right now, I’ll just say.

    ” … It’s like, when’s the right time to strike? That’s just really what we’re trying to work through and figure out. Right now, we’re focused on re-signing our guys for Xfinity for next year and re-signing our sponsors and then if we have the opportunity to do some Cup racing and kind of put our toe in the water and see. I don’t think we’ll be Cup racing full-time for 2023, that’s for certain. Unless something amazing happens and something really awesome falls out of the sky, but right now our sights are set beyond that and we’re really just trying to figure it out.”

    JRM is having a sensational 2022 season in the Xfinity Series, as well. Through 16 races, the team has six wins among Justin Allgaier, Berry and Noah Gragson, including victories in five of the last seven.

    Dale Jr., Kyle Busch talk fatherhood and more on Greg Olsen’s podcast

    (5/25/22) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch are together again.

    The two NASCAR superstars — one in the Hall of Fame and one a surefire future inductee — have a well-documented history on the track. Their heated rivalry that blossomed in 2007 came to a head at Richmond Raceway in 2008 when Busch famously spun Earnhardt Jr. — leading to years of silence between the two.

    Junior and “Rowdy” broke bread and buried the past on the “Dale Jr. Download” podcast in 2018, so it was fitting they both joined former Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen on his podcast “Youth Inc.” this week.

    Olsen — who wore the No. 88, just like Junior, during his playing career — previously was a guest on Dale Jr.’s podcast earlier this year and the two swapped stories on Olsen’s upbringing and the ups and downs of his football life. His own podcast focuses on navigating the world of youth sports with help from legacy families, coaches, psychologists and more.

    Olsen sat down with both Earnhardt Jr. and Busch to discuss family legacies, defining your own path and the burden and benefit of expectations. They delve into the rivalry between the two drivers, growing up a fan, growing up an Earnhardt and how Busch manages fatherhood with his son Brexton, an aspiring racer.

    Listen to the full episode here.

    Earnhardt Jr. sees different horsepower with Derby, 500

    (5/8/22) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will experience a different type of horsepower before NBC’s coverage of the NASCAR Cup Series season revs up next month.

    The retired NASCAR star will be at the Kentucky Derby for the second time on Saturday before contributing to the network’s Indianapolis 500 coverage on May 29.

    Earnhardt said having a role in different events beyond NASCAR was a big reason why he decided to sign with NBC after retiring from driving in 2017.

    “I’ve really enjoyed NBC pushing me and getting me out of my comfort zone. And it’s terribly uncomfortable to put on a sports coat and dive head first into being a part of the broadcast team at these events. I feel at times really undeserving and out of place,” Earnhardt said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “I’m thankful that they pair me with Rutledge Wood, who I’m really familiar with and great to work with. And that really knocks the edge off the experience to where I feel pretty comfortable.”

    Earnhardt and Wood will take part in a scavenger hunt during Saturday’s coverage. The segments will include some time in the infield, a trip up into the iconic Twin Spires and one of the speakeasy locations hidden within Churchill Downs.

    Earnhardt’s segments — whether it be at the Derby or Super Bowl pregame show — are meant to show things that appeal to him and may resonate with viewers. He said executive producer Sam Flood told him many of those fans have never been to the event.

    “To see you experience it, to be a fish out of water and keying in on those things that jump out at you and get you interested, people can relate to that,” Earnhardt said.

    Sometimes Earnhardt’s experiences come with surprises. During the Super Bowl pregame show in February, he was stunned by a T-Rex that came out of nowhere during an interview promoting “Jurassic World” with Jeff Goldblum. That did not happen during rehearsals.

    Earnhardt said the one thing that continues to blow him away about his first Derby trip in 2019 was seeing the difference in size between a normal horse and a Triple Crown contender. He compared it to putting a normal person next to an NFL player.

    “It was my favorite thing that I experienced. It really helps you understand how impressive they are,” Earnhardt said.

    Earnhardt is also excited about returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he will work alongside Danica Patrick and Mike Tirico. There will be an animated feature narrated by Earnhardt where he will discuss his first trip to the infield’s Snake Pit music party during the race.

    Earnhardt is planning on bringing his wife, Amy, to Indianapolis for her first 500.

    “I want her to see all the tradition and the build up to the race because you can’t experience anything like it at a NASCAR race,” he said. “It’s like a national event. Having not grown up in that world I couldn’t appreciate it more had I been born into it.”

    Earnhardt’s offseason did include a return to the NASCAR booth as an analyst for Fox during last month’s race at Talladega. He said it was a good chance to knock the rust off before NBC’s schedule begins June 26 at Nashville.

    Tirico, Patrick, Earnhardt Return To NBC’s Indy 500 Coverage

    (5/4/22) NBC Sports host Mike Tirico and studio analyst Danica Patrick will return to cover the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge for the fourth consecutive year, contributing to NBC’s pre-race, in-race and post-race telecast of the 106th edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    The Race Day telecast on NBC starts at 11 a.m. (ET).

    One of the most versatile voices in sports, Tirico hosted NBC Olympics’ primetime coverage from Tokyo and Beijing as well as NBC Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LVI all within the past year. In the fall, he will begin his first season as play-by-play voice for NBC Sports’ “Sunday Night Football.” Patrick, one of motorsports’ most popular personalities, is a former INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR driver who became the first woman to lead laps and earn a top-five finish in the Indianapolis 500, in 2005.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of racing’s most popular personalities and an NBC Sports motorsports analyst, will contribute to pre-race coverage alongside motorsports reporter Rutledge Wood. Earnhardt will join Tirico and Patrick on the Peacock Pit Box on pit road for segments during the race.

    For the fourth consecutive year, NBC Sports’ lead INDYCAR play-by-play voice Leigh Diffey and analyst Townsend Bell will call the race from the booth, joined this year for the first time by former Indianapolis 500 pole winner and fan favorite James Hinchcliffe. Marty Snider, Kevin Lee, Dave Burns and Dillon Welch will serve as pit reporters.

    Coverage of the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season continues Saturday, May 14, with the GMR Grand Prix from the IMS road course at 3 p.m. (ET) on NBC.

    Trackhouse honors Earnhardt family with Coca-Cola throwbacks for Darlington

    (5/3/22) (Photo) Trackhouse Racing unveiled its retro-styled Nos. 1 and 99 Chevrolets on Tuesday for NASCAR Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway, paying tribute to the Earnhardt family legacy.

    The organization will field matching Coca-Cola liveries for Ross Chastain (No. 1) and Daniel Suárez (No. 99) in Sunday’s Goodyear 400 (3:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM), honoring the cars Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jr. drove in NASCAR’s 1998 exhibition race at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. That event marked the first time that father and son had raced against each other.

    “We wanted to do something that honors the legacy of the sport, recognizes our valued partners at Trackhouse Racing and something that fans can get behind,” Trackhouse owner Justin Marks said in a team release. “We think this is the right combination marrying the history of the Earnhardts who are both Hall of Famers, acknowledging our support from Coke and Chevrolet, plus supporting the fans excitement for Throwback Weekend in Darlington.”

    Marks also plans to pay tribute to NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Harry Gant, driving his No. 33 Oldsmobile during pre-race ceremonies. Marks owns the car, which Gant drove to four consecutive Cup Series victories in September 1991. Gant kicked off that historic streak at Darlington Raceway.

    Junior’s toast: Earnhardt Jr. raises a post-race glass to Martinsville run

    (4/9/22) Prior to his once-a-year race Friday night in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he’d raise a glass — or a can — on pit road with any driver who wanted to join him. So long as he finished the race.

    Well, Junior finished the race Saturday at Martinsville Speedway, steering his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet through the late-race madness to an 11th-place finish.

    Bring on the beer.

    Dale Jr. had his car closing in on the top five late after starting at the rear of the field, but a late-race spate of cautions — one of which involved his car — took away any shot at the win.

    Still, the NASCAR Hall of Famer was beaming on pit road after racing at one of his self-professed favorite tracks … with no doubt one of his self-professed favorite beverages.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. feeling ‘pretty good’ as Xfinity Series start nears

    (4/6/22) It’s starting to get real for NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    The 26-time NASCAR Cup Series winner, NBC broadcaster and JR Motorsports team owner will make his lone NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the season Friday at Martinsville Speedway (7:30 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), and he and the team are getting the final details just right.

    Earnhardt retired from full-time Cup Series competition after the 2017 season. In each year since, he has entered one Xfinity Series race per season in a part-time effort with his JR Motorsports team.

    Friday will mark his first Xfinity Series start at the 0.526-mile Virginia oval. The series returned to Martinsville last season after a nearly 14-year hiatus.

    Earnhardt has plenty of Cup Series reps on the track, though. He notched the 23rd of his 26 career Cup Series victories in 2014 at Martinsville, claiming the track’s signature grandfather clock trophy. That win marked his last with crew chief Steve Letarte, who now works alongside Earnhardt as a fellow analyst with NBC Sports.

    Since 2018, Earnhardt’s four Xfinity Series starts have produced three top-five finishes. He has competed in two one-off starts at Richmond Raceway (2018, 2021), plus single starts at Darlington Raceway (2019) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (2020).

    Earnhardt will drive the No. 88 Hellmann’s Chevrolet on Friday night, and he’ll have a special steering wheel, too. The orange, camouflaged wheel will be auctioned off after the event to raise funds to battle food insecurity through The Dale Jr. Foundation’s partner charities.

    Earnhardt brings Junior Nation into NASCAR Hall of Fame

    (1/22/22) Dale Earnhardt Jr. was voted NASCAR’s most popular driver a record 15 times.

    He didn’t forget “Junior Nation” on his way into the Hall of Fame.

    “When I stumbled, you guys were right there ready to lift me back up,” Earnhardt said to his fans. “There were times when I absolutely needed you — and you never let me down. We won together, and we lost together. ... You should know that I don’t go into this Hall of Fame alone. I go in with you, and I go in because of you.”

    Earnhardt was inducted into NASCAR’s 12th Hall of Fame class on Friday night along with late-model driver Red Farmer and the late Mike Stefanik, a decorated modified driver who died in a plane crash in 2019. Ralph Seagraves was named as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

    The group was selected in 2020, but the induction ceremony was postponed more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    The younger Earnhardt joins his late father, seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    “To join Dad in the Hall of Fame is probably as good as it is ever going to get,” Earnhardt said.

    Known around the pits simply as “Junior,” Earnhardt won 26 races during his Cup career, including two Daytona 500s and the 2001 Pepsi 400, which came four months after his father’s death at the same track.

    Although Earnhardt never won a championship, his impact has been felt throughout the racing world building a career as NASCAR’s top ambassador while finding a crossover audience that stretched far beyond his father’s reach.

    “In the time I have been involved in racing, nobody has impacted the sport more than Dale Earnhardt Jr.,” Hall of Fame driver Jeff Gordon said. “When he won, three-quarters of the grandstand stood up and cheered.”

    Earnhardt began his career at family-owned Dale Earnhardt Inc., winning back-to-back Xfinity Series titles and 13 races in two full-time seasons. He won his first Cup Series race in his 12th career start. Like his father, Earnhardt was a master of the draft and thrived in restrictor-plate racing with 10 of his 26 career Cup victories coming at Daytona and Talladega, including Daytona 500 wins in 2004 and 2014.

    He left DEI six years after his father’s death and joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2008 as one of the most coveted free agents in the sport.

    NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Dale Earnhardt Jr., left, and Rick Hendrick smile prior to the induction ceremony Friday, Jan. 21, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

    Car owner Rick Hendrick said he’s been amazed by Earnhardt ever since.

    During the recession, Earnhardt approached Hendrick and asked for $1 million to be deducted from his paycheck and distributed among the company’s employees so that “no one would have to suffer.”

    When that money wasn’t redistributed right away, Earnhardt marched into the front office at Hendrick Motorsports and insisted upon it.

    “He has an unbelievable heart,” Hendrick said.

    “I don’t know of anybody in any sport that has represented his family any better,” Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty said.

    Earnhardt was inducted by his wife, Amy.

    “He gives of himself daily and loves his family dearly,” she said.

    Farmer was inducted by Hall of Famer Tony Stewart.

    Farmer’s exact win total during his career is unknown, but it is “somewhere north of 700” according to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    A member of the “Alabama Gang,” Farmer won NASCAR’s Modified Division championship in 1956 followed by three consecutive championships in the Late Model Sportsman Division from 1969-71. Farmer preferred racing late models, but did run 36 Cup Series races with a best finish being a fourth place.

    In 1998, Farmer’s was named to NASCAR’s list of its 50 greatest drivers.

    Farmer has lived a charmed life — surviving a helicopter crash that killed racecar driver Davey Allison, a tornado that struck and damaged his car and trailer and a bout with COVID-19.

    Through it all, he continues to drive on short tracks at age 89.

    “It’s something that gets in your blood and you can’t get it out,” said Farmer, who said he can’t wait to drive on Talladega’s short track just days after dealing with a heart issue. “I haven’t gotten it out of my blood in 75 years. ... I have had a great life and I wouldn’t trade anything for it.”

    Farmer is the first driver to be inducted in on the “pioneer” ballot, which recognizes drivers whose careers began prior to 1962.

    Stefanik won nine all-time NASCAR championships — tied with Richie Evans for the most ever.

    He won seven titles in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and two others in the Busch North Series. Stefanik holds modified series records for championships, wins, poles, and top-five and top-10 finishes. In 2003, he was named one of the tour’s 10 greatest drivers.

    Former car owner and crew chief Ray Evernham, a member of the 2018 Hall of Fame class, inducted Stefanik into the Hall. Stefanik’s wife, Julie, accepted the honor on behalf of her husband and said he always respected his competitors.

    “He was very methodical about his approach and he was a clean and fair racer,” she said.

    Seagraves, who died in 1998, was selected as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. A former official with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Seagraves helped sponsor the Winston Cup Series, a partnership that helped NASCAR launch into the national spotlight and created a bedrock of stability for three decades.

    NASCAR Hall of Fame welcomes Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer

    (1/21/22) At first glance — aside from sharing the profession of “race car driver” — Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer couldn’t be more different from one another.

    A perennial Most Popular Driver at NASCAR’s highest level of competition, Earnhardt holds two Daytona 500 wins among his 26 career victories.

    More than that, as a driver, team owner and television analyst, Earnhardt has transcended both the sport of stock car racing and his own legacy as the son of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt.

    Stefanik, a hard-nosed New Englander, drove modifieds with a relentless tenacity that carried him to seven Whelen Modified Tour titles. Stefanik, who died in 2019 at age 61 from injuries sustained in the crash of a private plane, also collected two championships in what was then the Busch North Series.

    The patriarch of the Alabama Gang, Farmer accumulated innumerable victories — estimated between 700 and 900 — at short tracks located primarily in the Deep South. At age 89, he still competes on the one-third-mile dirt oval at the Talladega Short Track across the highway from NASCAR’s biggest superspeedway.

    Despite their varying backgrounds and diverse racing pursuits, Earnhardt, Stefanik and Farmer now share one monumental achievement in common — after all three entered the NASCAR Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony at the Charlotte Convention Center on Friday night.

    The climax of the ceremony was the induction of Earnhardt, who has made an indelible mark on a sport he was born into. Earnhardt joined his father, a member of the inaugural class of 2010 in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Earnhardt’s wife Amy performed the induction of her husband.

    “My eyes are already watering,” Earnhardt said at the start to his acceptance speech. “…To join Dad in the Hall of Fame is probably as good as it’s going to get…

    “I was a mechanic at a dealership. That was my destiny, or so I thought. I changed the oil in thousands of cars.”

    From those inauspicious beginnings, however, Earnhardt followed his father into the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he won back-to-back championships in 1998 and 1999, and then into NASCAR’s premier division, where he drove first for family-owned Dale Earnhardt Inc. and then for Hendrick Motorsports.

    Earnhardt acknowledged the importance of uncle Tony Eury Sr., his crew chief; his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, who spurred the growth of JR Motorsports and Earnhardt’s broadcasting career; team owner Rick Hendrick; and Steve Letarte, his crew chief at that organization.

    Key to his personal life, Earnhardt said, was wife Amy. “How do you explain someone who makes every day of your life better?” he said.

    NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief Ray Evernham opened the inductions by ushering Stefanik into the Hall. Stefanik’s wife Julie, who served as her husband’s spotter throughout his career, accepted the induction.

    “This is a huge honor, and I know Michael would have been very humbled,” Julie Stefanik said of her husband, who set Whelen Modified Tour records for victories (74) and poles (48).

    “He was more than just a racer to us. He was a beloved husband, father, brother and friend. And in his honor, I’ll have a Jack and diet (Stefanik’s favorite drink).”

    Stefanik and fellow modified driver and mentor Richie Evans are the only drivers to win nine NASCAR championships. All of Evans’ titles came on the Modified Tour.

    Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart inducted his close friend and hunting and fishing buddy Charles “Red” Farmer.

    “He doesn’t know how to be quiet in a deer stand — I can tell you that,” Stewart said. “But his stats speak for themselves. He’s a racer’s racer and he deserves to be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”

    Born in Nashville and starting his racing career in Florida, Farmer nevertheless considers Hueytown, Alabama his hometown, in part because of his association with fellow Alabama Gang members Bobby and Donnie Allison. Farmer has been racing for 75 of his 89 years.

    “It’s something that gets in your blood, and you can’t get it out,” Farmer said in a “fireside chat” at the induction dinner before the official ceremony.

    Though Farmer raced 36 times in the Cup Series over a 23-year span, with a best finish of fourth (twice) at Middle Georgia Raceway in Macon and Talladega Superspeedway, he routinely turned down full-time Cup offers in less-than-competitive equipment.

    “I was not going to be an also-ran,” said Farmer, who preferred to win races and championships on the short tracks. That didn’t prevent him, however, from winning the Modified title in 1956.

    The NASCAR Hall is the 10th hall of fame to honor Farmer.

    “If these Hall of Fames were a Christmas tree with all the ornaments around it, this NASCAR award would be the gold star on top of that Christmas tree,” Farmer said during his induction speech.

    As part of the Friday night program, the late Bob Jenkins was recognized with the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence for his pioneering work in television and radio broadcasting.

    The late Ralph Seagraves was honored with the 2021 Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. As an executive with R.J. Reynolds, Seagraves was instrumental in bring the Winston sponsorship to NASCAR’s foremost series, as well as to the grassroots racing NASCAR supported.

    For Eury family, Dale Jr. memories abound on NASCAR Hall induction night

    (1/21/22) Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a self-described lottery-winning moment before he ever hit NASCAR’s big time. He had become a regular competitor on the weekly and touring Late Model circuit, and Dale Earnhardt Inc. was looking for a full-time replacement for Steve Park in its Xfinity Series ride for 1998.

    Earnhardt Jr. recalled that his brief, nine-race Xfinity career to that point was middling at best, and that his Late Model record was a modest four wins in 159 starts. Yet when Dale Earnhardt approached crew chief Tony Eury Sr. to discuss the team’s direction, his suggestion hit close to home.

    “Dale came to me and said, ‘what do you think about Dale Jr.? Do you think he’ll ever make a driver?’ ” Eury recalled. “And I said, ‘I don’t know. I haven’t been to Myrtle Beach (Speedway) to watch him race and I don’t have time to go to Myrtle Beach, but I see you spending a lot of money on some other people, why don’t you spend it on your own kids? Try it and see. That’s all we can do is see.’

    “So we tried it, and it worked.”

    From those modest beginnings sprang a NASCAR Hall of Fame career. Tony Eury Sr. and Jr., both of whom played pivotal roles in Earnhardt Jr.’s early years in racing, sat front and center Friday night at the Charlotte Convention Center to watch their former pupil’s induction.

    Earnhardt Jr. eventually made Eury Sr.’s suggestion look prophetic. The two combined for 13 wins and a pair of Xfinity Series championships in consecutive years, launching him onto the national scene.

    “I always thought he would be one of the greats,” said Eury Jr., who was atop the pit box for two of his Cup Series wins and one of his Xfinity triumphs. “I’d seen the talent that he had early, when we started the Xfinity stuff. Luckily we were in a position as a company where we were kind of finishing in the top five in points … so I told him, ‘look, just don’t hit nothing and you’ll have this championship in the bag. We’ll do what we gotta do and you’ll learn how to drive these cars and we’ll go.’

    “He wasn’t really successful in his Late Model career, but he was consistent. He’d run top five all the time so you knew he could take care of his equipment. That’s what he did. It’s kind of like he says in his videos, in ’98, it was like, ‘wow, we did it.’ We weren’t supposed to do it, but we did it. That was cool, but in ’99 it was more like, let’s get serious about this. We’ve got to repeat. We’re supposed to do this.”

    That combination and confidence carried into the Cup Series in 2000, with Earnhardt bringing the Eurys along for the ride. And Eury Sr. drew special mention during Earnhardt’s speech as one of the role models who held him accountable in the early stages of his career. “I think about you all the time, and every day I live my life to please people like you,” Earnhardt said, noting how the elder Eury grounded him as the sometimes chaotic career began to skyrocket.

    The Hall of Fame stage gave Earnhardt a chance to thank his longtime crew chief, but it also presented the opportunity to mend a heartache from more than 15 years ago.

    “For a long time there, I spent day after day with that man, racing in the Xfinity Series and then the Cup Series with the Bud car,” Earnhardt said after the ceremonies. “One of my biggest regrets, and I’ve said this before, one of the biggest regrets in my professional career was thinking that making a change in his position as a crew chief was what we needed to do. Me supporting that decision is without question my biggest regret in my racing career because I was not only coming off a successful year in 2004, but I needed his leadership and so did the team.

    “So it was so nice to be able to look him in the eye and tell him that I think about him every day and the decisions I make in my life are influenced by him, and that he matters, at least to me. I’m glad that I got to share that with him.”

    It was one of a multitude of stories on a welcoming, snowy night, from Julie Stefanik’s heartfelt speech honoring her late husband, Mike, a true Modified Tour ace. And Red Farmer stoked the racing hot-stove season with vivid tales pulled from his decades as a pioneer of the sport.

    The Eurys had their own stories, either shared themselves or from the recollections of others. Those yarns included the contract negotiations that Earnhardt first had with team owner Rick Hendrick and the almost comically trivial write-in request – that his car’s side skirts always be painted to match the body color.

    But the Eurys were also able to share their perspective on Earnhardt Jr.’s growth into his multi-faceted life as a husband, father, team owner and an insightful broadcaster. That public-facing role with NBC Sports marks a long-haul departure from the bashful young driver that they had first urged the Intimidator to promote.

    “The media couldn’t get him to talk to them, and just gave short answers to everything. Real shy, didn’t want to talk, wouldn’t look at the cameras,” Eury Sr. said. “Then for him to turn into the TV guy that he is now, it’s really kind of amazing how he’s changed. I tell you, I’m really, really proud of him as a race car driver, but I’m really proud of him the way he’s doing his TV stuff and his Download (podcast). I couldn’t be any happier.”

    Earnhardt Jr. has long been a steward of stock-car racing history. Now it’s a role he’s further able to embrace as a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee.

    “I think he’s always been kind of timid to be that guy, but I told him tonight when I saw him that one of the greatest things he can do is be an ambassador in this sport,” Eury Jr. said, noting his show of support for the Stefanik family before the Hall of Fame proceedings. “… Stuff like that goes further than you can ever imagine with people. Wins are great, titles are great, but the kind of person you are means more than anything.”

    Dale Jr. to enter NASCAR Hall of Fame with father on his mind

    (1/19/22) Dale Earnhardt Jr. recognized early he would never be a seven-time NASCAR champion like his dad.

    It was unrealistic to believe he would match the late Dale Earnhardt on the track. The Intimidator was tough as nails, didn't tolerate any nonsense and built a winning résumé that made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer in NASCAR's 2010 inaugural class.

    Junior never hoisted the Cup.

    But what he did do was build a career as NASCAR's top ambassador, finding a crossover audience that stretches far beyond his father's reach.

    "Once I realized that I wasn't going to match Dad's statistics on paper ... to me, my dad was this really important part of the puzzle, and he was important because of his success but also because of the reaction to whatever he did," Earnhardt told The Associated Press this week. "I thought, 'Wow, that is an asset, that's what being an asset to the sport is and this guy is valuable.' I wanted to have that same value."

    Earnhardt will join his father in the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Friday night when he is inducted alongside Red Farmer and Mike Stefanik. The hall welcomed five members each of its first 11 years, then tweaked the rules to cut the inductees down to three for the 2021 class.

    Earnhardt is the headliner of this first three-member class, whose induction was postponed a full year by the pandemic. He is being celebrated for his performance accomplishments -- 26 career Cup series victories that include a pair of Daytona 500 wins, and two championships in NASCAR's second-tier series -- but also for the enormous role he's taken on since his father was killed 21 years ago on the final lap of the Daytona 500.

    Earnhardt was a rising star at the start of his second Cup season when his father died. His dad had built a powerhouse race team at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and persuaded Budweiser to sponsor his kid; the brewer went all-in on introducing Junior to a mainstream audience.

    The elder Earnhardt was a superstar, but his fan base was filled with the blue-collar folks who drove Chevrolets and wore Wranglers, just like their favorite driver.

    Earnhardt Jr. was profiled in Rolling Stone magazine and showed off the nightclub in his home on MTV's "Cribs." His crossover appeal landed him appearances in various music videos for artists ranging from Trace Adkins to Nickelback to Jay-Z, and much of it seemed silly to his dad.

    When Dale Sr. was killed, his legacy immediately fell to a 25-year-old adjusting to his significant popularity. Dale Jr. says he suffers from severe anxiety, but he navigated the heightened spotlight with brutal honesty and raw emotion.

    The third-generation racer became a 15-time winner of NASCAR's fan-voted most popular driver award, and over the past two decades has built an empire centered around the sport his family holds in such high regard. Earnhardt has a successful media company and both his television special series "Lost Speedways" and "The Dale Jr. Download" podcast are fan favorites.

    He teamed with his sister, Kelley, to grow their JR Motorsports race team into one of the best in the Xfinity Series, and as a lead analyst for NBC Sports, he plays a huge role in how the sport is delivered to its audience.

    The late Earnhardt never got to see what his children accomplished, creating a nagging void his son says he can't shake.

    "I think he would be surprised," Earnhardt told AP. He said his dad didn't believe his children would be successful race car drivers, so his two Busch Series titles caught him off guard.

    "I think he certainly would be happy and proud, but also typical Dad going, 'Well, if you try a little harder here,' or 'If you had done a little different there' and 'Maybe you should prioritize this,'" Earnhardt said. "That's exactly what I would expect from him, and I would welcome that type of criticism today."

    Earnhardt left DEI six years after his father's death because of a difficult relationship with the elder Earnhardt's widow; the race team no longer exists. His free-agency courting was among the most frenzied in NASCAR history, and Earnhardt moved to powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.

    He believes his father would think he fell short of his on-track potential. He agrees.

    "Once I got to Hendrick and really realized what being a driver is about, and really understood what kind of commitment it takes, I look back on the Bud years and go, 'Wow, I really could have done so much more with that because I had some really awesome race cars and we had a hell of a team," Earnhardt said.

    "There's some regrets and mistakes and things that I wish I would have done differently. Dad would have pointed those out for sure."

    Earnhardt reluctantly embraces his off-track success, which includes a near-daily influence on NASCAR. He tested the new Cup car last week at Daytona International Speedway so he can accurately discuss it for an audience, and he lobbied the Hall of Fame to allow Stefanik's widow to give a speech at Friday night's ceremony.

    He has always followed the belief that he can convert NASCAR's toughest critic. And in his father's absence, he's spent the last 20 years holding NASCAR's vice chairman Mike Helton in the highest regard, confident that if his father's close friend respects him, then he was doing things right.

    And yet Earnhardt deflected what his father might think, crediting instead his sister, who is co-owner of JR Motorsports.

    "I think that he would be so proud of Kelley and who she has become, the amount of respect, her stature, I think that would matter a lot to him," Earnhardt said. "He would credit her and tell me that she's a lot of the reason why we've accomplished everything we have. And he would be right. But, you know, he wouldn't tell her. He'd tell me about Kelley, and he'd talk to Kelley about me.

    "I would do anything to hear what he thinks about all the things we've done and everything we've been involved in. I would just do anything to really, really truly know what his words would be. I think about it all the time."

    NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 induction slated for Friday

    (1/17/22) The NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR are pleased to announce that the Class of 2021 Induction Ceremony will take place in Charlotte on Friday. The ceremony was originally scheduled for Feb. 5, 2021 but was postponed due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.

    “We are thrilled to celebrate these legends’ significant accomplishments and contributions to NASCAR alongside their families, friends and fans,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “The decision to postpone was very difficult but the right thing to do. With the planned evolution from five to three inductees with the Class of 2021, NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame teams saw an opportunity to take a fresh look at our schedule of events for Induction Weekend and are excited about what we have created. It’s always a special time for each honoree and their families and friends and will be a truly memorable weekend for our fans and guests alike.”

    To celebrate the Class of 2021, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will again have three days of special events and programming — including an exclusive insiders experience, a brunch event with NASCAR Hall of Famers and behind-the-scenes looks at pieces of racing history.

    Tickets to the Class of 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Weekend events, which will take place Thursday through Friday, are on sale here for the general public.

    KEY DATES

    Induction Dinner and Induction Ceremony (Friday, Jan. 21, 2022): Both the Induction Dinner and Induction Ceremony will take place in the Crown Ballroom at the Charlotte Convention Center adjacent to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Public On-Sale: Tickets to all Class of 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Weekend events are on sale to the public. NASCAR Hall of Fame members were allowed access to an exclusive ticket pre-sale last September. Additional information about membership can be found here.

    Cost: Tickets to the Induction Ceremony start at $150 per person (plus tax and applicable service fees).

    Inductees: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Red Farmer and Mike Stefanik make up the Hall of Fame’s 12th class with Ralph Seagraves being honored as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

    Among the additional events scheduled for Induction Weekend are the Insider Experience, featuring a Q&A session with Class of 2021 Inductees and an Induction Stage photo op; Brunch with Hall of Famers where guests will share a table with a NASCAR legend; and Victory Lap, where the Class of 2020 will share stories and memories about the artifacts from their Hall of Honor exhibits.

    ABOUT THE CLASS OF 2021

    The Class of 2021 will be the 12th class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s since its inception in 2010. The first class with three members instead of five, it is comprised of:

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: A third-generation NASCAR champion in a family synonymous with the sport, Earnhardt Jr. is among the most popular drivers in NASCAR history. In addition to his 26 Cup Series wins and two Xfinity Series championships, Earnhardt Jr. served as the face of NASCAR for many years with 15 consecutive Most Popular Driver awards.

    Red Farmer: Part of the original Alabama Gang, Farmer’s exact win count is unknown — but it’s more than 700 and counting. Named one of the 50 Greatest Drivers in NASCAR’s first 50 years in 1998, Farmer’s immeasurable passion for the sport has kept him racing for decades, even as he approaches 90 years of age.

    Mike Stefanik: Atop the list of all-time NASCAR championships with nine sit two men: NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans, and Mike Stefanik. In 2003, Stefanik was named one of the Modified Tour’s 10 Greatest Drivers, and he holds the all-time series record in wins, poles, top fives and top 10s.

    Induction of this class brings the Hall’s total number of racing legends to 58. Additionally, Ralph Seagraves will be honored with the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

    Dale Jr. finds positives in Daytona test, but rules out talk of a Cup return: ‘I’m done taking risks’

    (1/12/22) Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he was eager to jump in for NASCAR Cup Series testing this week at Daytona International Speedway, so much that he pinged a handful of teams – Richard Childress Racing and Spire Motorsports among others – hoping for seat time. He said a half-dozen texts went to Chad Knaus, Hendrick Motorsports’ VP of Competition, who finally bit, clearing the way for him to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet during the preseason sessions.

    Earnhardt reflected Wednesday on his time back behind the wheel of the Cup Series’ new Next Gen car that will debut this season, gaining valuable knowledge that should help him become a more informed broadcaster for NBC Sports’ NASCAR coverage. The 47-year-old retired from full-time Cup Series competition after the 2017 season and has kept his recreational racing to one Xfinity Series event each year since.

    Earnhardt scuttled any speculation that this week’s return to the Cup Series garage might lead to more, say perhaps a Daytona 500 one-off.

    “No impact,” said Earnhardt, asked whether the test sessions rekindled a competitive Cup Series fire. “You know, I think that it’s a long story, but I’m old, 47 years old, and take a guy like William Byron and he’s young, he’s a risk taker, and I’m done taking risks. You know, I’ve got two little girls that I love being around and I put my wife through a lot to race, you know, half of my career that she was with me. She put everything in her role on pause for eight or 10 years while we did all that, and I just don’t know that at 47 years old I would be willing to take the necessary risks out on the race track that a young guy like William Byron would be willing to do.”

    Byron is 24 years old and his teammate for the week, his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy parked alongside his No. 5 in the outer reaches of the Cup Series garage. His other teammates – Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott – are all spending time driving midget cars at the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa this week, another factor that opened the door for Earnhardt’s appearance.

    Admittedly, Earnhardt had reservations about the sometimes humdrum pace of testing at points in his career. The opportunity, though, to drive the Cup Series’ new vehicle was too enticing, providing him with first-hand experience about the car’s characteristics that he can convey to a TV audience.

    “They’ve got William to really lean on, but I was happy to have the two days,” Earnhardt said. “Chad didn’t think I wanted to do the two days because he remembers me as somebody that didn’t really like testing. But having not done in a long time, I was happy to help them out. It’s really helped me out. I’m taking a ton of notes and learning so much about the car that I think it’s really good. When I talk to the drivers now, I think I can understand what they’re talking about, right? When I can ask them about what’s challenging about this car and this track, even if we’re talking about another race track, I think I can understand when he says this is what I feel, I can really kind of tap into this experience and really know what he’s talking about. I think that’ll be helpful.”

    Earnhardt was originally scheduled only for single-car runs during the Daytona test, but with crew chief Alan Gustafson’s prodding, he found himself in the midst of multi-car packs both days. He previously drove the car at Bowman Gray Stadium’s quarter-mile last fall, a far different experience than the 2.5-mile Daytona oval, but he found some of the same truths in the car’s stronger brakes, the steering precision and overall feel.

    Earnhardt has already made plans for his lone Xfinity Series race of 2022, which will come at Martinsville Speedway on April 8. In terms of the Cup Series, he says that he’d welcome another chance to tag along for testing, either at a short track or an intermediate-sized venue to add to his Next Gen notes.

    “But that’s about all the interest I have in driving these cars. I do love racing in the Xfinity Series and that’s a little … it’s a completely different vibe there,” Earnhardt says. “The whole culture and everything’s way different, but so I don’t feel that same concern about that sort of instinctual risk-taking stuff.

    “This is, the Cup Series is elite. You don’t just show up and think you’re just going to go out there and compete. It’d be like, you know, an old retired football player just showing up for an NFL game and thinking he’s gonna go out there and compete with those guys. You’d get destroyed. I remember when (Jamie) McMurray came back and ran a couple years ago for Spire, he got out and he told me, he said, ‘man, I don’t remember it being that hard.’ It’s tough. Not an easy thing.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns for Next Gen test at Daytona

    (1/10/22) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be back behind the wheel at Daytona International Speedway this week, driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in a two-day NASCAR Cup Series test.

    Hendrick Motorsports teased Earnhardt’s appearance in a social media post Monday morning, showing his signature skeleton driving gloves with a No. 5 Chevy test car in the background. Testing is set to run Tuesday and Wednesday at the 2.5-mile track. A full entry list from NASCAR officials has yet to be released. Hendrick Motorsports confirmed Earnhardt will drive the No. 5 car and William Byron will drive the No. 24.

    Earnhardt later explained on Twitter why he is taking part in the test.

    The Daytona test will mark Earnhardt’s second stint in the Next Gen car that makes its debut this year. Earnhardt shared driving duties with Clint Bowyer in making hot laps at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, last Oct. 26.

    Earnhardt, who is slated for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Jan. 21, last competed in the Cup Series in 2017. He has entered one NASCAR Xfinity Series event in each year since his retirement from full-time competition.

    Earnhardt has four Cup Series victories at Daytona, including two wins in the season-opening Daytona 500. This year’s Great American Race is scheduled Feb. 20 (2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM).

    Martha Earnhardt, racing family matriarch, dies at 91

    (12/26/21) Martha Earnhardt, matriarch of the famed racing family, has died. She was 91.

    Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Earnhardt Jr., two of her grandchildren, confirmed her Christmas Day passing in a statement released Sunday morning.

    Martha Earnhardt was married to Ralph Earnhardt from 1947 until his death in 1973 at age 45. The couple had five children – daughters Kaye and Cathy and sons Dale, Randy and Danny. Dale Earnhardt followed his father’s legacy as a driver to become one of just three seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champions. Youngest son Danny Earnhardt died earlier this month, aged 66 on Dec. 11.

    Martha Earnhardt — “Mammaw” to her grandchildren — was a calming influence who contrasted with Dale Earnhardt’s on-track Intimidator persona, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. noted during his grandmother’s 2019 appearance on the Dale Jr. Download podcast. “She mellowed him,” Earnhardt Jr. said as the two shared memories from Dale Earnhardt’s rise to iconic status in the world of stock-car racing.

    Martha Earnhardt remained a fixture at the family’s modest home in mill-town Kannapolis, N.C. She frequently and gently rebuffed her oldest son’s questions about moving her to a larger house, preferring to stay at the corner of V-8 and Sedan Avenue in the “Car Hill” community, where her memories lived with the old auto shop out back.

    “He was always here during holidays, and you’d never know when he would drop in,” Martha Earnhardt told the Orlando Sentinel in 2011, mentioning Dale’s visits for a hug or a slice of “secret cake,” a family favorite. “He’d drop by and visit for a little bit. I never knew when he was coming. I just took whatever I could get in his spare time. He was a good son. He did a lot for me. I have four other children who did, too.”

    Martha Earnhardt said she tried her hand at racing just once, in a “powder puff derby” race for women at Hickory Speedway. She crashed, lamenting the lack of practice before the event. “That was my one and only,” she said. “… It didn’t work. I just wasn’t meant to be a race-car driver.”

    She worked as a waitress and a clerk at a children’s store. In an interview with The Charlotte Observer for Mother’s Day in 2000, she recounted a special Christmas at the family home in 1998, the same year that Dale had won the Daytona 500. “We were real fortunate that year,” Martha Earnhardt said. “We had everybody in the family there, so it was a real houseful.”

    By her count, the holiday crowd totaled 34 — all five children, 11 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and various plus-ones.

    When asked her advice on raising a family, Earnhardt told The Observer: “The main thing is to have a good Christian home. Teach them morals and always be there for them.”

    When Dale Earnhardt Jr. became the next generation of the family to reach NASCAR’s national stage, Martha Earnhardt admitted that she had initial doubts. “I didn’t think he was ready,” she told the Associated Press in 1998, not long after his full-time promotion from Late Models to what is now called the Xfinity Series. “But boy, he’s proved me wrong. He’s really something special.” She became one of her grandson’s biggest advocates, comparing his breakthrough that season to his father’s long-awaited Daytona triumph.

    When that day came on Feb. 15, 1998, Dale Earnhardt called his mother from Victory Lane.

    “I was home watching, and I was cheering and crying at home just like I would if I had been there,” she told the Observer’s David Poole later that year. “Dale called me from winner’s circle and that made me feel real good. He said, “Mom! I finally won the Daytona 500! I said, ‘Yeah, son, I saw you did!’ For the last 10 laps, I walked the floor. I would sit down, I’d get up, I’d sit down. … I couldn’t stay sitting down until I knew he had won it. It was just a really great feeling because I knew how hard and how long he has tried to win and how close he has come.”

    In her later years, Martha Earnhardt was a welcoming presence in Kannapolis, frequently meeting visitors at the statue in her eldest son’s likeness in the cozy downtown. She waved a ceremonial green flag at the tribute plaza’s groundbreaking in 2002. She also welcomed guests into her home for travelers on the “Dale Trail” of racing landmarks around Cabarrus County.

    “She lets people into her home constantly,” Kelley Earnhardt Miller told USA Today Sports in 2014, calling the lasting connection with race fans “therapeutic” for her. “If you tell her you are the biggest Dale Earnhardt fan ever, she will let you in and sit on the couch, and she will share stories with you for as long as you’ll listen. And she’s always been that way. I can think of fans she now considers friends that come down from Canada and different places in the United States that always stop by to visit her and have for years.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. unveils 2022 No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet paint scheme for Martinsville

    (12/7/21) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports unveiled the No. 88 Hellmann’s Fridge Hunters Chevrolet paint scheme Earnhardt will run in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway on April 8.

    The winning wrap was revealed Tuesday during JR Motorsports’ Unilever production shoot via Earnhardt’s Instagram live.

    Earnhardt retired from full-time racing after the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season. The 15-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award winner is now a broadcaster for NBC Sports but still races once a year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with his JR Motorsports team. In 2021, he finished 14th at Richmond Raceway. (Photo1, Photo2, Photo3, Photo4)

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. targets Martinsville for lone Xfinity Series start of 2022

    (10/26/21) Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced Tuesday his lone NASCAR Xfinity Series start of 2022 will come April 8 at Martinsville Speedway.

    The news came in the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download from his Dirty Mo Media production group and after a shakedown of the Cup Series’ Next Gen car for 2022 at historic Bowman Gray Stadium. Earnhardt retired from full-time Cup Series competition after the 2017 season. In each year since, he has entered one Xfinity Series race per season in a part-time effort with his JR Motorsports team.

    His planned appearance next spring would mark his first Xfinity Series start at the 0.526-mile Virginia oval. The series returned to Martinsville last season after a nearly 14-year hiatus.

    Earnhardt notched the 23rd of his 26 career Cup Series victories in 2014 at Martinsville, claiming the track’s signature grandfather clock trophy. That win marked his last with crew chief Steve Letarte, who now works alongside Earnhardt as a fellow analyst with NBC Sports.

    Since 2018, Earnhardt’s four Xfinity Series starts have produced three top-five finishes. He has competed in two one-off starts at Richmond Raceway (2018, 2021), plus single starts at Darlington Raceway (2019) and Homestead-Miami Speedway (2020).

    New tech meets old school in Next Gen car’s appearance at Bowman Gray Stadium

    (10/26/21) Goodyear technicians and NASCAR officials gathered data and information Tuesday that will help determine the tire selection for next season’s Clash at the Coliseum. Accomplishing that came at the intersection of the Next Gen car of NASCAR’s future with a venerable track from the Cup Series’ past.

    The 2022 vehicle turned laps Tuesday at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in an unofficial preliminary to the Feb. 6 exhibition race in Los Angeles. Goodyear and NASCAR invited three recently retired stars with their own old-school cred for the driving duties — Hall of Famer Tony Stewart for the tire testing in the morning session, and racers turned broadcasters Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Clint Bowyer for hot laps in the afternoon.

    For all three drivers, it marked their first stints behind the wheel of the next Cup Series car, and the reviews were generally positive, with Earnhardt saying, “The car does everything better than anything I’ve ever drove in NASCAR.”

    “This car does all the things that I was worried about, it does them all and it does them well,” he said. “I think this car is a great match for this track or any track whereas the car that we have now doesn’t work everywhere and is difficult in places like this. So I’m sold now. I was skeptical, but I think it’s going to work really well. The car gets around the corner. I thought the track would be too small for our cars and they just wouldn’t handle and drive well, but this is a totally different beast.”

    Bowyer, who will be part of FOX Sports’ broadcasting crew for the Clash exhibition, said he was also swayed by the car’s responsiveness as he quickly got up to speed, sorting through the car’s new sequential shifter and adjusting to his seat and wheel positioning. He made laps under the watchful eye of longtime crew chief analyst Larry McReynolds, his broadcasting colleague.

    “Very impressed with the grip level, the braking power, the tire that Goodyear chose for this,” Bowyer said. “I’m glad again that I got to come out here to Bowman Gray. I live in Winston, guys. I’ve been here a lot in the grandstands, up there in that beer garden more than any seat, but I wanted to come out here and turn some laps.”

    Stewart had been to the stadium once before, attending the 2009 opener by tagging along with Bobby Hutchens — a longtime Modified driver who was then Stewart-Haas Racing’s competition director. Stewart’s appearance back then created a buzz in the Bowman Gray garage, fueling speculation that he might one day compete there. “Oh, yeah. I like running everywhere, places I’ve never been to,” Stewart told the Winston-Salem Journal then.

    Stewart lent a hand to Hutchens’ crew that night, but Tuesday got his chance behind the wheel at the stadium. Goodyear officials tested two different tires at Bowman Gray — one that was previously tried at Martinsville Speedway in March, and another tire with a softer compound.

    “Goodyear had a good plan coming into today, and I think they’re pretty happy with the results that they got,” said Stewart, who spun a pair of times in the track’s north turn without damage as he hustled the car around. “I think what they brought with the control set is probably a little harder than what they need. They brought a softer tire, and they were pretty happy with it, and I think that’s probably a combination of what they’ll bring out West.”

    The Clash is scheduled to be held outside of Daytona International Speedway for the first time next year, taking place on a similar quarter-mile track to be built inside the L.A. Coliseum. The layout has yet to be made final, with competition officials noting that proposed versions range from a maximum of 5 degrees of banking to a flat, no-banking configuration.

    The L.A. Coliseum boasts a remarkable history as a two-time Summer Olympics venue and the host to multiple professional and collegiate sports, but Bowman Gray holds its own in the realm of stock-car racing lore. NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. partnered with Alvin Hawkins to promote weekly racing there starting in 1949, and NASCAR Hall of Famer Tim Flock was its first track champion.

    The NASCAR Cup Series ran 29 races there from 1958-1971, a span that included Richard Petty’s 100th win in 1969. But even when the Cup Series departed as the schedule was shortened and newer, larger venues were sought out, weekly racing continued. Bowman Gray held its 1,000th NASCAR-sanctioned race meet in 2015, and it remains a southern outpost for the Modified cars that are most popular on tracks in the northeast.

    Bowman Gray Stadium ended its 72nd season of stock-car racing in August. City bonds have been allocated for improving the facility, and the Winston-Salem newspaper reported that the asphalt will be dismantled and replaced, starting next month. Nearby Winston-Salem State University wrapped up its home football schedule on the Bowman Gray turf last weekend. The field was still marked with yard lines and painted end zones for Tuesday’s test.

    Tuesday, the sounds of the gridiron were replaced with the rumble of a full-bodied Cup Series car at Bowman Gray, and Earnhardt was beaming after wheeling it through the tight confines.

    “They’ve got a great thing going on, so it’s fun to be able to come here,” Earnhardt said. “It’s really cool to be able to get some laps. It’s a very intimidating place. The guardrail, you’re racing around there, and that guardrail’s just chewed up, and it’s just daring you to hit it. It’s really intimidating. That, in itself, was a great experience for me, no matter what car I was driving today. It was awesome to come here and experience this place behind the wheel.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer to drive Next Gen car at Bowman Gray Stadium

    (10/25/21) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Clint Bowyer will be on hand to shake down the Next Gen car Oct. 26 at Bowman Gray Stadium, a 0.25-mile flat, asphalt oval in Winston Salem, North Carolina, affectionately known as the Madhouse.

    NASCAR is spending the time at Bowman Gray to prepare the car for The Clash at the Coliseum, which will be held Feb. 6 on a similar track at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. NASCAR.com will be at Bowman Gray for coverage of the test, so check back for our report as well as a photo gallery of Tuesday’s event.

    NASCAR announced the LA Coliseum race back in September when the full 2022 Cup Series schedule was revealed. At that time, Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s senior vice president of strategy and innovation, said, of the Coliseum race, “I think the large fan base that we have here in Los Angeles, the largest that we actually have in the nation, paired with exciting racing and being here in the downtown Los Angeles market, I think will be really special.”

    During the two-day Next Gen test two weeks ago at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, it was revealed NASCAR would hold tests for the Next Gen car at Bowman Gray Stadium and Wythe Raceway’s half-mile dirt track in Rural Retreat, Virginia. The test at Wythe is set for Nov. 16 and will be in preparation for next season’s return of the Bristol Dirt Race.

    Sugarlands, Earnhardts announce partnership

    (9/18/21) Sugarlands Distilling Co., along with racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. and wife Amy Earnhardt, together announced a strategic partnership that includes existing and new Sugarlands products to bear the Earnhardt’s names. The partnership was announced Saturday before the NASCAR Playoffs race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    As part of the partnership, Sugarlands’ Electric Orange Sippin’ Cream is being rechristened Dale and Amy’s Electric Orange Sippin’ Cream. The 40-proof Sippin’ Cream combines a bright, fresh orange zest with the smooth taste of vanilla cream.

    “Amy and I are excited to be part of the Sugarlands family. The Electric Orange Sippin’ Cream has become one of our favorites, and we’re thrilled to have our names on it,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr. “From the first time we met Ned (Vickers, president and founder of Sugarlands Distilling Co.), we were impressed with his vision and passion. We’re proud to kick off this partnership, and we’re looking forward to what the future holds.”

    Since launching in 2014, Sugarlands has integrated itself into the racing world. Earlier this year, the brand partnered with Bristol Motor Speedway to release a limited-edition corn whiskey to commemorate the legendary track’s 60th anniversary. The Bristol Motor Speedway 60th Anniversary Corn Whiskey was the third release in Sugarlands’ commemorative corn whiskey products, along with previous versions celebrating Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway.

    “Few names are as synonymous with racing in America as Earnhardt, and we’re honored to welcome Dale and Amy to the Sugarlands family,” said Vickers. “We’re thrilled to add their names to our Electric Orange Sippin’ Cream and can’t wait to collaborate with both Dale and Amy on future releases.”

    In addition to the Dale Jr. and Amy Earnhardt partnership, Sugarlands also has a line of beverages with country music superstar Cole Swindell and baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones. Last year, Sugarlands produced a special lemonade moonshine in partnership with the Ryder Cup.

    “Teaming with the Earnhardts further integrates Sugarlands into the racing community while expanding our already diverse partnership portfolio,” said Sugarlands Chief Revenue Officer, Patrick Sullivan. “Collaborations with names as recognizable as Dale Jr. and Amy help strengthen the Sugarlands name with customers while providing tremendous value for our retail partners.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a champion team owner, businessman, television analyst for NBC Sports Group, and new inductee into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He won a record 15 straight NASCAR Most Popular Driver awards from 2003 to 2017, consecutive NASCAR Busch Series Championships in 1998 and 1999, and the prestigious Daytona 500 in 2004 and 2014. He is a two-time New York Times bestselling author, most recently with his 2018 book Racing To The Finish. Dale and Amy live in Mooresville, North Carolina, with their two daughters, Isla and Nicole.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. differentiates emotions toward one-off, full-time racing

    (9/10/21) Like a birthday or a holiday, this, too, happens on a yearly basis: Dale Earnhardt Jr. enters a NASCAR race.

    It used to happen literally all the time. Earnhardt, a 26-time winner in the Cup Series, competed in every race in every season but two for 18 years. That’s 626 events as a full-timer.

    His last win in the sport dates back to 2016 – in the Xfinity Series, where he’ll make his annual appearance Saturday at Richmond Raceway.

    “I don’t really daydream too much about the result,” Earnhardt said Friday on a Zoom teleconference. “We’ll just see how it all shakes out. But I hope I get to run all the laps and I hope I get to have fun. I hope I’m reminded why I love it and then also why I don’t do it anymore.”

    Earnhardt retired from full-time NASCAR racing after the 2017 Cup Series season. Since then, he has participated in one Xfinity Series race per year. In 2018, he raced at Richmond and finished fourth. He then placed fifth at Darlington Raceway in 2019 and at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2020.

    On Saturday, Earnhardt is slated to start 30th in the Go Bowling 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). It’ll mark his 143rd career Xfinity Series start. Somehow that triple-digit tally doesn’t relax him heading into the event. If anything, he’s more nervous now than when he suited up regularly.

    “I think when you race every single week, when you did bad, you had an opportunity next weekend to fix it,” Earnhardt said. “If you had a bad weekend, it wasn’t fun, it wasn’t good and you took it home with you and you spent the rest of the week being miserable. But you knew that you were going back to the track with a chance to redeem yourself and a chance to peel that layer off, that layer of disappointment off. And that was always there every single week.

    “I haven’t had a bad experience in these one-race-a-year deals. I haven’t had a bad experience yet, so I don’t know how that’s going to feel when we have a bad race. If I’m going to go, ‘Man, I gotta wait a whole year to fix this,’ that might make things a little difficult.”

    Saturday’s reaction is still a TBD, but looks rather promising. In 36 Cup Series starts, Earnhardt won three times at Richmond. He tallied 10 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes overall. In the Xfinity Series, he actually has four wins in eight starts – the most recent coming in 2016 in his No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

    Regardless of the outcome, there’s always next year.

    Because Earnhardt doesn’t plan on racing more than once a year, nor does he want to.

    “But, you know, I do miss it,” Earnhardt said. “I miss driving. I daydream about driving full time and what that would be like and, boy, I miss it.”

    Dale Jr. set for lone Xfinity Series start at Richmond as playoffs loom for series regulars

    (9/9/21) Only two races remain to set the 12-driver NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff grid and the Regular Season Championship remains very much up for grabs with only a single point separating five-race winner Austin Cindric and three-race winner A.J. Allmendinger.

    That means there’s certainly a lot on the line in Saturday’s Go Bowling 250 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the 0.75-mile Richmond (Va.) Raceway – the Xfinity Series’ first trip to the track this season.

    And to top it all off, one of the sport’s most popular drivers – ever – NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to the track for his annual one-race competition. With four wins in eight NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Richmond, Earnhardt leaves the NBC television booth Saturday afternoon and climbs into his JR Motorsports team’s No. 8 “United for America” Chevrolet an absolute favorite to win.

    His teammate, JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier, a two-time winner in 2021, swept both events at Richmond last year and is the only full-time series driver with a previous win at the track. He’s finished fourth or better in the last four Richmond races and his 494 laps led is second only to Earnhardt’s 829 laps led.

    The competitive level for Saturday’s race will be extremely high with Team Penske’s Austin Cindric and Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger involved in a tight regular-season title fight. Cindric’s third-place effort at Darlington, S.C. last weekend along with Allmendinger’s 20th-place showing has certainly tightened the standings and increased the competitive drama for these final two regular-season races.

    “It’s gonna be a fun two weeks,” Cindric promised with a smile.

    Although he has yet to win at Richmond, Cindric has been very good at the track scoring five top-10 finishes in six starts. He was runner-up in both 2019 races and led 64 laps in the spring Richmond race last year, finishing fourth. Allmendinger, on the other hand, has only one Xfinity Series start – a 14th-place finish back in 2007. The veteran competed in 23 NASCAR Cup Series races at the track with only three top-10 finishes – his best showing a sixth place in 2014.

    As productive as Allmendinger has been this year, it’s easy to forget he’s only had 51 total Xfinity Series starts in his career and that this is his first full season in Xfinity.

    Conversely, the 12th and final Playoff position is also still very much up for grabs – via a new race winner who would automatically transfer in or simply the points battle between Riley Herbst and Michael Annett.

    The JR Motorsports driver Annett held that Playoff position before a leg injury forced him to miss four of the previous six races. Meanwhile, Herbst, who drives the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, has earned four top-10 finishes in the last six races. Herbst has two top-10 finishes in three Richmond starts. Similarly, Annett has scored top-10 finishes in the last three Richmond races.

    The latest driver to lock himself into the postseason is Noah Gragson. Gragson, 23, earned his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory of 2021 this past weekend at Darlington, S.C. and has top-10 finishes in four of his five Richmond starts, including a runner-up showing in 2018.

    Gragson, as with the rest of the field, can count on a legitimate threat from his boss Earnhardt, who has been a master at Richmond. In eight Xfinity Series starts, he has four wins and seven top-10 finishes. He won three consecutive starts in three decades – 1999, 2002 and 2016 – four of five starts including a 1998 win as well.

    And Earnhardt’s No. 8 carries a special nod to the Sept. 11 race date. The Chevrolet’s paint scheme will include tributes to the people lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks – with the two World Trade Center Towers, the Pentagon and the Flight 93 Memorial in the design with the phrase, “Never Forget” on the quarter panels.

    “It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since that terrible day,” Earnhardt said. “The spirit of unity and togetherness our country felt on Sept. 11 is just as relevant now as it was then. I’m honored to be driving this car and championing Unilever’s United for America program.”

    NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 induction slated for January 21

    (9/8/21) The NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR are pleased to announce that the Class of 2021 Induction Ceremony will take place in Charlotte on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. The ceremony was originally scheduled for Feb. 5, 2021 but was postponed due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.

    “We are thrilled to celebrate these legends’ significant accomplishments and contributions to NASCAR alongside their families, friends and fans,” said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “The decision to postpone was very difficult but the right thing to do. With the planned evolution from five to three inductees with the Class of 2021, NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame teams saw an opportunity to take a fresh look at our schedule of events for Induction Weekend and are excited about what we have created. It’s always a special time for each honoree and their families and friends and will be a truly memorable weekend for our fans and guests alike.”

    To celebrate the Class of 2021, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will again have three days of special events and programming — including an exclusive insiders experience, a brunch event with NASCAR Hall of Famers and behind-the-scenes looks at pieces of racing history.

    Tickets to the Class of 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Weekend events, which will take place Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 through Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, go on sale to the general public on Thursday, Oct. 7 at 10 a.m.

    KEY DATES AND TAKEAWAYS

    Induction Dinner and Induction Ceremony (Friday, Jan. 21, 2022): Both the Induction Dinner and Induction Ceremony will take place in the Crown Ballroom at the Charlotte Convention Center adjacent to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Public On-Sale (Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021): Tickets to all Class of 2021 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Weekend events go on sale to the public. NASCAR Hall of Fame members will have access to an exclusive ticket pre-sale later this month. Additional information about membership can be found here.

    Cost: Tickets to the Induction Ceremony start at $150 per person (plus tax and applicable service fees).

    Inductees: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Red Farmer and Mike Stefanik make up the Hall of Fame’s 12th class with Ralph Seagraves being honored as the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

    Additional Events: Bookending the Induction Ceremony will be a roster of fan-centric events designed to give attendees an immersive NASCAR Hall of Fame experience. More detailed information about weekend events will be available later this month.

    Among the additional events scheduled for Induction Weekend are the Insider Experience, featuring a Q&A session with Class of 2021 Inductees and an Induction Stage photo op; Brunch with Hall of Famers where guests will share a table with a NASCAR legend; and Victory Lap, where the Class of 2020 will share stories and memories about the artifacts from their Hall of Honor exhibits.

    ABOUT THE CLASS OF 2021

    The Class of 2021 will be the 12th class inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s since its inception in 2010. The first class with three members instead of five, it is comprised of:

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: A third-generation NASCAR champion in a family synonymous with the sport, Earnhardt Jr. is among the most popular drivers in NASCAR history. In addition to his 26 Cup Series wins and two Xfinity Series championships, Earnhardt Jr. served as the face of NASCAR for many years with 15 consecutive Most Popular Driver awards.

    Red Farmer: Part of the original Alabama Gang, Farmer’s exact win count is unknown — but it’s more than 700 and counting. Named one of the 50 Greatest Drivers in NASCAR’s first 50 years in 1998, Farmer’s immeasurable passion for the sport has kept him racing for decades, even as he approaches 90 years of age.

    Mike Stefanik: Atop the list of all-time NASCAR championships with nine sit two men: NASCAR Hall of Famer Richie Evans, and Mike Stefanik. In 2003, Stefanik was named one of the Modified Tour’s 10 Greatest Drivers, and he holds the all-time series record in wins, poles, top fives and top 10s.

    Induction of this class brings the Hall’s total number of racing legends to 58. Additionally, Ralph Seagraves will be honored with the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

    NASCAR, ‘I Am Athlete’ podcast kick off ‘I Am NASCAR’ collaboration series with Dale Jr.

    (6/23/21) Brandon Marshall’s I AM ATHLETE (IAA) podcast will continue its mission to deliver unique platforms for athletes across the sports landscape with a new NASCAR collaboration. IAA will present a special I AM NASCAR series to air weekly over the next month, featuring interviews with top drivers and much more.

    This exploratory expansion into the NASCAR arena will continue throughout the NASCAR season, with additional episodes coming out monthly. The first I AM NASCAR episode debuted Monday, May 10 with legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. joining Marshall and the IAA crew. All of the I AM NASCAR episodes will debut and be available on the IAA YouTube Channel.

    “This is a great opportunity for us to give IAA fans a look into a totally different area of the sports world and share our experiences on the race track,” said Marshall, who was approached by Earnhardt about the NASCAR focus after the IAA episode with Bubba Wallace. “We’re always looking to push the boundaries of what people would expect from our show. Diving into this new world is a great way to expand our audience and their perspectives.”

    Earnhardt Jr. originally reached out to IAA after the Wallace episode featured co-host Channing Crowder stating his opinion that NASCAR drivers “aren’t real athletes,” which prompted Earnhardt Jr. to provide the IAA hosts with a chance to learn more about the sport firsthand. This experience inspired the crew to stick around the track longer and sit down for discussions with more drivers, including two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and Toni Breidinger, the first Arab-American woman to drive in NASCAR.

    “Being out there with Dale was a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience I never could have imagined,” said Marshall. “Hopefully people watching will see us pushed outside our comfort zones, and be inspired to do the same in their lives. We really learned so much from being on the track and talking to these drivers about what it takes to do what they do. I can’t wait to keep exploring this world on IAA and beyond.”

    Be sure to visit the IAA YouTube Channel throughout the next month for weekly I AM NASCAR content, and all NASCAR season long for additional special episodes. We will also add the podcasts to this page as they become available:

    Episode 1: IAA crew joins Dale Jr. at Charlotte Motor Speedway: Video.

    Episode 2: Kyle Busch dishes to the IAA crew on fights, more: Video.

    Episode 3: IAA crew talks to Toni Breidinger, the first-ever female Arab-American national series driver: Video.

    Episode 4: Is the IAA crew the next NASCAR pit crew?: Video.

    ‘Dinner Drive with Kyle Petty’ to blend cars, conversation and local eats, starting July 8

    (6/9/21) Kyle Petty has logged plenty of miles over the years, whether on the track during his NASCAR driving career or in the many cross-country motorcycle trips he’s made with others in his long-running charity ride. This summer, Petty will add some more intimate miles to his personal odometer in a new prime-time show.

    “Dinner Drive with Kyle Petty” is set for a July 8 premiere (8 p.m. ET) on the Nashville-based Circle Network. The show places Petty with several personalities — both inside and outside the world of motorsports — in their home environment. Each guest will feature a vehicle that holds special meaning for them, and Petty will be along for the ride to grab food at a favorite local eatery, where one-on-one conversation will follow.

    “Dinner Drive will feature an inside look at the lives and cars of some of the biggest names in sports, music, and entertainment, including sentimental stories of their upbringing, professional careers, and personal lives,” Kyle Petty said in a news release. “I’m excited for viewers to pull up a chair and join us at the table as we have candid conversations about life with each guest.”

    The guest list for the weekly series is star-studded. NASCAR.com shared an exclusive first look at clips from the first episode, where Petty meets up with Dale Earnhardt Jr., gets acquainted with his vintage Chevy S10 pickup truck, and shares conversation at a local pizza joint in his Mooresville, N.C., stomping grounds.

    The full schedule of guests:

    July 8: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    July 15: Davis Love III
    July 22: Darius Rucker
    July 29: Mario Andretti
    Aug. 5: Ric Flair
    Aug. 12: Richard Petty
    Aug. 19: Herschel Walker
    Aug. 26: Pitbull.

    Allgaier beats teammate, Earnhardt paces field at Darlington

    (5/18/21) NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and NASCAR on NBC broadcaster Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to Reddit on Tuesday to participate in one of the site’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) events.

    Fans tossed plenty of questions over to Earnhardt, who joined on behalf of NASCAR Premier Partner Xfinity to talk everything he’s watching on Peacock, Netflix and a few other topics.

    Here are some of the highlights. Head on over to Reddit to see the full list of questions and more of Junior’s answers.

    Which driver or story in our sport would make a great movie?

    That’s a great question. I think Denny Hamlin would be a good one. Denny came from humble beginnings and now he’s rubbing shoulders with Michael Jordan. He’s had a pretty interesting life.- Dale Jr.

    Favorite TV show?

    My favorite TV show of all time is the mini-series Lonesome Dove. I made my wife Amy watch all eight hours in one sitting before I would take the relationship any further. I said, “If you want to know me, this is what we have to do.” -Dale Jr.

    Favorite pump-up movie?

    I would say Tombstone, particularly the characters of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. -Dale Jr.

    Favorite character on The Office?

    Ed Helms and I did a Budweiser Super Bowl spot when he was just getting started, he was still doing stand-up. Of course, he’s long forgotten me now, but I’m still a big fan of his. His new show on Peacock looks pretty good too. -Dale Jr.

    What actor would play you in a movie?

    This has come up a lot. Every time I think Matt Damon, but I hate to answer cause it sounds so conceited. Maybe we go with Neil Patrick Harris. -Dale Jr.

    Cannonball Run, Smokey and Bandit, Dukes of Hazzard, or Bullitt?

    I would probably say Smokey and the Bandit. I was a big Burt Reynolds fan. -Dale Jr.

    Someone you’d want on the podcast that’s no longer with us? Dream guest?

    There’s a long list. David Pearson would be at the top, how about my dad. I never even had that thought in my head til just now. Dream guest would be Cale Yarborough.- Dale Jr.

    Favorite race you won?

    Probably the All-Star Race in my rookie season. Celebrating in Victory Lane with dad after that race was an epic moment for me. -Dale Jr.

    Favorite race you didn’t win?

    That’s easy. The one at Martinsville where the right front fender was missing and we finished top five. Bud car in 2006 -Dale Jr.

    Most rewarding win as an owner?

    Josh Berry at Martinsville this year. -Dale Jr.

    Is a hot dog a sandwich?

    A hot dog is a hot dog, it’s an alternative to a sandwich. -Dale Jr.

    If you took two separate lasagnas and stacked them on top of each, would you have one lasagna or two lasagnas?

    You have one lasagna. -Dale Jr.

    Allgaier beats teammate, Earnhardt paces field at Darlington

    (5/8/21) Dale Earnhardt Jr. took his late father’s newly restored Chevy Nova out for a spin on Darlington Raceway’s throwback weekend to pace the field before the Xfinity Series race Saturday.

    Then his JR Motorsports drivers did their part to honor the NASCAR legacy of their owner’s family.

    Justin Allgaier held off teammate Josh Berry in overtime to win the Xfinity event at Darlington, becoming two of three JR Motorsports racers to finish in the top six.

    A fourth JRM driver, Noah Gragson, had crossed the finish line fourth and appeared to win a $100,000 bonus. But he was disqualified after his car failed inspection and he dropped to 40th, last in the field.

    It was about the only setback for the Xfinity team, owned in part by Dale Jr. and his sister, Kelley.

    “Obviously, Dale’s history in this sport, Dale Jr.’s history in this sport, runs extremely deep,” Allgaier said. To win this race in that atmosphere, he said, “I don’t know if you can describe those emotions.”

    Allgaier didn’t move in front until the final 10 laps, when he passed Berry for the lead. Then the race’s eighth and final caution five laps later set up the two-lap overtime shootout that Allgaier claimed for his first win at the track nicknamed “Too Tough To Tame.”

    “This place is truly special,” said Allgaier, 34.

    His victory capped a day filled with nods to the Earnhardts’ racing past.

    Allgaier’s Chevrolet featured a paint scheme driven by the late Dale Earnhardt in the 2000 Daytona 500.

    Before the race, Dale Jr. drove his father’s restored Nova to pace the field.

    And then came the parade of JR Motorsports drivers on top.

    Allgaier said the restored Nova was at the team’s race shop for a while and he was excited to see his boss take it out for a spin.

    Not that victory came easily. He pushed past Berry on a restart with 10 laps left and looked like he had opened a big enough lead to close things out. But the eighth caution set up the overtime.

    Allgaier chose the outside line for the last restart and, while Berry edged in front briefly, he powered past him to take the checkered flag.

    “We’re not surprised we’re in the top five really,” Berry said. “We’re just trying to iron out our mistakes.”

    It was Allgaier’s second win in the past four races and his 16th career Xfinity victory.

    Defending Darlington Xfinity race winner Brandon Jones finished third, just ahead of Gragson before his car failed inspection.

    Gragson led 40 out of 148 laps, the most of any competitor. But his car was found to have broken a rule preventing cars from having suspension mounts that allow for “beyond normal rotation or suspension and/or drivetrain travel, according to NASCAR.

    The $100,000 bonus for winning a Dash-4-Cash promotion instead was awarded to AJ Allmendinger, who finished 12th.

    Daniel Hemric moved up to fourth and Jeremy Clements was fifth, followed by Michael Annett, Brett Moffitt, Ryan Sieg, Alex Labbe and Harrison Burton to round out the top 10.

    Annett, another JR Motorsports driver, moved up to sixth with his teammate’s DQ.

    Earnhardt Jr., who has retired from full-time racing, last competed at Darlington in 2019 with a fifth-place finish in an Xfinity race. He plans on getting behind the wheel at Richmond for the Xfinity race on Sept. 11, honoring victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. to make Xfinity Series start at Richmond on anniversary of 9/11 attacks

    (5/4/21) Dale Earnhardt Jr. has announced his yearly NASCAR Xfinity Series start will take place at Richmond Raceway in the Go Bowling 250 (Sept. 11 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    This year’s start will come on the 20th anniversary of the 2001 attacks on Sept. 11, and he will sport a special United for America paint scheme to honor victims of 9/11 with longtime partner Unilever on the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. In the spirit of remembrance, his paint scheme will mirror that of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum’s Tribute in Light. The blue-and-white paint scheme will feature four spotlights each representing the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the Flight 93 Memorial site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, with the words “Never Forget” on the lower-rear quarter panel to honor those who lost their lives during the attacks.

    “It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since that terrible day,” Earnhardt said via a team release. “The spirit of unity and togetherness our country felt on Sept. 11 is just as relevant now as it was then. I’m honored to be driving this car and championing Unilever’s United for America program.”

    Since retiring from full-time duty after the 2017 season, the 46-year-old has made one start in each of the past three seasons for the team he co-owns with sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Rick Hendrick, JR Motorsports. All of those starts have resulted in top fives. In 2018, he finished fourth at Richmond. In 2019, he finished fifth at Darlington Raceway, and in 2020, he also finished fifth at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    For his career, Earnhardt has 24 Xfinity Series wins and two titles. His most recent Xfinity win was also his most recent NASCAR national series win to date — in 2016 at Richmond. One of Earnhardt’s 26 Cup wins came in the sport’s first race after 9/11 at Dover International Speedway.

    Dale Jr.’s ‘Lost Speedways’ returns this summer on Peacock

    (4/7/21) “Lost Speedways” with Dale Earnhardt Jr. will return for a second season this summer on Peacock, the soon-to-be NASCAR Hall of Famer revealed on his “The Dale Jr. Download” podcast on Tuesday.

    The second season, which will be available on Peacock — an OTT-streaming service owned by NBCUniversal, will consist of eight episodes. Season 1 debuted last summer with eight episodes.

    In a release announcing the second season, Earnhardt said, “We’re excited to bring you a second season of that show. We were so happy with the response from season one. We’ve got a whole new batch of really unique race tracks. Going to these places produced some incredible experiences. I just can’t wait for you to see them.”

    The show documents Dale Jr.’s passion, exploration and historical look at race tracks around the country that are now desolate and unused. Matthew Dillner serves as the co-host of the show.

    Dale Jr. to race in eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series opener at Bristol

    (3/18/21) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be among the drivers to compete in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series opener at the virtual Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track on Wednesday, March 24 (8 p.m. ET on FS1).

    The Bristol race marks the first of 10 Pro Invitational Series races in 2021. The first five — Bristol Motor Speedway on dirt, Talladega Superspeedway, Darlington Raceway, Circuit of the Americas and a track to be determined — will be televised on FS1. The second five will be broadcast by NBC Sports.

    Last season, the Pro Invitational Series debuted during the initial shutdown from the COVID-19 pandemic. Earnhardt was a regular participant in those races scoring a best finish in the first race, a runner-up finish at the virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Earnhardt has been a long time user and fan of iRacing. He joined the company last November as an executive director and was instrumental in the process of getting North Wilkesboro Speedway scanned for the service.

    Dale Jr. takes restored Nova for a drive, gets set for Darlington pace-lap duty

    (3/5/21) (Video) Dale Earnhardt Jr. took his father’s newly restored Chevrolet Nova racer out for a spin Friday as the black and silver No. 8 rumbled back to life. The sound should be sweet music when the car takes a more public drive in two months, right back at home at Darlington Raceway.

    Earnhardt indicated Friday that the vintage car is set to be part of NASCAR Throwback Weekend on May 7-9 at the South Carolina track, leading the pace laps for the May 8 race for the Xfinity Series. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a three-time Darlington winner in the series, and twice drove a GM Goodwrench-sponsored No. 8 to Victory Lane there.

    The No. 8 Nova has undergone a painstakingly thorough restoration at the JR Motorsports fabrication shop, a process that Earnhardt Jr. has documented in great detail on social media. He indicated that the car was once bodied as a Pontiac Ventura, and confirmed its authenticity through the use of archival photos.

    Earnhardt Jr. won 24 times in his Xfinity Series career and was the tour’s champion in consecutive years (1998-99). His father is credited with 21 victories on that circuit since its rise to a national series in 1982.

    The car’s planned Darlington appearance won’t be the first time a NASCAR Hall of Famer has presided over the pace laps in a historic car. Richard Petty was a memorable part of the 2017 Throwback Weekend, when he was black-flagged for taking one pace lap too many in his No. 43 Plymouth Belvedere.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. sells Florida pirate ship home for $3M

    (2/18/21) Retired NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. has just finished his latest race: selling his roughly 3,300-square-foot Florida home.Earnhardt’s house, in Key West, has traded hands for $3 million, the listing brokerage told The Post.

    He and his wife Amy, an interior designer, listed the spread for $3.7 million in February 2020, according to People.

    Earnhardt purchased it for $2.4 million in 2009 — two years before the couple began dating and seven years before they wed.

    Listing images show the property has a distinct beachy vibe — with turquoise shutters, natural-tone decor and palm trees shading a large pool. And despite its modern look, the home dates to 1863.

    What’s more, the home reportedly nods to Key West’s pirate history. Earnhardt designed the interior to resemble a pirate ship, with skull-and-crossbones emblems — including a mural — and a ship’s wheel at the end of the bar, People added. There are also fishnets and ropes tied around columns.

    The bones include five bedrooms, three full bathrooms and one half bathroom. Set on roughly 0.2 acres, the grounds additionally have a guest house, used now as one large bedroom. (There are plans to split this space into two bedrooms and one bathroom.)

    The main house has a wraparound porch. Inside, there are hardwood floors, wood-paneled walls and beamed ceilings. On the second level, there’s a deck whose gate opens allowing daredevils to jump into the pool below. It’s fitting for the couple to have such a thrill-packed home, as they starred in the four-part “Renovation Realities: Dale Jr. & Amy” series on the DIY Network in 2018.

    Bob Cardenas and Matt Carlson of Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty represented the seller and the buyer.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. announces birth of second daughter

    (10/15/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife, Amy, welcomed their second daughter into the world on Monday.

    Earnhardt revealed the news during the latest edition of the Dale Jr. Download, which was dropped on Thursday.

    The couple’s older daughter, Isla Rose, is 2 years old.

    Listen to the podcast to hear Earnhardt discuss the name of the baby, how he and Amy decided what to name her and other details here.

    NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 induction ceremonies postponed

    (10/8/20) The NASCAR Hall of Fame announced Thursday that it will postpone the Induction Ceremony and Induction Week events for the Class of 2021. The decision was made in partnership with NASCAR after very thorough and thoughtful conversations regarding how best to plan and execute one of the sport’s most cherished moments while facing the ongoing uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The Induction Ceremony, which was set to take place on Friday, February 5, 2021, is now anticipated for early 2022. The Class of 2021 consists of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Red Farmer, the late Mike Stefanik and Landmark Award recipient Ralph Seagraves.

    “Without question, the safety of our inductees, our guests and our staff is the highest priority for us,” said Winston Kelley, NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director. “The ongoing public health crisis prohibits our ability to plan for and celebrate these honorees’ landmark achievements as originally scheduled to the fullest extent – with their families, friends and fans present – and in a manner that’s representative of their incredible accomplishments in NASCAR and their contributions to the sport.”

    The celebration annually draws fans, members and visitors from across the country to a variety of special events throughout the week at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, leading up to the official Induction Dinner and Ceremony. In addition to class Inductees and the Landmark Award recipient, the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence is also recognized during the week’s events.

    It is anticipated that the new date for the Class of 2021 Induction Ceremony and Induction Week events will be announced sometime in summer 2021. In addition, events celebrating both the class of 2020 and 2021 are hopeful for later in 2021.

    The Class of 2020 exhibit in the museum’s Hall of Honor will remain on display until the Class of 2021 is enshrined in 2022. The NASCAR Hall of Fame recently reopened its doors to the public with enhanced safety measures following six months of closure due to COVID-19 restrictions.

    To learn more about the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the Class of 2021 and current exhibits visit nascarhall.com.

    Details released in crash of plane carrying Earnhardt Jr.

    (7/17/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a pilot struggled to open a crashed airplane’s wing emergency exit as the aircraft began to burn and fill with smoke before the retired race car driver and his family managed to escape from the main door, according to new details about the 2019 accident released by the National Transportation and Safety Board.

    Documents released Thursday by the NTSB provide pilot, passenger and witness statements about the Aug. 15, 2019 plane crash at an airport in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

    Earnhardt, a NASCAR television analyst and retired driver, was with wife Amy, 15-month-old daughter Isla, two pilots and the family dog when their Cessna Citation Latitude crashed. The NTSB said three passengers suffered minor injuries.

    In a preliminary report, NTSB investigators have said part of the landing gear collapsed and a section of the right wing hit the runway as the plane bounced twice before touching down a third time with about 1,000 feet of paved surface remaining.

    The plane went through a chain-link fence before coming to rest on the edge of Tennessee Highway 91.

    Pilot Richard Pope told the NTSB that he was carrying extra speed on the approach to the runway because the airplane “slows down so easy,” according to a summary of the pilots’ statements to the NTSB.

    Pope said the initial touchdown was “pretty hard” and the airplane came off the runway. The flight crew reported that thrust reversers, which help an airplane decelerate during landing, were applied after the first touchdown.

    Pilot Jeffrey Melton said that after thrust was increased, “the power never comes,” the NTSB reported.

    “After they attempted to increase power, and they did not feel the power come, power was pulled to idle, and the thrust reversers were again applied as the airplane touched down for the third time,” the report said.

    Earnhardt and the two pilots were unable to open the emergency exit door over the wing after the plane came to a hard stop, the report said.

    “As they were attempting to get the rear exit door open, heavy smoke was coming from the lavatory,” the report said. “Mr. Earnhardt reported that he told Mr. Melton to try the main cabin door. At this time fire was now visible in the lavatory.”

    Melton then kicked open the main cabin door wide enough so that he could exit.

    “Earnhardt then handed his daughter, who was in his arms, to the pilot, and then they each squeezed out the opening,” which was roughly the size of a conventional oven, the report said.

    Witness Cheryl Campbell told the NTSB in a written statement that she was driving when she saw the rear of the aircraft burst into flames after it crash-landed. In her statement, Campbell said she had served in the Air Force and had been a flight attendant for a major airline for two decades.

    Campbell told investigators that she ran to the aircraft and saw a man who was not wearing a uniform “struggling and not walking.” Campbell said she asked the man his first name but she did not directly identify Earnhardt.

    “He tried to get up and could not and was asking if his wife and child were out and ok,” Campbell wrote. “I assured him I had checked his wife and child and both were ok. I also told him his dog was ok when he asked.”

    A final report from the NTSB has not been released.

    Dale Jr. debuts ‘Lost Speedways’ on NBC’s Peacock TV streaming service

    (7/15/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will debut a new show near and dear to his heart as part of NBCUniversal’s new Peacock TV online streaming service, a free-to-use platform that launches July 15.

    Earnhardt announced the formal arrival of “Lost Speedways” on Wednesday morning.

    Created and hosted by Earnhardt, the show visits abandoned speedways and takes an exploratory look at great racing cathedrals of the past. He and special guests will tell the stories of speedways that have been forgotten, abandoned and overtaken by nature.

    Earnhardt is also joined by racing legends throughout the series, including seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty.

    “My reasons for wanting to do this show were purely selfish — I love the mystique and eeriness of abandoned things, especially when those things are race tracks,” Earnhardt said. “(Co-host) Matthew (Dillner) and I have been mapping the locations of abandoned tracks for years, and I always wanted to explore them.

    “But this experience made me realize pretty quickly that, like everything else in life, there is more to it than just what you see. We learned there were unsung heroes, remarkable feats, incredible memories, checkered pasts and unhealed wounds that still needed attention.”

    The eight-episode series begins in Charlotte, North Carolina, where Earnhardt takes a trip to Metrolina Speedway to seek clarity about an age-old family mystery. After visiting tracks across the country throughout the series, Earnhardt will offer up exclusive access to the viewer — a tour of his race car graveyard and abandoned dirt track in Mooresville, North Carolina.

    “Nothing is lost that can’t be found,” Earnhardt Jr. said earlier this year when explaining this series. “Nothing exists that can’t be cherished.”

    Wash. Superfan Dale Earnhardt Jr. Pumped For Name Change, It Was 'A Dark Cloud'

    (7/15/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- one of the most diehard Washington NFL fans on Earth -- says he's STOKED the team is changing its name ... calling the old moniker "a dark cloud" over the franchise.

    "For me, personally, I’m ready for a new chapter," the NASCAR legend said on his Dale Jr. Download podcast this week.

    "I'm ready for this conversation to no longer be part of my experience as a fan of the team, and the debate over this and the frustration over it and how it affects the franchise."

    Dale's been ride-or-die with Washington for decades ... he's got all sorts of memorabilia and often publicly comments about the team after wins and losses.

    So, when team owner Dan Snyder pulled the plug on the "Redskins" name ... everyone was wondering if Dale approved -- and the 45-year-old said wholeheartedly yes.

    "It's a dark cloud over it all the time and it’s not going away," Earnhardt Jr. said of the name. "And, it’s hard to continue to support the franchise when this is part of the conversation."

    "So, I'm great to break completely clean and start an entirely new identity and future. I think it will be great for the organization, the people that work in that company, the players that play for that team and anybody that plays for that team in the future. So, I'm good with it."

    Dale didn't give any suggestions for a new name ... although he did seem to like the rumored "Red Wolves" option -- saying the fanbase could have fun with that one.

    But, regardless, Dale claims he'll be happy with anything Snyder picks next ... adding, "Finally good that it's happening and we can move on."

    Dale Jr., NBC preview historic NASCAR/IndyCar crossover weekend

    (7/1/20) NBC Sports NASCAR and INDYCAR commentators Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy, as well as executive producer Sam Flood, previewed the upcoming NASCAR/INDYCAR crossover weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on NBC on a media conference call on Tuesday afternoon.

    Saturday’s and Sunday’s races on NBC mark the first time in history that NASCAR Cup and Xfinity and INDYCAR Series races will be held at the same track on the same weekend.

    Saturday marks a motorsports tripleheader on NBC and NBCSN, beginning with the INDYCAR GMR Grand Prix on the IMS road course at 12 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 on the IMS road course. The action shifts to Daytona International Speedway for the IMSA WeatherTech 240 at Daytona at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

    The NASCAR Cup Series takes center stage from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on NBC, as NBC Sports kicks off its 2020 NASCAR Cup Series coverage with the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records.

    • • •

    Flood on the significance of the crossover weekend: “We think it’s a really important crossover to have people watch racing, and we think the ability to grow all of motorsports happens to get people to sample different series … I think this is a great celebration of motorsports, and it happens with Roger Penske, at the track that he now owns, as the perfect launch point for it.”

    Burton: “When you think about this, 20 years ago, 15 years ago, 10 years ago, heck, five years ago, were we even talking about doing something like this where you have three series at the same race track on the same weekend, the premier series in North America on two different race tracks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I mean, think about this; this is a historic weekend and a very important weekend for our country, Fourth of July. Just so many things going on that are good.”

    Earnhardt Jr.: “I’m looking forward to seeing the two top forms of motorsports in America today here in the same venue, not only for the fans, but for the people in the industry. There’s so much respect, I think, going back and forth from open wheel to stock car over the decades. There’s been a lot of great circumstances and opportunities where drivers have drove — INDYCAR drivers have raced in stock cars with success and stock car racers have ran at Indy in INDYCARs with success, as well.”

    Tracy: “I’ve got to really give a lot of credit for this whole thing to Roger Penske, because having driven for him before and knowing the way that he likes to bring an event and put on an event, to pull this weekend together is probably one of the biggest undertakings in motorsports history to date.”

    Earnhardt Jr. on Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race: “It’s been an exciting season. The racing has been fantastic. We’ve seen some of the best racing that we’ve seen in a long, long time. A lot of unique story lines, some old story lines that continue to remain strong over the last couple years in our series. But right now coming off of Pocono, Denny Hamlin winning seems to have supplanted himself as the championship favorite this season … A lot of great story lines coming into this race, an epic race track with a ton of history in motorsports.”

    Trailer: Lost Speedways with Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    (6/25/20) Lost Speedways with Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Video.

    Dale Jr. embraces moment of affirmation as Hall of Fame inductee

    (6/18/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. started the day more preoccupied with a Tuesday morning dental procedure than whether he’d be enshrined forever in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. When the broadcast began to air, though, the anxious feelings kicked in.

    Earnhardt was announced as the top vote-getter in the Class of 2021, joining Modified master Mike Stefanik and the legendary Red Farmer as the newest NASCAR Hall of Fame selections. Though Earnhardt said he was just pleased to be nominated, his name appeared on 76 percent of the ballots, a validating feeling for a driver who says he thrives on the power of positive reinforcement from his peers.

    “Even just sitting here right now talking about it, it’s really emotional because I feed off of affirmation, someone saying that was a great job, somebody patting you on the back and appreciating you, and I really, really feed off of that,” Earnhardt said. “That affects me heavily in the workplace and in my home life and everything I do. I think that’s why I had so much success with (former crew chief) Steve Letarte because he was such a great cheerleader, no matter what was happening or how frustrated he might be with me, he knew how I reacted to that affirmation and he knew if he wanted to get the best out of me that that would be the best route to take.

    “There’s no greater pat on the back or tip of the cap than this, from the industry, from the people that vote who are all sort of sprinkled throughout the industry and the sport. … It’s such a great feeling that someone feels like that I made an impact on the sport.”

    If his root canal from earlier in the day wasn’t unpleasant enough, Earnhardt was teed up for media rounds where he had to size up his career and what it meant. “This is so uncomfortable talking about yourself,” Earnhardt said between questions, managing a laugh.

    When pressed, he did so humbly, keeping his career in perspective. Earnhardt scored 26 premier-series wins, including two Daytona 500s and a half-dozen raucous Talladega triumphs. Add in his two titles in what is now the Xfinity Series and the credentials stack up nicely against an entire field of Hall-worthy nominees.

    Tack on — and this is a big add — the fact that he helped carry the weight of his family legacy and the sport’s hopes as a budding 26-year-old star after the 2001 death of his father, the iconic seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt. It may rank among the biggest intangible accomplishments in NASCAR’s history.

    Earnhardt acknowledged that his lack of a NASCAR Cup Series championship weighed against him, but said he hoped his candidacy was valued for his role as an ambassador for stock-car racing. That meant taking NASCAR to places it hadn’t been — the pages of Rolling Stone, the pop-culture glitz of MTV, a music-video appearance with Jay-Z riding shotgun — all while keeping true to his racing roots as a fan of the sport’s heritage.

    Tuesday provided more validation for not only the on-track accomplishments, but his entire ethos. Earnhardt says he lives for positive feedback, but he’s also intent on bettering himself, on making his career and his life one worth appreciating.

    “I think every day you wake up and you want to make somebody proud,” Earnhardt said. “… Every day that I get up, I want to do something that makes my wife very proud of me. I seek that everywhere I go.”

    Earnhardt Jr. headlines NASCAR’s 2021 Hall of Fame class

    (6/16/20) All Dale Earnhardt Jr. needed was a chance to prove he could win in stock cars.

    Turns out, he was a natural — on and off the track.

    Now the longtime fan favorite and two-time Daytona 500 winner will join his famous, late father in NASCAR’s Hall of Fame after being selected as one of three members of the 2021 class. The other inductees are Red Farmer and the late Mike Stefanik. Ralph Seagraves was chosen as the Landmark Award winner.

    Earnhardt Jr. received 76% of the votes in his first appearance on the ballot.

    “My wife was here, my family, my sister, so surrounded by a lot of close folks,” he said on NBCSN’s announcement show. “It was great to see my face pop up on the screen.”

    Being an Earnhardt name certainly provides some advantages.

    His grandfather, Ralph, was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1997 and was selected as one of the 50 greatest drivers in NASCAR history in 1998.

    Junior’s father also made that list. The Intimidator reached victory lane 76 times, winning a record-tying seven Cup championships and hordes of fans with his fearless style. And when Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, many of his fans started rooting for his engaging son.

    Earnhardt Jr. also got his first big break in 1998 when he raced full-time in the Busch Series — for his dad. He took full advantage by winning back-to-back series titles in 1998 and 1999 before posting his first two Cup wins as a rookie in 2000.

    But even without a Cup title on his resume, Junior carved out his own niche in the series.

    He won 26 races, including the Daytona 500 in 2004 and 2014. He won the Pepsi 400 in July 2001, the first race at Daytona following his father’s fatal crash. He also won four straight races at Talladega from 2001-03.

    And when he finally walked away from full-time Cup driving after the 2017 season, he earned his 15th consecutive most popular driver award.

    Junior also spoke his mind and became a social media favorite and now will be part of the father-son driver tandem enshrined in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    While Earnhardt will be the feature attraction at the induction ceremony, he will be honored with some other former stars.

    Stefanik won seven titles in NASCAR’s modified series and two more in the Busch North series, giving him nine total victories, tied for second in series history with Richie Evans. In 2003, Stefanik was named the second greatest driver in modified history and last year he just missed the cut last year.

    The 61-year-old Stefanik died from injuries sustained in a plane crash in Connecticut last September and received 49 percent of the 65 votes.

    Stefanik will be enshrined with Earnhardt in the smallest Hall of Fame class in NASCAR history.

    “Phenomenal when you think about what he did. Nine championships,” Kyle Petty said during NBCSN’s announcement show. “Phenomenal record, phenomenal amount of wins.”

    Ricky Rudd finished third in balloting.

    Farmer, one of the three original “Alabama Gang” members with brother Bobby and Donnie Allison, beat out Hershel McGriff by earning 71% of the vote on the pioneer ballot.

    The news comes just days before the series races at Talladega. The 87-year-old Farmer has won an estimated 700 to 900 races in various series, though none at the Cup level, and he still competes routinely on the dirt track across from Alabama’s super speedway.

    He won four Late Model Sportsmen series season titles, was named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers in 1998 and was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2004.

    "Red Farmer raced against my grandfather,” Petty said. “He started in ’53. He raced against my father and he raced against me. That just blows me away when I say it.”

    Seagraves was rewarded for outstanding contributions to the sport after helping attract sponsors refurbish tracks in the series. He helped forge the bond between Winston and the series.

    Dale Jr. nets top-five run in Xfinity one-off at Homestead, contemplates racing future

    (6/13/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. admitted to carrying a bundle of nerves in the days leading up to his lone NASCAR Xfinity Series race of the season, saying that the mix of anticipation and anxiety made him “difficult to be around.” Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he made the most of this year’s one shot, then contemplated how many more he might have.

    Earnhardt finished fifth in Saturday’s Hooters 250, completing a competitive drive in a two-lap dash to the end in the JR Motorsports No. 8 Chevrolet. He led four laps and stayed entrenched among the top five and top 10 for the majority of the sweltering day at the 1.5-mile Florida track.

    The 45-year-old driver retired from full-time competition with his final NASCAR Cup Series start at Homestead back in 2017. But since then, he’s stayed involved through ownership of his JR Motorsports operation, which has fielded cars for Earnhardt once a year as a driver-owner.

    The results have been staggeringly consistent — fourth at Richmond in 2018, fifth at Darlington last year and Saturday’s fifth-place run. But Earnhardt wondered aloud how many more of these might be on his schedule, as he balances team ownership with his roles as an NBC Sports broadcaster and a husband and father of two.

    “I think right now it’s just going to stay the same,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t want to do any more, that’s for sure. I can say that with confidence. I don’t know how many more of these I’ll do. This might be the last one, and this ain’t no tease or anything like that. I’m not trying to be annoying about that. It’s a lot of a commitment, and I just … I don’t know. It’s getting to the point to where I’ve got to decide whether I’m helping things or I’m not helping the team, how can I help the team in other ways. I don’t know.

    “I really enjoy it. I really do, but I think there’s got to be a point to where I decide to make the change to broadcasting entirely. With that said, being in the car today, I certainly learned a ton that’s going to help me in the (broadcast) booth. I’ve just got to think about it, and I certainly don’t want to run more. One is plenty and it’s a great series. We’ll just see how it goes. I guess it’s a tough question to answer.”

    Earnhardt showed little signs of rust in his first race since last August, even without practice or qualifying with COVID-19 protocols still in place for essential personnel. The feeling of anticipation didn’t fully fade until he rolled off in pace laps and settled into a rhythm. That groove had him poised to finish as high as second until a late caution shuffled the order.

    “I thought I knew what the drivers’ mindset might be in these type of situations over the last several weeks with no laps, no practice, just a lot of pressure,” Earnhardt said. “But I really underestimated it. It’s harder than I thought. It’s more anxiety than I imagined, so I was a little difficult to be around the last couple days, just having the anxiety of it. Leading up to getting in the car, I started feeling better, I guess, once they fired the motor and starting messing with things in the car. … I really started feeling comfortable at that point, but I worked myself up for the last 72 hours.”

    The next 72 hours for Earnhardt will wind up with finding out whether he’ll be included in the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. Earnhardt indicated he plans to record his “Dale Jr. Download” podcast Tuesday, reacting in real time to the release of the results at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

    “Whether we are chosen to go into the Hall of Fame or not, I’m already honored and I think it’ll be a fun experience to sort of document through our podcast,” Earnhardt said. “I’ve said this from the start and I really feel it in my heart that everybody on that list belongs in there, and it doesn’t seem like at this point that there’s one more deserving than the other. To that respect, I’m young enough to wait my turn, and there’s a lot of names that are not on that list that need to be on that list, and we’re all going to argue that every year. But I’m just honored already.”

    Watch Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s in-car camera from Miami on YouTube

    (6/12/20) (Watch here) Want to ride along with Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Well, on Saturday, you’ll have your chance.

    NASCAR will feature Earnhardt’s live in-car camera as the 15-time Most Popular Driver makes his lone start of the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season in the Hooters 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

    Earnhardt is set to pilot the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, his third NASCAR Xfinity Series start after his retirement from full-time competition at the end of the 2017 season. In his two prior starts, Earnhardt finished fifth at Darlington Raceway in 2019 and fourth at Richmond Raceway in 2018.

    Saturday’s race is a part of a doubleheader for the NASCAR Xfinity Series at the 1.5-mile Florida track. The second race will be held Sunday with the Contender Boats 250 at noon ET on FS1, prior to the NASCAR Cup Series’ Dixie Vodka 400 at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. set for 2020 on-track debut in Homestead-Miami Xfinity Series race

    (6/11/20) Though its length was a bit longer than anticipated, the wait for NASCAR fans to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. behind the wheel once more is almost over.

    The 15-time NMPA Most Popular Driver Award winner is set to pilot the No. 8 JR Motorsports Hellmann’s Chevrolet in Saturday’s Hooters 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).

    Before waving the green flag in February’s Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500, Earnhardt told the media that the pull of driving grows stronger every day he’s not in the seat of a race car.

    “I really miss racing. I really miss driving, and it’s getting worse,” Earnhardt said. “I thought as I got out of the car and the further I got from my full-time career, the less that would bother me, but it actually is getting worse for some reason. I really look forward to getting some seat time, smelling the smells and hearing the noises and just enjoying being in the car.”

    This was said, of course, when Earnhardt thought he’d be racing a few weeks later on the originally scheduled date of March 21. That race was postponed and eventually rescheduled for June 13 as the COVID-19 pandemic put the race calendar on hold.

    Since retiring from his full-time role as a NASCAR Cup Series driver after the 2017 season, Earnhardt has participated in one Xfinity Series race each year with his JR Motorsports operation. He finished fourth at Richmond Raceway in 2018 and fifth at Darlington Raceway last year. This season, he’ll take on the 1.5-mile Homestead track, where he’s made five previous series starts with a best finish of second in 1999.

    NASCAR announces nominees for NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021, Landmark Award

    (6/9/20) NASCAR today announced the 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021, introducing the Modern Era and Pioneer Ballots for the first time.

    The list includes five first-time NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees – three on the Modern Era Ballot and two on the Pioneer Ballot.

    Jeff Burton (21-time Cup Series winner), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15-time Most Popular Driver) and Carl Edwards (28-time Cup winner) join seven previous nominees on the Modern Era Ballot. Three-time Cup champion crew chief Jake Elder and renowned car builder Banjo Matthews join three previous nominees on the Pioneer Ballot, designed to honor those whose careers began more than 60 years ago (prior to 1961 for the Class of 2021).

    The NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 will consist of two inductees from the list of Modern Era nominees and one from the list of Pioneer nominees – for a total of three new inductees in 2021.

    Janet Guthrie returns as a Landmark Award nominee, rejoining Alvin Hawkins, Mike Helton, Dr. Joseph Mattioli and Ralph Seagraves. Potential Landmark Award recipients include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

    The Modern Era Ballot and Landmark Award nominees were selected by the Nomination Committee, which consists of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks. The new Honors Committee, largely comprised of all living Hall of Famers, Landmark Award winners and Squier-Hall Award winners, selected the Pioneer Ballot. Both committees’ votes were tabulated by accounting firm EY.

    Following are the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 nominees and Landmark Award nominees:

    Modern Era Ballot

    Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories

    Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., 15-time NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver and two-time Xfinity Series champion

    Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion

    Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories

    Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief

    Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion

    Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400

    Kirk Shelmerdine, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

    Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships

    Pioneer Ballot

    Jake Elder, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

    Red Farmer, three-time NASCAR Late Model Sportsman champion; 1956 Modified champion

    Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships

    Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR West Series champion

    Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as mechanical genius of Holman-Moody

    Landmark Award

    Janet Guthrie, the first female driver to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway race

    Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.

    Mike Helton, named third president of NASCAR in 2000; career included track operator roles at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway

    Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway

    Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

    NASCAR HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2021 TO BE ANNOUNCED ON SPECIAL EDITION OF NASCAR AMERICA TUESDAY, JUNE 16, AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

    (6/5/20) STAMFORD, Conn. – June 5, 2020 – The NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 and the winner of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR will be announced during a special presentation of NASCAR America on Tuesday, June 16 at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

    The program will be hosted by NBC Sports’ NASCAR studio team of Dale Jarrett (NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014), Kyle Petty, Krista Voda and NBCSports.com writer Nate Ryan.

    The NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel will meet virtually on Tuesday, June 9.

    Three NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees will be selected from the list of nominees – two from the Modern Era ballot and one from the Pioneer ballot. The Landmark Award recipient will be chosen from the list of five nominees, all listed below.

    Two of the modern era candidates are part of the NBC Sports NASCAR team: Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Modern Era Ballot

    Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories

    Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., 15-time NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver and two-time Xfinity Series champion

    Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion

    Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories

    Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief

    Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion

    Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400

    Kirk Shelmerdine, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

    Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships

    Pioneer Ballot

    Jake Elder, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

    Red Farmer, three-time NASCAR Late Model Sportsman champion; 1956 Modified champion

    Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships

    Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR West Series champion

    Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as mechanical genius of Holman-Moody

    Landmark Award

    Janet Guthrie, the first female to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway race

    Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.

    Mike Helton, named third president of NASCAR in 2000; career included track operator roles at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway

    Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway

    Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Original “Lost Speedways” and “In Deep with Ryan Lochte” To Premiere on Peacock this Summer

    (5/14/20) New York, NY – May 14, 2020 – Peacock, NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, today announced its original content that will be available to stream on July 15, 2020, when the service launches nationally. Peacock Premium customers can stream all first season episodes of Brave New World, The Capture, Intelligence and Lost Speedways; sports documentary In Deep with Ryan Lochte; and the entire full-length film Psych 2: Lassie Come Home on July 15. Additionally, Peacock Kids is home to new episodes of Curious George and two original series from DreamWorks Animation: Cleopatra in Space and Where’s Waldo?. Premiere dates for future Peacock Originals and exclusive content will be announced later this year.

    “Our variety of Peacock Originals at launch demonstrates how we deliver timely and timeless content – no matter the genre or format,” said Bill McGoldrick, President of Original Content, Peacock. “We’re proud to establish our voice and are excited to build on our strategy to attract a wide audience to Peacock.”

    SPORTS

    IN DEEP WITH RYAN LOCHTE

    At the 2016 Rio Olympics Ryan Lochte (Celebrity Big Brother, Dancing with the Stars) was at the center of a scandal that has since overshadowed a decorated swimming career that includes 12 Olympic medals. Now a 35-year-old husband and father of two young children, Lochte is hoping for one more chance to make Team USA and prove he's not the same man he was four years ago.

    In Deep with Ryan Lochte is produced by Peacock and NBC Sports Films.

    LOST SPEEDWAYS

    Created and hosted by Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Dale Jr. Download), this series is an exploratory look at great racing cathedrals of the past. Dale Jr. and co-host Matthew Dillner (Dale Jr. Download) tell the stories of speedways that have been forgotten, abandoned, and overtaken by nature. Racing legends join as guests throughout the series.

    Lost Speedways is produced by Peacock and Dirty Mo Media, with support from NBC Sports.

    Gordon, Dale Jr. take aim at Cup regulars at virtual Talladega

    (4/23/20) There’s been no shortage of action and intrigue in the opening four rounds of the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, but even the most experienced of the virtual competitors expect it all to turn up a notch with Sunday’s GEICO 70 at virtual Talladega Superspeedway (1 p.m. ET on FOX where available, FS1 and the FOX Sports App).

    Fourteen former Talladega winners are entered this week as the sport continues to compete virtually and offer fans a racing retreat of sorts as the country deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The entry list for this week’s highly anticipated virtual Talladega stop includes one of the track’s all-time best — and easily most popular — in six-time NASCAR Cup Series Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. And for the first time in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series’ brief history, another six-time Talladega winner, NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, is coming out of the FOX television broadcast booth to test his own virtual Talladega grit competing against this talented entry list.

    “Man, I’m going to give it a try,” Gordon said Wednesday revealing his big news while doing a FOX Sports iRacing broadcast.

    “We’ve been trying to get me behind the wheel of one of these sim rigs and I’m coming out of retirement, boys!”

    This week’s grid will include former Talladega winners like Gordon’s fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer, Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion who won a NASCAR Cup Series race at the big track in 1998 and then scored back-to-back IROC (International Race of Champions) wins in 2000-2001.

    Brad Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion, is right on Gordon’s and Earnhardt’s heels with five real-time victories at Talladega, earning his very first NASCAR Cup Series trophy with the win in the 2009 spring race at the track. His Team Penske teammate Joey Logano has three wins at Talladega and their teammate Ryan Blaney is the most recent winner, taking the 2019 playoff race win there.

    Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and popular driver/eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational in-race analyst Clint Bowyer both own a pair of Talladega trophies.

    Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch along with former series champ Kevin Harvick also have victories at Talladega, along with the opening eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational race winner Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola, who will make his series debut on Sunday.

    The last driver to win back-to-back at Talladega on the NASCAR schedule was Gordon, who swept the races in 2007. The last three races at the track have crowned first-time Talladega winners — Almirola (2018) and Elliott and Blaney in 2019.

    When it comes to the virtual world, however, the task is to find a way to disrupt the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational dominance of 22-year-old William Byron. The current driver of Gordon’s former No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet has won the last two races and led more laps (318) than any other driver. His nearly 300 iRacing victories in over 1,200 iRacing starts makes him the virtual veteran to beat.

    Even with his superior skills in the virtual race world, Byron concedes it will be a whole different challenge this week on Talladega’s notoriously challenging 2.66-mile high-banked superspeedway.

    “It’s going to be a tough race,” Byron said, looking ahead after his virtual Richmond victory last weekend.

    “I think virtually you’re going to see a lot of aggression and things of that nature.”

    Fellow iRacing veteran Timmy Hill — the Texas Motor Speedway Pro Invitational race winner and only driver with finishes of third or better in all four Pro Invitational Series races — must be considered a threat for victory this week. Neither Byron nor Hill has won at Talladega in NASCAR, but they have been the class of the iRacing field at every stop.

    This week’s event will include a qualifying session (two laps per driver) just before the race start. Rules allow for one “reset” should a car wreck and suffer big damage in the race, and there will be a maximum of three potential green-white-checkered finishes.

    Drivers from other NASCAR national series — from the NASCAR Xfinity Series to the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series to the ARCA Menards Series — will compete in the Saturday Night Thunder event at virtual Talladega Superspeedway. Two-lap, single-car qualifying will set heat grids. The top 20 cars from the two heats will transfer to the 57-lap (150-mile) main event that begins at 8 p.m. (ET) and will be broadcast on NASCAR’s YouTube channel and eNASCAR.com/live. More than 50 cars are currently entered.

    Considering the bold, big moves fans normally see on the real Talladega Superspeedway, expectations are high, the intrigue is there, and certainly the driver lineup is top-notch for Sunday’s eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race. It’s been tough to tell who has enjoyed this high profile opportunity to race more — competitor or fan.

    “Looking forward to a bunch of fun at Talladega,” Hill posted on social media immediately after his runner-up effort to Byron at virtual Richmond last weekend.

    And that’s something NASCAR fans have learned to count on.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishes third in virtual IndyCar debut at Michigan

    (4/11/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished third in the Chevrolet 275 for the IndyCar iRacing Challenge at virtual Michigan International Speedway on Saturday afternoon — his first competitive open-wheel simulation event.

    Earnhardt finished behind race winner and 2019 Indianapolis 500 champion Simon Pagenaud and second-place finisher Scott McLaughlin. Will Power and Graham Rahal completed the top five.

    The two-time Daytona 500 champion Earnhardt started 18th in the No. 3 Chevrolet for the 85-lap event, dodging a crash at the start of the race involving multiple cars and methodically working his way to the front of the field.

    Pagenaud took the lead with four laps remaining when Zach Veach ran out of the fuel, allowing Earnhardt to advance a position to make the podium.

    Familiar faces among five new nominees on 2021 Hall of Fame ballot

    (4/7/20) The ballot for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 contains five new faces, three of whom should ring quite familiar for recent viewers. Two are fixtures on stock-car racing broadcasts; the third has largely disappeared from the public eye.

    Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards were announced Tuesday as first-year nominees for Hall of Fame induction, joining seven other returning names on the Modern Era portion of the 2021 ballot. Their debuts as Hall candidates coincide with the first-time nominations of mechanical geniuses Jake Elder and Banjo Matthews on the Pioneer Ballot.

    This year’s vote is the first under new procedures that will tap three legends for induction — two from a 10-person Modern Era Ballot for careers that began within the last 60 years and one from a Pioneer Ballot of five earlier standouts. The previous 11 NASCAR Hall of Fame classes enshrined five members each.

    The returning nominees on the Modern Era side are Neil Bonnett, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Larry Phillips, Ricky Rudd, Kirk Shelmerdine and Mike Stefanik. Shelmerdine’s nominations are nonconsecutive (2019, 2021).

    The careers of the three new Modern Era nominees overlapped through years of competition in the 2000s and 2010s. Burton and Earnhardt are competitors turned colleagues as analysts in the NBC Sports booth. Edwards competed against both before his sudden retirement before the 2017 season, and it was Edwards who replaced Burton in Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 99 when the latter departed for Richard Childress Racing in 2004.

    Edwards holds the most NASCAR Cup Series victories of the three newcomers to the Modern Era ballot — 28 to Earnhardt’s 26 and Burton’s 21 — but Earnhardt’s resume stacks up as potentially the strongest of the trio.

    Earnhardt Jr. claimed two titles (1998-99) in what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series, while Edwards has just one (2007) and Burton none. Earnhardt also possesses two Daytona 500 wins and was named NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver 15 times.

    Burton’s crown-jewel wins include a pair of wins in the Coca-Cola 600 and one in the Southern 500. Edwards won those prestigious races one time each.

    Earnhardt has remained a popular figure in retirement, joining the NBC Sports booth after his full-time driving days ended in 2017. He’s also remained involved as a thriving team owner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, a podcast host in his company’s media productions arm and a celebrant of stock-car nostalgia on social media.

    Burton has kept a similar ambassador’s role since joining NBC Sports for the 2014 season. His voice resonated as an unofficial mayor of the NASCAR garage throughout his career, and his family has maintained a racing presence with his 19-year-old son Harrison now a regular in the Xfinity Series.

    Edwards drew fans with his trademark backflip celebration after victories, but also with his winsome personality and a tenacious demeanor behind the wheel. The Missouri native had multiple close brushes with the Cup Series championship, most notably in 2011 when he lost on a tiebreaker in a slugfest with Tony Stewart and in his lone Championship 4 appearance under the current playoff format in 2016.

    Less than two months after his final title bid, Edwards announced his stunning departure from full-time driving while in his prime at age 37. Since that emotional news conference, Edwards has made few public appearances.

    The inclusion of Elder and Matthews on the Class of 2021 ballot recognizes two figures behind the successes of star drivers with NASCAR Hall of Fame credentials. They join returning nominees Red Farmer, Hershel McGriff and Ralph Moody on the Pioneer Ballot.

    Elder won championships as a crew chief with both David Pearson and Dale Earnhardt, but his transient nature when it came to employment gave him his nickname — “Suitcase Jake.” Matthews enjoyed a brief career as a driver in NASCAR’s infancy before moving to a successful career as a crew chief and team owner, but his stature only grew as the pre-eminent car builder of the 1970s and ’80s.

    NASCAR announces nominees for NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021, Landmark Award

    (4/7/20) NASCAR today announced the 15 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021, introducing the Modern Era and Pioneer Ballots for the first time.

    The list includes five first-time NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees – three on the Modern Era Ballot and two on the Pioneer Ballot.

    Jeff Burton (21-time Cup Series winner), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (15-time Most Popular Driver) and Carl Edwards (28-time Cup winner) join seven previous nominees on the Modern Era Ballot. Three-time Cup champion crew chief Jake Elder and renowned car builder Banjo Matthews join three previous nominees on the Pioneer Ballot, designed to honor those whose careers began more than 60 years ago (prior to 1961 for the Class of 2021).

    The NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 will consist of two inductees from the list of Modern Era nominees and one from the list of Pioneer nominees – for a total of three new inductees in 2021.

    Janet Guthrie returns as a Landmark Award nominee, rejoining Alvin Hawkins, Mike Helton, Dr. Joseph Mattioli and Ralph Seagraves. Potential Landmark Award recipients include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

    The Modern Era Ballot and Landmark Award nominees were selected by the Nomination Committee, which consists of representatives from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks. The new Honors Committee, largely comprised of all living Hall of Famers, Landmark Award winners and Squier-Hall Award winners, selected the Pioneer Ballot. Both committees’ votes were tabulated by accounting firm EY.

    Following are the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2021 nominees and Landmark Award nominees:

    Modern Era Ballot

    Neil Bonnett, won 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, including consecutive Coca-Cola 600 victories

    Jeff Burton, won 21 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the Southern 500 and two Coca-Cola 600s

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., 15-time NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver and two-time Xfinity Series champion

    Carl Edwards, winner of 28 NASCAR Cup Series races and 2007 Xfinity Series champion

    Harry Gant, winner of 18 NASCAR Cup Series races, including two Southern 500 victories

    Harry Hyde, 1970 NASCAR Cup Series championship crew chief

    Larry Phillips, first five-time NASCAR weekly series national champion

    Ricky Rudd, won 23 times in NASCAR Cup Series, including the 1997 Brickyard 400

    Kirk Shelmerdine, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

    Mike Stefanik, winner of record-tying nine NASCAR championships

    Pioneer Ballot

    Jake Elder, three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion crew chief

    Red Farmer, three-time NASCAR Late Model Sportsman champion; 1956 Modified champion

    Banjo Matthews, built cars that won more than 250 NASCAR Cup Series races and three championships

    Hershel McGriff, 1986 NASCAR West Series champion

    Ralph Moody, two-time NASCAR Cup Series owner champion as mechanical genius of Holman-Moody

    Landmark Award

    Janet Guthrie, the first female driver to compete in a NASCAR Cup Series superspeedway race

    Alvin Hawkins, NASCAR’s first flagman; established NASCAR racing at Bowman Gray Stadium with Bill France Sr.

    Mike Helton, named third president of NASCAR in 2000; career included track operator roles at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway

    Dr. Joseph Mattioli, founder of Pocono Raceway

    Ralph Seagraves, formed groundbreaking Winston-NASCAR partnership as executive with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

    Dale Jr., wife Amy expecting second child, Isla breaks news: ‘I’m gonna be a sister!’

    (3/18/20) Two-time Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. is set to become a two-time father.

    (Video) Earnhardt and wife Amy are expecting their second child, breaking the news with a special message from their 1-year-old daughter, Isla Rose, on Instagram.

    (Video) Amy also shared Dale’s reaction from when she first told him.

    Congratulations to the Earnhardt family.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ken Schrader share poignant moment on ‘Dale Jr. Download’

    (3/11/20) The relationship between former NASCAR driver Ken Schrader and the Earnhardt family runs deep. A close friend of Dale Earnhardt during their time in NASCAR’s top series, Schrader also serves as a father figure of sorts — or maybe he’s more like a crazy uncle — to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    All of the stories came out in an episode of the “Dale Jr. Download” podcast. But among all of the laughs and can-you-believe-it stories, the dialogue that stood out most and made the rounds on social media Wednesday involved plenty of emotion.

    The background: Schrader was one of the first people to approach Dale Earnhardt’s car after the 2001 Daytona 500 wreck that proved fatal for Earnhardt. And in the 19 years since, Schrader has not spoken a public word about what he saw.

    That’s of such importance to Junior, who closed the emotional podcast by reading from a note he wrote to Schrader.

    “I’ve known you a long time and a lot of time his passed since that happened,” Earnhardt Jr. reads. “And you’ve been a great friend to me. You’re one of only a few to see the darkest moment for my dad. Though you have intimate knowledge of those moments, you are a keeper of that delicate information. It makes me feel close to you, Kenny. I feel pain for you to have to carry that memory, but you carry it for me, you carry it for (sister) Kelley, for dad’s family, you carry it for anyone who’s ever cheered for him. It’s a secret that you’ll keep ’til your last breath. Kenny, I know you might sometimes wish you weren’t the one, but I’m glad it was you.”

    Watch the entire final clip below, and catch the full episode here. It’s well worth the listen.

    NASCAR AMERICA – NBC SPORTS’ DAILY MOTORSPORTS SHOW – RETURNS FOR SEASON SEVEN STARTING MONDAY, FEB. 10, ON NBCSN

    (2/17/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be back in the Sunshine State next month for his only scheduled NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway. But as the NASCAR season gets started this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, he admitted that the lure of competition remains as strong as ever.

    “I really miss racing. I really miss driving, and it’s getting worse,” Earnhardt said before waving the green flag Sunday. “I thought as I got out of the car and the further I got from my full-time career, the less that would bother me, but it actually is getting worse for some reason. I really look forward to getting some seat time, smelling the smells and hearing the noises and just enjoying being in the car.”

    Since retiring from his full-time role as a NASCAR Cup Series driver after the 2017 season, Earnhardt has participated in one Xfinity Series race each year with his JR Motorsports operation. He finished fourth at Richmond Raceway in 2018 and fifth at Darlington Raceway last year. This season, he’s set for a March 21 date at the 1.5-mile Homestead track.

    Though there’s a pull from within to do more racing on a part-time basis, Earnhardt said he has no plans to add to his schedule.

    “No, not really. I think it’s a healthy thing to miss it and want to do it,” Earnhardt said. “I think it helps me in the booth to have that energy as a fan. I think one’s plenty. Probably one’s more than I should be doing. I’ve got my wife and Isla and all that. I should devote as much as I can to them. One’s just perfect. I think that it really helps me remember what drivers are thinking about, so I’m going to get in that car, and as much as it’ll be about having fun, it’s also going to be about reminding myself about all the things that goes through a driver’s mind when he’s out there in car. So when I’m in the booth, I’m really able to explain and remember and recall some of the things that emotionally drivers are dealing with. It’s so helpful on that front.

    “If anything, I’d love to maybe get an opportunity to test a Cup car, and I’ve talked to a couple teams when they’re out there testing about hopping in for a few laps.”

    With his single race just more than a month away, Earnhardt admitted he’s anxious about his return to the wheel, which is likely to entail some brushes with the outside retaining wall in Homestead’s preferred high groove.

    “That’s coming fast. Typically I have all year to sort of wait for it to happen,” Earnhardt said. “I’m nervous. I’ll be honest, I’m a little nervous. Being out of the car for a year, it’s kind of tough jumping back in there and getting right back into it and understanding exactly where the limits are. Luckily, we run right on the fence at Homestead and the limits are right there, so if I get into it, those cars are pretty tough, them little Xfinity cars. You can get in the wall a little bit and not have to worry too much about hurting your car.”

    “I’m sure we’re going to tear the right side off that thing after practice, qualifying, through the race. I’m going to hit it several times, so I’m just going to go ahead and prepare myself for that. We might just show up and not even have decals on the right side, it’s probably a waste of time.”

    NASCAR AMERICA – NBC SPORTS’ DAILY MOTORSPORTS SHOW – RETURNS FOR SEASON SEVEN STARTING MONDAY, FEB. 10, ON NBCSN

    (2/6/20) NASCAR America ”MotorMouths” Expands to Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN, Featuring Live Call-In Opportunities for Fans

    Dale Jr. Download Moves to Wednesday Nights at 5 p.m. ET – 2020 Premiere Features NASCAR Promoter Humpy Wheeler

    STAMFORD, Conn. – February 6, 2020 – NASCAR America – NBC Sports’ daily motorsports show – returns for its seventh season next Monday, February 10, at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with a new weekly schedule and more opportunities for NASCAR fans and viewers to be a part of the program.

    Monday episodes of NASCAR America on NBCSN will recap the weekend that was in NASCAR, taking a look at the major storylines and developments from each prior race weekend. Jeff Burton, Kyle Petty, and Steve Letarte will host Monday’s Season 7 premiere episode, recapping the offseason and looking ahead to the Daytona 500.

    This season will feature two episodes of NASCAR America MotorMouths each week, which will typically air Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN. MotorMouths episodes are all about the viewers, providing regular opportunities for fans to call in and speak with NBC Sports’ NASCAR hosts, analysts, and a rotation of drivers live on NBCSN. Thursday shows will shine a spotlight on all motorsports, including INDYCAR, Supercross, Pro Motocross and more. Tuesday’s episode of MotorMouths will feature Krista Voda, Kyle Petty, A.J. Allmendinger and Nate Ryan.

    The Dale Jr. Download returns for its second season on NBCSN and moves to Wednesday nights at 5 p.m. ET. Hosted by racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mike Davis. The Download includes insight into the world of NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver 15 times over as well as candid commentary regarding all things motorsports. Wednesday’s premiere episode will feature an interview with legendary NASCAR promoter and former Charlotte Motor Speedway president, Humpy Wheeler.

    Season seven of NASCAR America will air live weeknights at 5 p.m. ET, originating daily from NBC Sports Group’s studio in Charlotte, N.C. Each show will focus on topics on the sport of NASCAR, it’s drivers, past and present, teams and fans.

    Listed below is the typical weekly schedule for season six of NASCAR America on NBCSN.

    Monday: NASCAR America at 5 p.m. ET
    Tuesday: NASCAR America Motormouths at 5 p.m. ET
    Wednesday: Dale Jr. Download at 5 p.m. ET
    Thursday*: NASCAR America Motormouths at 5 p.m. ET
    *Starting Thursday, February 20.

    Dale Jr. ready for second year of broadcasting Rolex 24 on NBC

    (1/25/20) Popular NASCAR driver turned commentator Dale Earnhardt Jr., and his former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Steve Letarte, will broadcast their second Rolex 24 At Daytona this weekend. They met with the media Friday morning along with on-air talent Calvin Fish and Leigh Diffey as part of the NBC Sports team covering that is covering the race.

    NBC Sports’ coverage of the Rolex 24 starts live on the NBC network Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET, with NBC network coverage of the finish airing at 12 p.m. ET Sunday. In addition to the network windows on Saturday and Sunday, additional Rolex 24 Coverage includes windows on NBCSN and the NBC Sports App and the race in its entirety on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

    Fish, a former driver and longtime IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship announcer, spoke about the extended benefits of having the NASCAR pair on the broadcast team for the Rolex 24 for a second consecutive year.

    “I think we just have a great mix,” Fish said. “It’s great to be back, and I think last year working with Dale and Steve up there on the pit box, they come at the sport from a different angle so they’re very curious about a lot of things and I think that opens you up to look at it differently yourself.

    “I think that was great for the fans.”

    Earnhardt was similarly enthused to be trackside for the annual twice-around-the-clock classic endurance race. He competed in the race twice, scoring a memorable runner-up finish in 2001, co-driving a GTO-class Chevrolet Corvette with his father, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt and sports car champion Andy Pilgrim.

    He finished fifth overall and third in the marquee Daytona Prototype class in the 2004 Rolex 24 co-driving with NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and sports car great Andy Wallace. The team led 345 of 519 laps, only to suffer a suspension problem in the closing laps.

    “I have to remind myself that I even ran this race a couple times because we come here as the NASCAR guys. When you sit on the [NBC Sports] pit box you really do kind of fall into that fandom sort of experience watching the race and seeing who the underdogs are and who the guys to beat are,” Earnhardt said smiling.

    “It’s an incredible experience from a fan perspective.”

    Earnhardt joked that he and Letarte were enjoying their Rolex experience so much, they should field a team and compete themselves one day soon. Earnhardt said Letarte would be the designated “gentlemen” driver, he would be the 50-plus driver because he’d probably be 50 years old before they could make this attempt.

    “Then we’d have to have someone really really fast to save us,” Earnhardt said. “Every time we daydream about it’s a different driver.”

    Both Earnhardt and Letarte said they fully expected Kyle Busch would not only enjoy his first 24-hour race experience but fully expected the reigning Cup champ to be competitive in his driving stints. There wasn’t much advice Earnhardt felt he could give the recently crowned two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Busch at this point.

    “Kyle’s got a great team around him and great drivers that he’s working with and his experience will be completely different from mine,” Earnhardt said. “It was so long ago that I don’t know that I could help him a whole lot.

    “It will be fun to watch him experience it. He’s such a talented driver. He’s going to be so prepared mentally and knows exactly what he needs to do to do the job right.”

    Dale Jr.’s curated ‘Glory Road’ brings NASCAR history to life

    (1/15/20) Dale Earnhardt Jr. wears many hats in the NASCAR world. Driver. Commentator. Team owner. Historian of the sport. Curator. The latest hat comes as he chose the theme and the 18 cars for the fourth generation of Glory Road at the NASCAR Hall of Fame that is now open and will run for three years: “Dale Jr.: Glory Road Champions.”

    “It was a real honor to be asked,” Earnhardt Jr. said of his participation in the exhibit. “To have any involvement with anything that goes on at the Hall of Fame – this is where you learn about our sport. This is where you can really understand and grow the sport. This is where you learn everything you need to know about NASCAR right here.”

    Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Winston Kelley said a guest curator project was a concept he and his team had kicked around quite a bit and there was one standout reason to have Dale Jr. be the first to do it.

    “One of the things we pride ourselves on is being authentic,” Kelley said. “We’ve talked about this concept for a long time and candidly, Dale Jr. was the first one we wanted to work with because of his authentic passion for the sport.”

    Earnhardt Jr. indicated that while the theme was a no brainer to represent the “best of the best,” the process of getting down to 18 cars was a bit tougher. Two on the initial list of 18 (Dale Jarrett’s 1999 Ford Taurus and Bobby Labonte’s 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix) were committed elsewhere. The 15-time NMPA Most Popular Driver Award winner is proud of the selections and to have the actual cars in one place.

    “These aren’t remakes. These aren’t cars that someone else drove or painted it like Rusty Wallace’s car,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “That’s the car that he competed in in that particular year. That to me means the most. When the fans come here and they look at that exhibit, they know in their heart and they know in their mind, that car was out on the race track and getting the job done. There’s no better representation of the history of the sport than the real stuff.”

    One of the cars – the 1980 Blue and Yellow Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by his father, Dale Earnhardt, kicks off the exhibit and is Dale Jr.’s favorite in the display. The NASCAR history buff was involved in restoring part of the vehicle himself and the car has a special meaning to him.

    “Dad drove that car at Ontario in the final race of the season,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He asked (car owner) Rod (Osterlund) to let him have it. That car came to the shop that’s next to Martha’s (Dale Jr.’s grandmother) house in Kannapolis and sat on jack stands around the shop for probably three years. Stripped down, no motor. And me and Tony (Eury) Jr. would run circles around that car and pick Bondo off of it. Dad hit the right side a little bit so the car’s got a ton of Bondo on it. I tried to go to that shop all the time with dad because I loved hanging out there.”

    “He sent it to a guy in Kannapolis around 1984 and got it restored and then it went directly to the (International Motorsports) Hall of Fame in Alabama. And it had been there ever since and then they gave it to me in 2017. Through the 80’s, 90’s, anytime I would be in Alabama, I’d go look at that car because I knew its history. Once I got the car, I wanted to decal it just the way it raced in Ontario when it came off the race track after he won his championship.”

    Earnhardt Jr. did a lot of research on the car and learned even more about the car than he could have imagined. It turns out that car won at Atlanta and Charlotte in 1980 and David Pearson won with it at Darlington in 1979.

    “My quest to learn more about history is unfulfilled and experiences like this add to it and improve my knowledge,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Anytime you get included in the conversation about history, it is an opportunity to learn and I certainly jumped at the chance to do this.”

    The exhibit’s theme of champions covers 18 cars with 15 drivers – each of the three seven-time champion’s in the sport (Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson) have two cars on display — from their first and seventh championships. The 15 drivers represented account for 46 of the 71 NASCAR Cup Series championships, 1,076 race wins and 14 of those drivers are in the NASCAR Hall of Fame – Johnson remains active and is not eligible for induction yet.

    The full list of cars on display:

    Year Champion Driver Car Model
    1951 Herb Thomas Hudson Hornet
    1957 Buck Baker Chevrolet 150
    1964 Richard Petty Plymouth Belvedere
    1968 David Pearson Ford Torino
    1973 Benny Parsons Chevrolet Chevelle
    1978 Cale Yarborough Oldsmobile Cutlass 422
    1979 Richard Petty Oldsmobile Cutlass 422
    1980 Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet Monte Carlo
    1981 Darrell Waltrip Buick Regal
    1983 Bobby Allison Buick Regal
    1988 Bill Elliott Ford Thunderbird
    1989 Rusty Wallace Pontiac Grand Prix
    1992 Alan Kulwicki Ford Thunderbird
    1994 Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet Lumina
    1997 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet Monte Carlo
    2002 Tony Stewart Pontiac Grand Prix
    2006 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Monte Carlo
    2016 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet SS.

    Dale Jr. makes 2020 Xfinity Series return with familiar colors

    (1/14/20) (Photo) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hellmann’s have a long history together, one dating back to 2009 and one that will continue in 2020, JR Motorsports confirmed Tuesday. The 15-time NASCAR Most Popular Driver and owner of JRM will add another chapter to the partnership when the 43-year-old star will compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (March 21) in the No. 8 Hellmann’s Chevrolet.

    The confirmation comes as part of an extension between parent company Unilever and JRM that carries the partnership into a 12th season, distinguishing Unilever as JRM’s longest-tenured partner and one of the longest-running active sponsors in the NXS. For 2020, JRM will also carry Unilever sponsorship in five races with its No. 7 team and driver Justin Allgaier.

    “In our sport, partnerships are everything,” said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, JRM general manager. “We don’t throw the words ‘cornerstone partner’ around a lot, but when we do, Unilever exemplifies its meaning.”

    The history between Unilever and JRM began in 2009, when Earnhardt Jr. raced a Hellmann’s-sponsored Chevrolet in the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway. Earnhardt Jr. finished seventh that day, but it was the first of more than 110 races in which Unilever’s huge collection of brands would grace the hood and quarterpanels of JRM’s racing cars.

    A number of current or former Unilever brands have been aboard a JRM machine since 2009, and three of them-Hellmann’s, Ragu and Dove Men+Care-have gone to Victory Lane with the team. Regan Smith won at Daytona in February 2014 driving a Ragu-backed Camaro, while Kasey Kahne nailed down the sweep at Daytona in July with Hellmann’s and Justin Allgaier claimed a thrilling win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2018. Perhaps the most celebrated Unilever/JRM triumph came in 2016, when Earnhardt Jr. dominated the fall race at Richmond Raceway in a Hellmann’s Camaro.

    That victory truly exemplified the nature of the partnership between JRM, Earnhardt Jr. and Hellmann’s, as it was the well-known “Banana-Mayo Sandwich” race, which leveraged Earnhardt Jr.’s affinity for Hellmann’s and sliced banana on white bread into more than $153,000 for Blessings in a Backpack, a leader in the movement to end childhood hunger by making sure as many at-risk children as possible do not go hungry over the weekends while away from school.

    That’s what partnerships, like the one between Unilever and JR Motorsports, have done and will continue to do as the company moves toward its goal of making sustainable living commonplace.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins Hailie, Brian Deegan on ‘The Deegans’ podcast

    (1/10/20) (Listen) There’s maybe just one driver out there who can relate to the pressure and fanfare that comes along with the expectations being put on rising NASCAR superstar Hailie Deegan — and she had him on her podcast.

    Retired driver-turned-broadcaster Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently joined Deegan on a podcast — The Deegans — she co-hosts with her father, Brian, for an in-depth interview on a variety of topics old and new.

    Hailie’s upcoming 2020 season will be her biggest yet, after a move to Ford’s development program last month will lay the groundwork for her progression in her rise through the ranks of stock car racing.

    Earnhardt will continue his broadcasting duties with NASCAR on NBC in 2020 but also return to the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for a one-off stint in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway in March.

    Listen to the full episode of The Deegans below, and follow along in a conversation that touches on:

    Earnhardt’s background as a mechanic
    How Dale Sr. didn’t support his racing career — at first
    The growth of the sport and rise at the turn of the millennium
    The current state of the sport and why it’s on the rise
    How race car drivers are normal people
    Dale Jr. reveals his favorite track
    Why the NASCAR world is eager for a female champion

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed as guest curator for NASCAR Hall of Fame Glory Road exhibit

    (12/21/19) Since opening in 2010, the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s signature exhibit, Glory Road, has served as a prominent focal point for guests and members alike.

    Every three years, the exhibit receives a makeover with a new theme and 18 new race cars. For the fourth iteration of Glory Road, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will partner with Dale Earnhardt Jr. as its first-ever guest curator to debut “Dale Jr.: Glory Road Champions,” on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, featuring 18 premier series championship cars personally selected by Earnhardt.

    On January 15, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will host a special media-only event at Glory Road providing an inside look into his curation process in collaboration with the NASCAR Hall curatorial team.

    “We are excited to present some of NASCAR’s most iconic premier series championship cars from the eyes of one of our biggest fans and ambassadors, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.,” said Winston Kelley, Executive Director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “I have always been inspired by Dale Jr.’s sincere interest in, and appreciation for, the history of our great sport. Having Dale guest curate one of our most recognizable exhibits following his days as a full-time driver has always been one of my personal goals. With so much from which to choose, selecting a theme, and narrowing that theme to 18 cars from a list of 75 – 100 available cars, is a very tough task. I know I can speak for my fellow NASCAR fans in thanking Dale for once again giving back to the sport he so dearly loves.”

    Over the past 10 years, the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Glory Road has featured some of most recognizable race cars and drivers throughout the history of NASCAR. For the fourth generation of the exhibit, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Earnhardt worked together to create a collection unlike any other, celebrating the champions and championship moments of the sport.

    Big news to share – For the first time ever the #NASCARHall has partnered with a guest curator to handpick cars for our signature exhibit, Glory Road. Mark your calendars – @DaleJr : Glory Road Champions debuts 1/11/2020 at the #NASCARHOF. #GloryRoadChampions pic.twitter.com/T1anEsu1Ra — NASCAR Hall of Fame (@NASCARHall) December 19, 2019

    “Dale Jr.: Glory Road Champions” will showcase a lineup of cars that fans will instantly recognize for their significance in some of the most memorable races and championship seasons in NASCAR. Glory Road displays the cars in race formation on a curved “track” representing the different levels of banking found where NASCAR’s national series competes, along with some of NASCAR’s historic tracks.

    “Having the chance to help choose the cars for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s newest installment of Glory Road was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” said Earnhardt. “Everyone knows how much I enjoy learning about the history of our sport and sharing that history with people, and with this, I’m able to play a small role in what we share with fans who visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame. I knew when Winston (Kelley) and his team first met with me that if I was able to pick the cars for the exhibit, I wanted it to focus on the champions of our sport.

    “I felt like that was a no-brainer,” he continued. “I picked cars for this exhibit for many different reasons. But I definitely wanted to represent a broad history of the sport as a whole, so we could also see the progression of the cars. It’s really cool when they’re all there together and you can see all that’s changed in the technology from where we started to where we are today.”

    More information on the media-only event with Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be released in early January. The complete list of the new cars installed on Glory Road will be announced on the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s social channels prior to the exhibit opening. Follow the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for daily unveils of several cars per day, which will begin on Monday, Jan. 6 leading up to opening day.

    For more information about the NASCAR Hall of Fame, including Holidays at the Hall events happening now until Dec. 26, visit nascarhall.com.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. named Honorary Starter for 62nd annual Daytona 500

    (11/18/19) Two-time DAYTONA 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been named the Honorary Starter for the 62nd running of “The Great American Race” on Sunday, Feb. 16 at Daytona International Speedway. The announcement was made on Earnhardt’s popular Dirty Mo Media podcast, The Dale Jr. Download.

    Earnhardt, DAYTONA 500 champion in 2004 and 2014, has been a regular DAYTONA 500 attendee since he completed his final full-time season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2017. He was the Official Pace Truck Driver for this year’s DAYTONA 500 and in 2018 served as the race’s Grand Marshal.

    Daytona International Speedway has assembled a special DAYTONA 500 ticket package around Earnhardt’s Honorary Starter role. The package, costing $250, covers a ticket to the DAYTONA 500, UNOH Fanzone/Pre-Race Access, an exclusive question-and-answer session with Earnhardt and a commemorative item signed by Earnhardt. To purchase, fans can visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

    Earnhardt, now a commentator for NBC Sports, enjoyed a 19-year NASCAR Cup Series career during which he was named the NASCAR Cup Series’ Most Popular Driver 15 times consecutively from 2003-17. He won a total of 17 events at Daytona International Speedway, tied for the third-best all-time total.

    “The only thing left for Dale now is for him to sing the National Anthem prior to the DAYTONA 500,” said Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile. “That probably won’t happen. But what will happen, come February, will be another outpouring of support from race fans about Dale’s involvement. There’s no way to exaggerate how much he means to the fans and to NASCAR. Any role he plays on a DAYTONA 500 weekend is significant.”

    “One thing is certain, I’m not doing any singing at Daytona no matter how hard they ask,” Earnhardt joked. “But I am going to enjoy waving the green flag in February. The start of the DAYTONA 500 is a special moment in not only NASCAR but all of sports. I am truly honored to be part of that.”

    Recent DAYTONA 500 Honorary Starters include Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee LaDainian Tomlinson; Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ken Griffey Jr.; and actors Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise.

    Tickets for the 2020 DAYTONA 500 and all DAYTONA Speedweeks presented by AdventHealth events can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat, and by downloading Daytona International Speedway’s mobile app, for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.

    Experience Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Darlington weekend through his eyes

    (10/2/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s lone NASCAR start of the 2019 season came in last month’s Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway. A fifth-place finish capped his first start in about a year, as he drove a paint scheme first driven by his seven-time champion father in 1975.

    The weekend was captured by Dirty Mo Media for a short film, “Time Machine.” From Earnhardt’s thoughts and nerves before practice and the race, fan reaction to his great run, handling questions about the plane crash he was in two weeks earlier outside of Bristol Motor Speedway to the joys of having wife Amy and daughter Isla experience the throwback weekend with him, “Time Machine” takes you inside the race weekend as the driver himself experienced it.

    “I don’t know that I’ve ever felt this good about any fifth-place finish in my life,” Earnhardt says in the film.

    You can watch the full film here.

    Bubba Pollard teams up with Dale Jr. for Late Model race at Martinsville

    (9/24/19) Bubba Pollard, arguably the most successful and colorful Late Model driver in the United States, will team up with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his JR Motorsports team for one of the biggest races of the year.

    Earnhardt Jr. announced Monday that Pollard will drive the No. 98 JRM entry in the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville Speedway on Oct. 4-5, alongside full-time driver Josh Berry in the No. 88.

    pic.twitter.com/x3ypcFDtXN— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) September 23, 2019

    One of the biggest Late Model races of the year, drivers will compete for a $32,000 grand prize — a part of the $110,00 total race purse — and a coveted grandfather clock in the 200-lap main event on the .526-mile paper clip-shaped oval. The feature race will take place Saturday night under the lights. The race will air live on FansChoice.TV and Motor Racing Network.

    Pollard competed in his first Late Model Stock race in this event last season for FatHead Racing and team owner Jamie Yelton. Pollard was spun by Layne Riggs in the waning laps while trying to make a late-race charge for the lead.

    Earnhardt witnessed Pollard’s short-track racing prowess while attending the inaugural Super Late Model Speed51 Super Select at Lucas Oil Raceway on Sept. 7 during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 weekend. Pollard won the all-star event, edging out Casey Roderick for the $10,000 prize.

    For tickets and a full event rundown for October’s late-model at Martinsville, click here.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. soaks in Darlington: ‘I’m never disappointing myself’

    (9/1/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr. waved off the golf cart, opting to walk.

    The frontstretch at Darlington Raceway is 1,229 feet. Earnhardt spent half that distance, making his way from the start-finish line to the pit entrance, signing autographs for the fans who waited until after the South Carolina track was cleared of competition and swarmed the 15-time Most Popular Driver once given the thumbs up. It was a walk-and-talk deal. No stopping, no getting in the way.

    And, for Earnhardt specifically, there was no looking back.

    “This is probably my final run here,” Earnhardt said. “This place is too tough. These kids can have it.”

    Earnhardt raced in Saturday’s Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200, an Xfinity Series event. The former full-time Monster Energy Series driver finished fifth, ultimately moving into the top five after Denny Hamlin was disqualified and Cole Custer was named the winner. That’s nine marks higher than Earnhardt’s 14th qualifying spot.

    Stages 1 and 2, which were 90 laps each, both saw Earnhardt come in seventh. He ran within the back half of the top 10 for a majority of the 147 laps at the 1.366-mile track considered “Too Tough To Tame.” That surprised him.

    “You just never assume when you go to the race track that you’re going to have a great day,” Earnhardt said. “I feel like I’m never disappointing myself. I never come in with high hopes and leave with my head hanging.”

    The last time Earnhardt ran in the Xfinity Series at Darlington was 1999 — two decades ago. He did two races that year, finishing 11th and 12th.

    Much more recent, but not too recent: The last time Earnhardt raced, period, was 2018. He did a one-off Xfinity Series run at Richmond Raceway, where he qualified second, led 96 laps and finished fourth. The same post-race scene unfolded there.

    Earnhardt retired from full-time competition after the 2017 season.

    “What I’m really reminded of when I get to do these races is how much we ought to respect drivers who do it every single week because it is so hard,” Earnhardt said. “Not just driving the race, like all the grind throughout the week. The testing. The debriefs. The study. Watching races and film. There’s so much to it that it starts to pop in my head, and I remember why I’m glad I’m not in that grind anymore. Just going practicing, qualifying and running in the rest, it’s fun.”

    Once a year is enough for Earnhardt. He would like to continue at that pace with Hellmann’s as a sponsor, specifically naming Homestead-Miami Speedway as a desired location “if they want to sell mayonnaise in Florida.” But the itch to fully return has disappeared.

    That doesn’t mean he’s not around. Far from it. The NBC Sports broadcast booth is Earnhardt’s new place of employment.

    “To me, this is what makes a Hall of Famer: When you’re done with your career, you don’t leave the sport,” Cup Series driver Joey Logano said. “That to me is the definition of a Hall of Famer and a legend in our sport. The fact that he stuck around and really no one said he had to — he stuck around doing TV and throwing in some Xfinity races every now and then again — it shows that he cares about our sport and about the people in it. I thank him for it. There’s not many who do that.”

    Earnhardt also owns JR Motorsports. That’s where his No. 8 Chevrolet came from. The team has been around for 18 years now.

    JR Motorsports had three other drivers at Darlington: Noah Gragson (eighth), Justin Allgaier (ninth) and Michael Annett (13th).

    “Dale is one of those guys,” Allgaier said. “Obviously he’s still young, and I feel like if he wanted to do it on Sundays, he could go out and be equally as competitive as he was before, go win races and fight for a championship. The fact that he sits out of the car and comes back doesn’t surprise me. I know he was worried about it, but he’s way too good of a race car driver to struggle, I guess.”

    As was evident Saturday.

    Earnhardt hasn’t lost his edge. Success is just no longer his No. 1 priority.

    “Well, it wasn’t a win,” Earnhardt said. “It wasn’t a storybook win or anything like that. It just feels good to be competitive. It feels good that everybody has a smile on their face.”

    Earnhardt recovered from plane crash, ready to race at Darlington

    (8/30/19) Driving a race car isn’t like riding a bike. Wobbles would lead to crashes. Speeds could never reach triple digits.

    But, after a year-long hiatus, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is getting back behind the wheel.

    The former full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver who retired at the end of the 2017 season is as ready as can be to race in Saturday’s Xfinity Series event at Darlington Raceway (4 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). It’ll mark just his second time back on track since retiring from full-time Cup competition, and he’s feeling the pressure. Unsurprisingly so.

    “I was never not nervous about driving race cars,” Earnhardt said Friday. “I’ve raced all my life, but every race you were equally nervous as the last leading into qualifying or practice. It helped to get nervous. It’s a very wild experience being in there.”

    Earnhardt last raced in 2018 at Richmond Raceway, where he qualified second, led 96 laps and finished fourth. He was in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet at the time. This weekend he’ll be steering the No. 8 for the same organization that he co-owns and the same manufacturer.

    The single-digit number should bring back memories – it’s called NASCAR Throwback Weekend for a reason, right? Earnhardt commanded the No. 8 to 17 Cup wins from 2000-07, sporting the red Budweiser paint scheme.

    “What surprised me was I hadn’t raced here since ’99 in an Xfinity car,” Earnhardt said. “I ran a bunch of Cup races here, but these are so different than the Cup cars.

    “When Joey Logano ran at Chicago, he said many times during the week he just wasn’t really comfortable until about halfway through the race, when it started to click, because the difference between how the Cup cars and the Xfinity cars drive even this year is very extreme. So, I think it’s going to be halfway through the race before I have any real kind of understanding of what I need to be doing, where I need to be running.”

    In the Cup Series, Earnhardt averaged a 14.4 finish at Darlington in 22 starts. His best showing was a second-place run in 2014, and he had four top-five and 10 top-10 performances overall.

    Earnhardt was right about his Xfinity Series past – 1999 was his last time at Darlington for that circuit. He did two races that year, finishing 11th and 12th. In his two other starts, both in 1998, he was second and 10th.

    “I did come over here a couple month ago and ran about 15 laps when Noah (Gragson) was testing,” Earnhardt said. “That didn’t do anything to help my anxiety. Noah was faster than me, and it just reminded me how hard it is to drive these cars, how good these guys that drive them are and how hot and miserable it is inside there – some of the things you kind of forget about while in the booth and being a broadcaster.”

    Right, because TV is Earnhardt’s new reality. He works as an analyst for NBC Sports – normally.

    Two weeks ago, at Bristol Motor Speedway, Earnhardt was absent from his on-camera gig after he and his family were involved in a private plane crash on their way to the Tennessee track. Everyone is fine and returning to their everyday life, including wife Amy and daughter Isla attending Earnhardt’s race Saturday.

    The Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 will go green at 4 p.m. ET. Nerves will run through Earnhardt until then.

    “I picked a real hard track to go to,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t know what the hell I was thinking picking this place. It’s the throwback weekend. It’s hard not to want to be a part of it.”

    Earnhardt family moving on from plane crash with perspective

    (8/30/19) The word he was looking for is perspective.

    For the first time since his private plane crashed two weeks ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. publicly spoke out and answered questions about the accident. Dale, wife Amy and daughter Isla are all fine after having been onboard when the plane rolled off the runway and caught fire in Tennessee. Now, they’re just trying to get back to everyday normal activities.

    “It was a very tough experience to go through,” Dale said Friday at Darlington Raceway. “I try not to really get into that and think about that too much. Things happen for a reason. You just try to learn from it and move on.

    “I love my daughter so much and enjoy being around her. I look forward to watching her grow up and experience a lot of things with her going forward. That just made me realize that much more. I’m just thankful and ready to live our lives.”

    Isla is just a year old. Dale and Amy have been married for two years. Their life together as a family has just begun.

    The crash, which happened at Elizabethton Municipal Airport, was a reminder of that fact.

    “There’s a lot of things in your life that you go through that help you order your priorities,” Earnhardt said. “It reminds you sometimes what’s important, what’s not-so-important.”

    Easy.

    “It’s hard to prioritize anything over your daughter during just a typical day,” Earnhardt said. “A lot of times I’m just sitting with her, talking about balls and slides and her pits and whatever else she’s seeing around her that she wants to play with and do. Me and Amy just spend a lot of time sort of trying to get her education of what’s going around her.”

    There were no serious injuries reported after the crash. Dale later tweeted his lower back was bruised, but he has since recovered and been cleared physically. No issues with his concussion history, either.

    Dale said he doesn’t have a problem with ever flying again and the best advice he has received is to get back on the horse, so to speak. He’s used to being mentally tough anyway. It’s normal for a former full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver.

    “I think that it’s just being in a race car, we go out there on the race track, crash into the wall, flip upside down and the first thing you think of is how good is the backup car, why did that happen and how can we stop the next car from doing that,” Dale said. “I think the repetition of doing that all my life has insulted me from some typical emotional reactions that you might have in situations like that.”

    Speaking of being in a race car, Dale will actually partake in Saturday’s Xfinity Series event at Darlington – Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 (4 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). This will be his second race since retiring from full-time competition after the 2017 season. The first was at Richmond Raceway last year.

    And just like that time, Amy will be present with Isla.

    “She’ll never remember that,” Earnhardt said. “She might not remember this race either. But it’s fun having them around, especially when I’m racing.”

    Preliminary report on Earnhardt Jr. plane crash released

    (8/24/19) The National Transportation Safety Board says part of the landing gear collapsed and a section of the right wing hit the runway as the plane carrying Dale Earnhardt Jr. touched down a third time during its crash in East Tennessee last week.

    The NTSB released a preliminary report Friday essentially repeating the description investigators offered at a news conference last week.

    Earnhardt, a NASCAR television analyst and retired driver, was with wife Amy, 15-month-old daughter Isla, two pilots and the family dog when their Cessna Citation Latitude crashed Aug. 15. The report says three passengers suffered minor injuries.

    The report says the plane bounced twice during its landing, then continued airborne down the runway until touching down a third time with about 1,000 feet of paved surface remaining. The plane went through a chain-link fence before resting on the edge of Tennessee Highway 91.

    The flight crew assisted passengers in evacuating through the main entry door.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Says He's 'Bruised Up Real Bad' After Plane Crash

    (8/22/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he's still VERY sore after surviving a plane crash just 7 days ago -- but he's already getting himself ready to RACE again next week.

    "My lower back is bruised up real bad," the 44-year-old NASCAR legend told a fan on Twitter.

    "Lots of swelling and I just need that to go down and the pain to chill out."

    Of course, Dale, his wife, his 1-year-old daughter, his dog and two pilots were involved in a terrifying wreck last Thursday when their plane crash landed in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

    Dale and his family's injuries were initially described as bumps and bruises ... but now Earnhardt's revealing he's actually pretty banged up.

    The good news ... Dale says he's gunning to get healthy enough to race in the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW200 at the Darlington Raceway on August 31, which features the biggest stars of NASCAR's XFINITY Series.

    "I been treating the area [lower back] every day solely to get well to race," Dale says.

    "I have a plan B but hope not to use it."

    It's still unclear what caused Earnhardt's plane to go down last week ... but in a press conference, National Transportation Safety Board officials said the scene was scary, adding Earnhardt's plane bounced TWICE on the runway before it skidded to a stop.

    Officials are expected to reveal a cause of the crash in the upcoming days.

    Dale Jr.: ‘I plan on driving’ Xfinity Series race at Darlington

    (8/21/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted Wednesday night that he still plans to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway next week as previously planned.

    Earnhardt Jr., his wife Amy, daughter Isla and dog Gus were involved in a frightening airplane crash last week while traveling to Bristol Motor Speedway. There were no serious injuries reported, but Earnhardt Jr. took the weekend off from his duties as an analyst on NBC Sports and has been focused on recovering at home with his family.

    Junior also tweeted his lower back is heavily bruised, but he’s been treating the area every day.

    Yes. I plan on driving still. My lower back is bruised up real bad. Lots of swelling and I just need that to go down and the pain to chill out. I been treating the area every day solely to get well to race. I have a plan B but hope not to use it. https://t.co/O1J7jZU4kR — Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) August 22, 2019

    The 15-time Most Popular Driver retired from full-time NASCAR competition at the end of the 2017 season, and immediately moved into the broadcast booth with NBC Sports. He had two Xfinity Series races on the docket, though, for his own JR Motorsports team — last year at Richmond Raceway and this year at Darlington Raceway.

    Driving the No. 88 Chevrolet at Richmond last season, Earnhardt Jr. qualified second, led 96 laps and finished fourth.

    Earnhardt Jr. has slowly become more active on social media after taking time to process the events of last week in private. He released a statement on Monday, and also topped a previously recorded episode of the “Dale Jr. Download” podcast with a heartfelt message to his fans.

    On Wednesday night, in addition to replying to fans asking about his Darlington plans, he good-naturedly tweeted at former crew chief and NBC co-worker Steve Letarte, who admitted he was watching the racing classic “Days of Thunder” for the first time Wednesday night.

    The Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway is scheduled for Aug. 31 at 4 p.m. ET, televised on NBC (Radio: MRN, SiriusXM).

    NASCAR Gives Dale Earnhardt Plane Crash First Responders Free Race Tickets

    (8/19/19) NASCAR dropped an awesome "thanks for saving our legend" gift over the weekend ... donating tickets to the first responders at Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s plane crash -- and seems they loved the gesture!

    44-year-old Junior was involved in a fiery plane wreck last week, where he, his wife, his daughter and two pilots miraculously survived when their aircraft went down in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

    Everyone involved in the accident thanked the town's first responders for making sure they all got out OKAY ... and as a present, NASCAR gave them tix to Saturday night's Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    "We had a great time with our first responder family at the BMS night race!" The Carter County Sheriff's Office said.

    "A big thank you to NASCAR for giving us and all the agencies that responded to Dale Jr.'s plane crash free tickets!"

    Dale also chimed in with a thank-you message of his own -- breaking his silence on the crash -- writing Monday, "We are truly blessed that all on board escaped with no serious injuries, including our daughter, our two pilots and our dog Gus."

    "I am thankful for the quick response of my pilots, local law enforcement, emergency personnel and hospital staff."

    So far, the cause of the accident has yet to be revealed ... but National Transportation Safety Board officials said last week they anticipate having a preliminary report out soon.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Plane Bounced Twice On Runway Before Crash, Officials Say

    (8/16/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr. is SERIOUSLY lucky to be alive today ... National Transportation Safety Board officials just announced his plane bounced TWICE on the runway before it eventually crash landed.

    Junior, his wife, his 1-year-old daughter and the two pilots on the plane all miraculously survived after their aircraft crashed in Elizabethton, Tennessee on Thursday.

    NTSB officials updated media members on some of the details of the accident ... revealing the whole thing was caught on surveillance video -- and it sounded scary as hell.

    The lead NTSB investigator, Ralph Hicks, said he could see the plane hit the runway two times before the right landing gear on the aircraft collapsed on the runway.

    Hicks said the plane -- a Cessna Citation Latitude 680 -- skidded down the runway, through a chainlink fence and into a ditch before it came to a stop near the local highway.

    Hicks said all five passengers -- and Dale's dog -- were able to get off the plane in a matter of minutes ... before massive flames engulfed the aircraft.

    Hicks said the flight was only a 20-minute one from a nearby city in North Carolina.

    NTSB officials have yet to determine a cause for the crash ... saying it could take about week before their investigation concludes.

    Dale Jr. -- who works as a race announcer for NBC -- is taking the weekend off after the crash. He's expected to try to return to his broadcasting job next week in Darlington.

    For their part, the Earnhardts released a statement on Friday through Dale's sister, Kelley, saying, "Dale, Amy, Isla and our two pilots are doing well."

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., family safe after plane crash in Tennessee

    (8/16/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will take the weekend off from broadcasting to be with his wife and daughter after the three were in a plane crash landing Thursday near Bristol Motor Speedway.

    The 44-year-old television analyst and retired driver was taken to a hospital for evaluation after the crash in east Tennessee. Earnhardt was with wife Amy, 15-month-old daughter Isla, a dog and two pilots.

    "We’re incredibly grateful that Dale, his wife Amy, daughter Isla, and the two pilots are safe following today’s accident," NBC Sports said in a statement. "After being discharged from the hospital, we communicated with Dale and his team, and we’re all in agreement that he should take this weekend off to be with his family.

    "We look forward to having him back in the booth next month at Darlington."

    Federal Aviation Administration officials said a Cessna Citation rolled off the end of a runway and caught fire after landing at Elizabethton Municipal Airport at 3:40 p.m. Thursday. FAA officials said the preliminary indication is that two pilots and three passengers were aboard the jet.

    The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that it’s sending two representatives to Elizabethton to begin investigating the crash.

    Carter County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Thomas Gray confirmed Earnhardt was aboard but said he wasn’t one of the pilots.

    Earnhardt retired as a full-time driver in 2017 and has been working as an analyst for NBC. He is part of the scheduled broadcast team for Saturday night’s Cup Series event in Bristol, Tennessee.

    This incident comes 26 years after former driver and 1992 Cup champion Alan Kulwicki died in a plane crash while on his way to the spring race at Bristol from a promotional appearance in Knoxville, Tennessee. That crash at Tri-City Regional Airport in Blountville, Tennessee, killed a total of four people.

    Earnhardt was part of Rick Hendrick’s racing team in 2011 when Hendrick broke a rib and a collarbone while on a small jet that lost its brakes and crash landed in an airport at Key West, Florida. Hendrick’s son, brother and twin nieces were among 10 people killed in a 2004 crash of a plane travelling to a race in Virginia.

    This isn’t the first fiery crash for Earnhardt. He still has a burn scar on his neck from a crash at Sonoma in 2004 during warmups for an American Le Mans Series race that left him with second-degree burns.

    Earnhardt has a history of concussions that plagued him over his final years as a driver.

    He won NASCAR’s most popular driver award a record 15 times with 26 career Cup victories.

    'Rookies' Earnhardt Jr., Tirico excited for NBC's Indy 500 debut

    (5/25/19) It has been a long time coming, but NBC Sports is less than 24 hours from its inaugural network coverage of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” with this year’s 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

    And peacock network is going all out for the crown jewel of the NTT IndyCar Series. The collective effort will feature 140 cameras and 200,000 feet of cable, along with 14 on-air talents, including world-recognized veteran sports anchor and host Mike Tirico.

    “It really does remind me of covering a Super Bowl or a Kentucky Derby, where during the week things build and you know what's coming, but you have no idea what it's going to be like until you see it,” Tirico said in the days leading to Sunday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    Mike Tirico“I'm super excited for that. I will just make one correction. This is not the first live TV broadcast I've done from (IMS). I covered the senior golf event here at Brickyard Crossing twice. So this is not my first Indy live broadcast, but in truth, it is.”

    Tirico will be joined by two-time Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. and eight-time Indy 500 starter Danica Patrick atop the “Peacock Pit Box.”

    Sunday will mark Earnhardt’s first in-person experience of the May classic, which had him in awe more than anything.

    “It's like walking into Disney World for the first time or anywhere else really, really cool,” said Earnhardt. “There's a lot more to it and you just can't wait to go explore it all.”

    While the usual trio of play-by-play commentator Leigh Diffey and analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy will be in the booth to call the action, Earnhardt and Patrick will highlight their insights and takeaways from the on-track action. Earnhardt has also been tabbed to drive the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport pace car to lead the field to the green flag.

    “They'll come to us and just get a genuine reaction of what we think about the event and how it's playing out,” Earnhardt said.

    “That's a little more tricky because you’ve really got to find things that intrigue you, which isn't hard. But I've been on the pit box before during our summer of NASCAR races, and what we've done there is, you're watching the race and you just pull things from what you're seeing that intrigue you, that surprise you.

    “I'm coming as a fan. I would be here whether NBC was working me or not, but NBC just happens to want to capture it while I'm here.”

    Tirico has been a part of some incredible moments in sports history, including the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Olympic Games and “Sunday Night Football.” However, nothing compared to the treat he received Wednesday when he took a two-seat Indy car ride from Indianapolis International Airport to the speedway with 1969 Indy 500 champion Mario Andretti as his chauffer.

    “That was the coolest freaking thing I've ever done in sports,” Tirico said. “My 33rd year of being on TV covering sports – I did star as a kid (laughs) – but, man, that was awesome! I land at the airport and got into an Indy car, street legal, with Mario Andretti 50 years after he won the 500 and we drove on the highway. The greatest part was, as we're driving, we're getting on (Interstate) 70 and I'm looking up at the road signs going, 'Is this really happening? This is so darn cool.'”

    It got even cooler when Andretti tried to convince the motorcycle escort to pick up the pace.

    “Mario was trying to push the motorcycle police officers to give a little more speed,” Tirico said. “Mario actually ducked to the outside and just kind of looked to see if he could edge them on and they're just like, 'No Mario, you’ve got to get back a little bit.'

    “It's so great. And he is a treasure. He's 79 years old. His energy and passion for it, I asked him about the 50th anniversary and what kind of memories it's brought back and he talked to me for 15 minutes about the race in 1969. That's like freaking Mario Andretti!’

    “So for me, it was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had.”

    2019 marks the first year with NBC Sports Group as the exclusive domestic media rights holder for NTT IndyCar Series broadcasts. Eight races, including Sunday’s Indy 500, are on NBC, with the remainder on NBCSN.

    Coverage of events leading up to Sunday’s race has amplified, with NBC airing the INDYCAR Grand Prix on the IMS road course on May 11, the thrilling Last Row Shootout and Fast Nine Shootout to conclude Indy 500 qualifying on May 19, a 60-minute documentary “Drive Like Andretti” that traced the life of the 1969 Indy 500 winner, weeknight Indy 500 programming on NBCSN and more.

    NBC Sports has wall-to-wall coverage planned for race day. Coverage begins at 9 a.m. ET Sunday with a prerace setup show on NBCSN. Switch to NBC at 11 a.m. for race coverage, with the call for drivers to start their engines shortly after 12:30 p.m. Following the race, NBCSN returns for a postrace show at 4 p.m.

    Martin Truex Jr. to honor Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s support with Darlington throwback

    (5/15/19) Martin Truex Jr. has unveiled his throwback paint scheme for this year’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

    The former Southern 500 winner and driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota showed off a die-cast of his scheme in this week’s edition of the “Dale Jr. Download,” before tweeting it out Wednesday. The black and yellow livery pays tribute to both the show’s host and a longtime sponsor.

    The scheme pulls from Truex Jr.’s first season of racing full time at the national series level, driving the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in what is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Chance2 Motorsports, a precursor to JR Motorsports. The 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion won six races that year and feels he owes his career to the support Earnhardt and Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO Johnny Morris offered him along the way.

    .@MartinTruex_Jr is gonna be sporting one of the best #throwback schemes at @TooToughToTame this fall.

    LISTEN TO THE FULL #DJD Web: https://t.co/ziGkYxjRiS@ApplePodcasts: https://t.co/7XKWk0ZlEl@Google: https://t.co/f6o18HaSxM pic.twitter.com/f335O90tHR

    — Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) May 15, 2019 “I was a little weird with this one at first because nobody throws back to something they drove. … But then I was like, this would be really cool because … so many things had to happen to get to where I’m at right now and this car was the first car, first real, sponsored car I had,” Truex said. “So for Johnny, for Dale … all the guys who made that deal happen, we’re throwing back to 2004.”

    As we talked about on the @DaleJr Download, we’re bringing back my 2004 @BassProShops Chance2 paint scheme for @TooToughToTame this year. It means a lot to me because without Johnny Morris and Dale putting me in that car, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. pic.twitter.com/y2BHm4WBBZ — Martin Truex Jr. (@MartinTruex_Jr) May 15, 2019

    DALE EARNHARDT JR. ADDS HORSEPOWER TO NBC SPORTS’ COVERAGE OF THE 2019 KENTUCKY DERBY THIS SATURDAY, MAY 4 AT 2:30 PM ET ON NBC

    (5/3/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR on NBC analyst and one of racing’s most popular personalities, will experience a new kind of horsepower this weekend as he joins NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2019 Kentucky Derby this Saturday, May 4 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

    In his role, Earnhardt Jr. will take in the vibrant atmosphere at Churchill Downs for the first time. Alongside NASCAR on NBC colleague Rutledge Wood, Earnhardt Jr. will serve as the eyes and ears of fans experiencing a day at the iconic venue, visiting the infield, Millionaires Row, and experiencing the walkover.

    “This is the Daytona 500 of horse racing. I’ve always loved the Kentucky Derby as a viewer, now I get to experience it in person,” said Earnhardt Jr. “It’s a privilege to be a part of the NBC Sports broadcast team, and without a doubt Rut and I will have a lot of fun sharing our experiences with the people at home.”

    “We are excited to welcome Dale Jr. to the team. He is one of the most experienced names in all of racing, and his curiosity and eagerness to showcase his first time at the Kentucky Derby will offer a unique race day perspective to our coverage.” said Rob Hyland, Coordinating Producer for NBC Sports Group’s Triple Crown horse racing coverage.

    Earnhardt Jr. amassed 26 NASCAR victories during his storied career, including two Daytona 500 wins, and joined NBC Sports’ NASCAR broadcast team last year following his retirement from full-time racing in 2017. He made his debut with NBC in 2018 as a contributor for the network’s coverage of Super Bowl LII and the PyeongChang Olympics.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals father-inspired paint scheme for Darlington

    (4/30/19) (Photo) Dale Earnhardt Jr. has unveiled his paint scheme for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race on Aug. 31 at historic Darlington Raceway when he returns to the track.

    Earnhardt Jr. will honor his late father, Dale Earnhardt, by sporting a Hellmann’s Chevrolet with designs inspired by a paint scheme Senior ran for his first premier series start, the 1975 World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Earnhardt finished 22nd that day, but that historic start was only the beginning of his legacy.

    The look that Junior will display in the No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet includes the vintage style No. 8 and a blue and yellow paint job that offers a modern look of the car that his father piloted almost 44 years ago.

    This will be the fourth time that Junior has run a special paint scheme to honor an Earnhardt family member.

    “This is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a press release. “We had the perfect opportunity with the Darlington throwback race and I couldn’t pass up the chance. Hellmann’s has been completely supportive from the beginning and the whole concept aligns well with their core values.”

    Earnhardt Jr. retired from full-time racing following the 2017 season. He competed in one Xfinity Series race last season, a fourth-place effort at Richmond in which he led 96 laps.

    Dale Jr.’s mystique evident as Hemric brings No. 8 back to Talladega

    (4/27/19) The No. 8 holds a special distinction at Talladega Superspeedway thanks to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    That car number has six wins at the Alabama track — with Junior providing five of the triumphs, including four straight from 2001 to 2003. The car number’s only other win came from Bobby Hillin Jr in 1986.

    Earnhardt’s success is not lost on Richard Childress Racing’s Daniel Hemric, the current driver of the car bearing that number. The 28-year-old Kannapolis, North Carolina, native knows firsthand how big Earnhardt leading and winning at Talladega was. The No. 8 made its return to full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing this season after an 11-year absence from the top series’ field; Aric Almirola last drove the number in Talladega in 2008.

    “Throughout the last couple weeks, a lot of the hype of the 8 being back again and all that kind of dwindled out and personally it felt like we were just going to the race track to race the car with that number,” Hemric said. “When you come into this place, I remember as a kid watching Junior take the lead here and the place go crazy.

    “I felt a certain pride when I pulled through the tunnel (Friday) morning at Talladega because of that. I know there’s a lot of fans that want to see the number back in Victory Lane and that’s why we come here to try and give ourselves a shot and our fans a shot to get in Victory Lane.”

    Sunday’s GEICO 500 (2 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will mark Hemric’s first Cup race at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender has had some rookie bumps in his maiden run at the top level with with a best finish of 18th (at Phoenix) while he is 28th in the standings.

    A promising run was foiled by a flat tire at Atlanta, where he was running in the top five late in the final stage. A good qualifying effort at Texas (seventh) went by the wayside after contact with the wall.

    “I haven’t put a full race together I don’t feel like, from a mistake-free standpoint — pit road, whether it’s on the race track, whether it’s bad timing pulling out of line to make a move. On that side of it, I just haven’t fully done my job.”

    All that adds up to Hemric assessing the first-quarter of his rookie year with brutal honesty.

    “I’d give myself about a D,” Hemric said of his first nine races in 2019. “I’ve made more mistakes here in the past five to six weeks than in all of my personal career. I feel like our race cars have been 10 to 15 spots better averaging finishing quality than where I’ve finished with them and that’s the opposite of what I’ve tried to pride myself off of.

    “It’s all about putting one foot back in front of the other and that’s what we’ve been doing through Richmond and hopefully we can do the same thing this weekend.”

    Brenda Jackson, mother of Dale Jr. and Kelley, dies at 65

    (4/23/19) Brenda Jackson, mother of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, died at age 65 after a battle with cancer, JR Motorsports announced Monday afternoon.

    Jackson was a longtime employee of JR Motorsports, joining her son’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race team as an accounting specialist in 2004. Her sarcastic sense of humor injected a brand of humor at JR Motorsports that became part of the company’s fabric as it grew into a full-time NASCAR racing operation in 2006 and a championship-winning organization in 2014, according to the team.

    Along with a 15-year career with JRM, Jackson also was one of four children to legendary NASCAR fabricator Robert Gee, who built cars for a number of high-tier drivers, including Dale Earnhardt.

    Brenda Gee and Dale Earnhardt married in 1972, having two children over the span of their marriage. After the couple separated, their two children stayed with their mother while Earnhardt continued to get his racing career off the ground.

    After a house fire that left Brenda, Kelley and Dale Jr. homeless, Brenda moved back to Virginia. She re-married in 1985 to Willie Jackson, a firefighter in Norfolk. After Willie’s retirement, the couple moved back to North Carolina with stepdaughter Meredith to work with Kelley and Dale at JRM.

    “I’m a very, very lucky woman, as I get to interact with my kids almost every day,” Jackson said last year according to JRM’s official announcement of her passing. “I’ve got two bright, beautiful kids that I am very proud of. Kelley’s standards are very high. She conducts herself that way and she expects that of everyone else. Dale Jr. just gets bigger and bigger. I am very proud of his accomplishments, but as a mother I am proudest of the way he handles himself with honesty and the way he cares about his family and his friends.”

    Jackson was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel May Overton Clark and Robert Edward Gee, and her sister Sandra Gee.

    She is survived by her husband of 33 years, William M. Jackson Jr.; children Dale Earnhardt Jr. (wife Amy), Kelley Earnhardt Miller (husband L.W.), stepdaughter Meredith Davis (husband Jonathan); grandchildren Karsyn Elledge (18), Kennedy Elledge (13), Wyatt Miller (7), Callahan Davis (16), Claudia Davis (13) and Isla Rose Earnhardt (11 months); her brothers Robert Gee (wife Beverly) and Jimmy Gee; and her Pekingese dog, Scully.

    Earnhardt joins NBC Sports coverage of Indianapolis 500

    (4/3/19) NBC Sports will use retired NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. in its inaugural broadcast of the Indianapolis 500 next month.

    The second-year analyst will be part of a team that features 14 commentators and host Mike Tirico and analyst Danica Patrick.

    Earnhardt will be a roving reporter for his first Indianapolis 500 on May 26, contributing to pre-race, in-race and post-race coverage alongside Rutledge Wood. Earnhardt Jr., who will also be featured from Indianapolis Motor Speedway during race week, was used extensively by the network in his first year after retirement with reporting trips to last year's Winter Olympics in South Korea and the Super Bowl.

    NBC Sports motorsports host Krista Voda will also join Earnhardt at Indianapolis.

    The broadcast booth will be NBC Sports' full-time IndyCar crew of play-by-play announcer Leigh Diffey and analysts Paul Tracy and Townsend Bell. The 14 total commentators will be the most ever for NBC Sports' coverage of IndyCar as the network plans to treat the Indy 500 as one of its showcase events. ABC had broadcast the ''Greatest Spectacle in Racing'' exclusively since 1965 in the second-longest-running partnership of its kind until NBC purchased the rights to air the entire 2019 IndyCar schedule.

    Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast, Kevin Lee and Jon Beekhuis will be the pit reporters for the Indy 500, along with reporters Robin Miller and Dillon Welch.

    That time Tony Stewart told Dale Jr.: ‘Let’s be friends’

    (2/20/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart weren’t always the fast friends that they are now.

    In fact, it took a scuffle for them to realize they should be pals.

    The two retired Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers talked on Earnhardt Jr.’s “Dale Jr. Download” released Tuesday, and reminisced about the first time they met — in the now-NASCAR Xfinity Series hauler at Pikes Peak International Raceway on June 14, 1998.

    Earnhardt Jr. and Stewart were called there after Stewart “punted (Junior) into Turn 1” following an intense battle on the track.

    “There was an altercation and pushing and shoving between me and his crew chief,” Earnhardt Jr. remembered. “Nobody ever really got popped or anything.”

    Fast forward one week later when both drivers were in Milwaukee for a then-Busch Grand National Series race. Stewart stopped Dale Jr. in the pits.

    “I would never have done this so it probably would have been awkward for a long time if it was up to me,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “But he came up to me … and said, ‘Hey man, we’re going to be racing each other a long time, so let’s be friends. Let’s not run into each other anymore. Let’s not drag this out.’

    “He’s like, ‘I’ve got no problem with you. Let’s be cool.’

    “And we’ve been cool.”

    Dale Jr. confirms he will drive in Darlington Xfinity race

    (2/2/19) Want to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. drive again?

    Junior advises you to come to Darlington Raceway on Aug. 31.

    Earnhardt Jr. mentioned on Twitter that he will drive in the Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington.

    Last year, in Earnhardt Jr.’s first full season of retirement from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, he drove JR Motorsports’ Richmond Raceway entry in the Xfinity Series. He finished fourth.

    Earnhardt hoping to cultivate drivers’ growth on, off track with Drivers Edge Development program

    (1/25/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr. took a class in 1998 that impacted his professional career for years to come.

    The course taught him how to navigate an interview and conduct himself in a professional setting. Today, he credits that class as the start of his off-the-track growth as a professional driver.

    Those lessons are among the ones the JR Motorsports co-owner wants to provide to up-and-coming drivers in the Drivers Edge Development program, which JR Motorsports and GMS Racing jointly announced Thursday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame with its inaugural six-driver class.

    “That class I was in taught me how to cut down on a lot of terrible habits when you’re in an interview,” Earnhardt said. “… I wasn’t amazing right out of the gate — but it helped me understand to be able to identify them through the years and get better. … We’re going to help them understand how to identify these issues and these things as they go through their years in driving.

    “Just like when your dad would tell you something and you didn’t get it right away, but then down the road, you go ‘Aw, I see what he meant,’ ” he continued with a chuckle. “Maybe that’s what this is all about.”

    In addition to off-track lessons on branding, social media and professional imaging, the program will provide a racing path for up-and-coming drivers to move up through the series, beginning with JR Motorsports’ Late Model program and eventually leading to potential opportunities in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series and Xfinity Series with GMS Racing and JR Motorsports, respectively. Former NASCAR driver Josh Wise will also help the drivers foster and improve their physical fitness.

    The idea is to provide a way to cultivate drivers’ talent and development to prepare them to move up the ladder in NASCAR’s ranks — and offer accountability while doing so.

    “They’re going to be held accountable to, ‘Hey, man, you took advantage of this course, you took advantage of these tools, you progressed … If they don’t take it seriously, they’re going to be left behind,” Earnhardt said. “They’re going to struggle to get that next opportunity. And that’s always going to be kind of a question mark about that particular individual. I guess as much as it helps them be better outside the car and so forth, it helps us sort of learn more about them individually, about what they’re capable of and how marketable they are, how they’re evolving through the program.”

    The six-driver class includes novice NASCAR drivers like Sam Mayer and Adam Lemke, as well as more seasoned ones like Xfinity drivers John Hunter Nemechek and Noah Gragson, who steps into the No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for his first full season in the series.

    The former Kyle Busch Motorsports wheelman said he’d “be lying if (he) said there wasn’t pressure” to perform with a team that’s won the last two championships in the Xfinity Series with Tyler Reddick (2018) and William Byron (2017). But having the tools in a good opportunity with a strong team only gives him “more confidence and more motivation, knowing that they can do (it).”

    In a similar facet, the Drivers Edge Development program gives the 20-year-old the necessary tools he needs to be successful in his off-the-track growth.

    “Really just trying to develop my skills, whether it be public speaking or it be developing my brand or what not,” Gragson told NASCAR.com. “I feel like I could grow and these are years where I really mature as a person. My late teens/early 20s is when people really start to mature and figure out who they are and I feel like surrounding myself with a great group of people, whether it be the drivers or the upper staff at GMS and JR Motorsports.”

    Social media is a growing area Earnhardt identified Thursday as important for young drivers’ branding in the Drivers Edge Development Program, citing it as a space where fans have begun to consume more content. Gragson in particular has become well-known for his playfulness on his accounts; when asked, he smiled and said he hopes to keep having fun on social media.

    “I’m a guy who’s, I would say a little,” he paused. “… a lot of weird. I kind of (march to a) beat of my own drum, but I come from the fan side of things before I started racing. I was a fan of the sport and I really enjoyed the personalities like Clint Bowyer, where they were just themselves.

    “There’s times to be professional but I feel like there’s also times where you can sit down and have some fun,” he continued. “I just want to relate to the fans and show them that I’m one of them.”

    JR Motorsports, GMS Racing launch Drivers Edge Development

    (1/25/19) Building on a successful technical alliance, JR Motorsports and GMS Racing jointly announced today the establishment of Drivers Edge Development, a program presented by Chevrolet aimed at grooming the next generation of racing superstars through a tiered competition pipeline coupled with comprehensive off-track education.

    Drivers Edge Development will give participating drivers, all with differing levels of experience, the opportunity to race in five types of developmental series with JRM or GMS-fielded entries while staying aligned with Chevrolet. The program allows the two teams to complement each other by offering participants competition options with JRM’s regional late model program leading into GMS’ NASCAR K&N Pro Series and ARCA entries. The next tier presents potential seat time in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series with GMS. Finally, at the program’s top level, JRM entries await in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

    Equally as important as the competition focus, Drivers Edge Development provides added training to enhance participants’ professional growth off the track. Drivers will have access to a host of programs focusing on their physical, mental and technical development. An emphasis will be placed on educating them in areas such as brand building, social media and digital content, media training and fan relations as well as support for partner procurement and retention.

    “We have always prided ourselves on being a stepping stone for drivers that want to get to the top level of racing,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr., JRM team owner. “JR Motorsports was designed with that in mind, and now with the help of GMS and Chevrolet, Drivers Edge Development will provide a clear-cut path and more options for drivers to get there.”

    Although mainly performance-based, there are no set criteria for selection into the program. Ideally, drivers between the ages of 14 and 21 years old will be considered. Currently, six drivers are enrolled in the Drivers Edge Development program:

    Noah Gragson (NXS driver for JRM)
    John Hunter Nemechek (NXS driver for GMS)
    Zane Smith (NXS driver for JRM in eight races)
    Sheldon Creed (Truck driver for GMS)
    Sam Mayer (Truck/ARCA/K&N driver for GMS and Late Model driver for JRM)
    Adam Lemke (Late Model driver for JRM)

    “We couldn’t be more pleased to get this program off the ground,” said Mike Beam, GMS team president. “Between GMS and JRM, I feel our two programs are very complementary of each other and will give Drivers Edge Development participants multiple series options.

    “We have to give Lorin Ranier some credit, too. He has been working behind the scenes and is a great help in scouting drivers for the program. He is really plugged into the local and regional short-track scene and has already worked with some of the drivers in the program.”

    Drivers Edge Development participants will also benefit from the mentoring of veteran racers from both the JRM and GMS stables.

    “Drivers Edge Development is going to be critical to the future of the sport and our race team,” said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, JRM general manager. “The fact that you have JRM, GMS and Chevrolet involved in getting this off the ground speaks to that importance.

    “We’re emphasizing on-track experience in multiple series while still keeping the drivers under the Chevrolet umbrella. Off track, we’re going to offer these drivers decades of industry knowledge and best practices with the goal of helping them become the best versions of themselves in all aspects of the sport.”

    The six drivers enrolled in Drivers Edge Development are joining established and successful operations. The JRM late model teams have delivered 40 wins in the last three seasons and own a total of four championships. GMS Racing has nine wins and a championship with its ARCA program. Its Truck teams have amassed 23 wins along with a championship in 2016. Over 13 years of competition, JRM’s NXS program lays claim to 44 wins and three championships, including consecutive titles in 2017-18.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. elected to North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame

    (1/23/19) Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s NASCAR career is starting to be recognized by sporting bodies and in four months he’ll be honored by his home state.

    The native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, will be among 11 sports figures in the state who will be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in May.

    Earnhardt, a 26-time Cup winner and an analyst for NBC Sports, will be the 13th motorsports representative inducted into Hall of Fame.

    He joins Lee Petty (1966), Richard Petty (1973), Ned Jarrett (1990), Junior Johnson (1992), Herb Thomas (1992), Buck Baker (1992), his father Dale Earnhardt (1994), Humpy Wheeler (2004), Richard Childress (2008), Dale Jarrett (2011), Rick Hendrick (2015) and Ray Price (2016).

    Established in 1963, the NCSHOF is on the third floor of the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh.

    Earnhardt and the other inductees will be enshrined in an induction banquet May 3 at the Raleigh Convention Center.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. to pace 2019 Daytona 500 in all-new Chevrolet Silverado

    (12/12/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will find himself in a very familiar place at the 2019 Daytona 500: at the front of the pack.

    Earnhardt Jr., a two-time Daytona 500 winner, will drive the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pace truck to lead the field to green for the 61st running of the ‘Great American Race.’ This is the first time the Daytona 500 will be paced by a pickup truck.

    “I’ve had a lot of fun and a lot of success at Daytona over the years, and now I can’t wait to get out on that track in a Silverado,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Away from the track I’ve driven Chevy trucks all my life, and I’m excited to have this unique experience of pacing the Daytona 500 with the Silverado.”

    In addition to winning the ‘Great American Race’ in 2004 and 2014, Earnhardt Jr. was a two-time winner of the July race at Daytona, overall scoring four wins, 13 top five and 19 top 10s in 36 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career starts at Daytona International Speedway (DIS). Earnhardt Jr. was voted the sport’s Most Popular Driver for 15 consecutive years.

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the perfect choice to pace the race because of his enthusiasm for the sport, his long history with Chevrolet and his love of trucks,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “It’ll be exciting to have Dale lead the field to green in the strongest, most-advanced Silverado ever.”

    The Silverado pace truck is powered by a production 6.2L V-8 engine that is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It delivers 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque.

    Chevrolet has paced the Daytona 500 field 12 times, seven with Camaro and five with Corvette.

    Gragson: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch ‘polar opposites’

    (12/9/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch have been two of NASCAR’s biggest stars of the sport for more than a decade; nearly two, in Junior’s case.

    Each made their mark in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, along with putting together a pair of dominant, championship-winning race shops in NASCAR’s lower national series.

    But the similarities stop there, according to Busch’s former and Earnhardt’s future driver, Noah Gragson.

    “Polar opposites,” Gragson said Saturday night at the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center. “Two race car drivers, but polar opposites. … This is going to get me in trouble.”

    Gragson is making the leap up to Xfinity competition next season with JR Motorsports’ No. 1 Chevrolet entry, following a pair of Truck Series seasons with Kyle Busch Motorsports. In his time with KBM, the 2018 Snowball Derby winner compiled two wins, 30 top 10s and a runner-up finish in the standings after placing third in last month’s Championship 4 race at Homestead.

    The 20-year-old driver will have the fortune of learning first-hand from two of the best the sport has to offer, and credits the guidance he received from the 2015 Cup champion as a stepping stone for where is today.

    “I definitely think going through that growth spurt over at Kyle Busch Motorsports (helped me),” Gragson said. “Kyle, he’s one of the most talented race car drivers in all of NASCAR. Period. Can’t argue it. It is what it is. He’s one of the best, and to be able to learn from him and ask him questions … ‘Hey man, what are you doing on restarts? What are you doing getting into your pit box with your feet on the brake pedal and the clutch pedal and all that?’ That type of experience, to lean on, is priceless.”

    While he’s learned countless lessons under the tutelage of Busch the past few years, JRM might feel a little more like home.

    “For myself personally, I feel like (Dale and I) have a lot of similarities. … I think I can be even more myself going over to JR Motorsports. I just really enjoy the atmosphere over there with all the guys. It’s more of a laid-back atmosphere and it’s a bit of a change for me. It’s just a different environment; not saying one’s right, one’s wrong.”

    The move to the digital/social heavyweight JRM also might help him expand on his outgoing, comical personality — a profile he’s owned and embraces, but one that he wants fans to know that is only one aspect of who he is.

    “I think they might see me more as the jokester and the clown,” Gragson said. “Deep down I like to have a fun time, I like to joke around. But when it’s time to put the helmet on, it’s time to strap those belts on, and fire up that motor. It’s down to business.

    “I might look like the clown, but all I’m thinking about … is about my race car and how to make this sport better.”

    Dale Jr.: Bowman ‘the right guy’ in the No. 88 seat

    (12/7/18) Having had a few weeks to reflect on the 2018 NASCAR season, Alex Bowman said Thursday that he still has goals left unfinished after his first full season with Hendrick Motorsports. Though he checked another pole position and a first-time playoff berth off his list, he still wanted more — namely a tick mark in the win column.

    Though the fortunes of the No. 88 outfit rose and dipped at points during the season, Bowman’s positive approach helped mitigate the sometimes team-wide struggles. It’s a characteristic that stood out for a vested outside observer — his predecessor, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    “I think from outside the car, he handled it really well,” Earnhardt said. “You know, a young driver their first year, not performing the way you want to perform, he never put it on anybody, he never pointed fingers, never said anything that had a little attitude to it or anything like that. He just was like, ‘We’re going to keep working. We’re having some struggles, we’re going to get it right.’ I thought he kept his attitude great when he was frustrated. …

    “And so I felt like that Alex proved this season that if they can get the cars where they need to be that they got the right guy in the seat. I think that that was important for Alex because the car did struggle.”

    Bowman’s first campaign with the No. 88 team overlapped with the first season of the Chevy Camaro ZL1 in the Monster Energy Series. Teammate Chase Elliott broke through for his first three wins in the second half of the season, but the organization fought to replicate its trademark performance with the new Chevrolet model and a retooled driver roster.

    Still, Bowman was one of three Hendrick drivers claiming postseason berths, joining Elliott and seven-time champ Jimmie Johnson in the 16-car field. Bowman survived a harrowing first three races of the playoffs to advance to the Round of 12, an achievement he said may have changed people’s perceptions.

    “I’m still on the same page of we didn’t win and that’s pretty frustrating to me, but we made it further than a lot of people thought we would in the playoffs, which was really cool,” Bowman said. “I really just wanted more, but it was a rough year for all of us at HMS. So to kind of start where we did and make the progress that we did was pretty cool.”

    Bowman ended his year with the first three top-five finishes of his premier-series career, including a fourth-place effort at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course that helped him avoid the first postseason elimination. The 25-year-old driver said he hopes to improve on his stats in year two with Hendrick Motorsports, but acknowledged that some performance gains will be dependent on how quickly his organization adapts to a new rules package for 2019.

    Earnhardt said Bowman’s progression has the potential to mirror his own. Earnhardt said he set modest goals in his first year with crew chief Steve Letarte (now his broadcasting colleague at NBC Sports) in 2011 of running among the top 15. When he was able to accomplish that on a regular basis, the team reset the bar at top-10 performance, methodically inching closer to being a threat to win.

    “They can’t expect to just jump out there next year and they’re just going to miraculously start contending for wins,” said Earnhardt, who estimated that his own team’s transition to becoming a top-tier contender was a three-year process. “You’ve just got to move those standards up and push that team to believe in those standards and work toward that goal.

    “Last year, I think his goal would be to run in the top 10 any time they could. I believe they could raise that up a little bit to a top five this year and just aim for that every single week until that is happening every week, and then you can change that goal.”

    Alex Bowman reveals 2019 Nationwide paint scheme with help from Dale Jr.

    (12/6/18) (Photo) Alex Bowman helped to take the cover off the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet he’ll drive next season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, capping off an afternoon of surprises at GoPro Motorplex. But those biggest surprises weren’t necessarily on the car itself.

    Though his predecessor Dale Earnhardt Jr. was by his side for Thursday’s reveal, the paint scheme for Bowman’s 2019 ride signaled that he’s working to establish some of his own identity as the face of the No. 88. The new-look design featured some subtle changes, with many styling cues carrying over from his first full season with Hendrick Motorsports.

    “He was still standing by it,” Bowman joked about Earnhardt’s presence. “I don’t know. I feel like everybody’s been really supportive and Nationwide’s really embraced me as well as Axalta, Llumar and Valvoline and everybody at HMS have been super-supportive. That hasn’t been too bad.

    “Definitely there are a lot of Dale Jr. fans out there and it’s cool to kind of take over the 88 car, but it’s also really cool to have Dale’s support and all his help.”

    Bowman said that the patriotic No. 88 design that he drove at the Coca-Cola 600 last May served as a starting point for creating the 2019 model. Both Bowman and Earnhardt expressed their adoration for the expanded sections of white on the side panels — all the better to show tire marks and race-worn grime, they agreed.

    “For me, I don’t know that every driver’s the same, probably not, but man, I had to like the car I was driving, and I wanted to,” said Earnhardt, who estimated he had a hand in the design of 95 percent of the cars he drove during his career. “It made me want to drive it, made me want to race it, made me excited to do well with it.”

    Earnhardt, who transitioned to the broadcast booth for NBC Sports this year after retiring from full-time driving, lent his support Thursday as an emcee for social-media streams of the car’s unveiling. He also gave the event his blessing as a longtime Nationwide endorser, surprising local fans recruited by the insurance company to attend.

    Bowman gave his own surprises on the .7-mile karting track, making liberal use of his front bumper with fans and media alike. Guests watching the unveil were asked for a show of hands: “Who got spun out by Alex?” More than one hand shot up.

    “It was fun. I tried to run into a couple of them to give them that authentic NASCAR experience,” Bowman said. “It was cool.”

    NASCAR, eBay launch first joint auction; bid on unique memorabilia, VIP experiences

    (10/22/18) eBay and NASCAR today launched their first joint charity sale giving fans the opportunity to bid on autographed memorabilia and once-in-a-lifetime racing experiences.

    Today through Nov. 1, fans can visit eBay.com/NASCAR and bid on 20 items including a chance to see who wins the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series live at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the chance to be a VIP at the 2019 Daytona 500.

    In addition, fans can win meet and greets with seven-time NASCAR Champion Richard Petty, Chase Elliott and Joey Logano; as well as autographed memorabilia from Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jeff Gordon and much more.

    “NASCAR is synonymous with a truly passionate fan base, and eBay fuels this passion while helping people come together to make an impact,” said Suzy Deering, Chief Marketing Officer of eBay Americas. “We understand the apparel, memorabilia and merchandise are ways for fans to show allegiance for their favorite drivers – and show support for causes they believe in. In collaboration with the NASCAR community, eBay is now offering a wide-range of exclusive inventory that helps children finish first through programs of the NASCAR Foundation and our eBay for Charity platform. True to our mission of opportunity for all, eBay brings new ways for the racing community to give back to the next generation of fans.”

    One hundred percent of the proceeds from each item will benefit The NASCAR Foundation’s programs for children.

    The NASCAR Foundation believes every child should have a chance at a healthy life and deserves to get across the finish line. Through the Speediatrics Children’s Fund and Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, the Foundation is making children’s health and medical needs its top priority.

    “We are thrilled to partner with eBay to provide these very unique items to their customers,” The NASCAR Foundation Executive Director, Nichole Krieger said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the kids. Funds raised through this auction will help us provide much needed healthcare services to children in our racing communities across the country.”

    VIP experiences and signed racing memorabilia available include:

    Experiences:

    2019 Daytona 500 VIP Experience
    2018 Homestead-Miami Speedway VIP Experience with NASCAR Suite Passes
    Richard Petty Meet and Greet Experience
    iRacing Experience with NASCAR Driver William Byron
    Meet and Greet with NASCAR Driver Chase Elliott
    NASCAR on NBC Sports Behind-the-Scenes Experience
    Meet and Greet with NASCAR Driver Joey Logano
    2018 NASCAR Champion’s Week Package in Las Vegas, NV

    Memorabilia:

    American Ethanol Green Flag autographed by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers
    Martin Truex Jr. Autographed Side Panel Sheet Metal
    Joey Logano Autographed Hood
    Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Autographed Replica Full-Size Helmet
    Ty Dillon Autographed Race-Used Firesuit
    Helmet Visor signed by Richard Petty and Bubba Wallace
    Paralyzed Veterans of America Hat Autographed by Brad Keselowski
    Alex Bowman Autographed Diecast
    Jeff Gordon Autographed 24EVER Framed Photo
    NASCAR Replica Hood autographed by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers
    The Glass Case of Emotion autographed Poster
    Full Size Replica Helmet autographed by Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Drivers

    Additionally, the autographed American Ethanol Flag and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Autographed Replica Helmet will be available to view at SEMA in Las Vegas from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 at booth no. 30219.

    AOL Build Interview: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    (10/17/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Talks His New Book, "Racing To The Finish: My Story": Video.

    In his new book, "Racing to the Finish: My Story," Dale Earnhardt Jr. opens up about his frustration with the slow recovery, his admiration for the woman who stood by him through it all, and his determination to share his own experience so that others don’t have to suffer in silence. Steering his way to the final checkered flag of his storied career proved to be the most challenging race and most rewarding finish of his life.

    Talk Show Appearance

    (10/13/18) Rachael Ray - syndicated

    Airing Oct 16, 2018

    David Boreanaz ("SEAL Team"); NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. gives one of his super-fans the surprise of a lifetime; Rachael makes a hearty Italian dinner.

    Earnhardt Jr.’s Xfinity return was an important personal moment

    (9/21/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s lone scheduled race of the season — a one-off Xfinity Series effort — was intended to be a flashback, a low-pressure return to NASCAR competition after his retirement from full-time racing last season. It was also intended to be enjoyable, a goal that Earnhardt reiterated in a pace-lap radio communication to his pit crew: “Let’s have some fun, man.”

    After 250 laps Friday night at Richmond Raceway, the fun factor was a turning-back of the clock to long-ago days, a rekindling of memories planted nearly two decades earlier to the last time he’d enjoyed racing this much.

    “When I was racing Late Models in the ’90s, probably,” Earnhardt said. “I had a lot of fun in the late ’90s running the Xfinity Series, but I didn’t know I was having fun. I didn’t know how good I had it.”

    Earnhardt had a sense of how good things could be by exceeding his own expectations in Friday night’s Federated Auto Parts 250, where he led a race-high 96 laps before slipping to a fourth-place finish. The longtime fan favorite soaked in adoring cheers, spent time with his growing family and accepted well-wishes from many of his peers after the event.

    It was an overflow of emotions for Earnhardt, who qualified second in a patchwork fifth JR Motorsports entry, then used a veteran’s poise to conserve his equipment and rise to the lead near the race’s midpoint. He picked up his first-ever stage victory and stayed solidly in contention, building a striking sense of anticipation that his one-race return could be a winner.

    The apprehension wasn’t just the crowd’s. It was Earnhardt’s, too.

    “I tried to come in here and just think, man, I really just want to have fun, I want to race, I want to do everything I’ve got to do,” he said. “Right around three-quarters of the way through that race, I’m like, man, if I don’t win, now I’m going to be disappointed. I done backed myself into a corner with my expectations getting so high. It’s easy to be disappointed that we didn’t win because we should (have).”

    Those prospects held firm until Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet lost the race off pit road in the next-to-last caution period and faded with tire spin on a sprinkling of late restarts. Still, if there was any rust in his first race since last November, it barely showed.

    “If you think about it, when a guy steps out of, say a baseball player no matter what level takes months and months off and get back out there, they don’t just start and pick up right where they left off,” Earnhardt said. “The sport is elite, the drivers are elite and this ain’t a hobby. These guys are the best. Some of these guys in this field will be winning Cup races and championships one day. … You just can’t assume you’re going to miss eight months or 10 months and come right in here and win, much less run in the top five. My expectations were just to kind of be in the top 10.”

    Though his competitive juices got going once the field went green, Earnhardt was loose in pre-race ceremonies, conversing with his wife, Amy, and doting on his 4-month-old daughter, Isla Rose. Two fans pierced the intimate family moment, yelling out “Slide job!” in a nod to the TV call that resonated in Earnhardt’s debut as a broadcaster for NBC Sports. Earnhardt made eye contact and grinned.

    He’ll resume his primary duties from the television booth starting Saturday evening at Richmond. But for one night at least, the 43-year-old driver was rejuvenated, having the same sort of adventure as a kid trying to scratch out a career at dimly lit short tracks with his Late Model crew.

    This time, though, he got to spend it with his wife and daughter, coming oh-so-close to creating scrapbook memories in Victory Lane.

    “She obviously won’t remember this, but she’ll have the photographs and all that stuff,” Earnhardt said of his infant daughter. “I don’t know what she’ll think about my racing career and how that’ll register with her since she won’t get to experience any of it, but we got to have one race together and Amy wouldn’t miss it. Isla’s here. It was a pretty important moment for me, personally.”

    NASCAR AMERICA TO AIR EXCLUSIVE FIRST LISTEN OF DALE EARNHARDT JR.’S BOOK RACING TO THE FINISH: MY STORY – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

    (9/21/18) NASCAR America, NBCSN’s daily motorsports show, will air an exclusive first listen of NASCAR on NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s new book, Racing To The Finish: My Story, next Monday, September 24 at 5 p.m. ET.

    The first listen will feature NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years narrating a chapter from his autobiography entitled “A Life, A Secret, and A Promise.” A first-person account, Earnhardt’s gripping book candidly brings readers through his eighteen years behind the wheel, his struggle and frustration with concussions the last several years of racing, his admiration for the woman who stood by him, and his determination to share his experience so that others don’t suffer in silence.

    The full audio excerpt of the first listen will also be available on NBCSports.com’s NASCAR Talk. NBC Sports Group’s 24/7 website dedicated to up-to-the-minute news, video, and information on NASCAR drivers, teams and the motorsports industry.

    Earnhardt first announced his new book, and revealed the cover, this past April during an episode of NASCAR America "Wednesdays with Dale Jr."

    Racing To The Finish: My Story will be released on October 16, 2018 from the W Publishing Group, an imprint of Thomas Nelson.

    Dale Jr. returns to race at Richmond, but will it be his last race?

    (9/18/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. left the door cracked open for racing beyond Friday night’s GoBowling 250 at Richmond Raceway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. In a spontaneous Q&A with fans on Twitter, Earnhardt responded to a question about whether Friday (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) would be his final race.

    Earnhardt said he’d only run races for JR Motorsports that involve sponsorship packages that help fund races for the other four teams. He went on to say when the team runs five cars in a given week, it stretches the company thin.

    Earnhardt is running in this weekend’s NASCAR Playoffs opener in Xfinity because, as he said, it was part of an agreement with Unilever and Hellmanns that he do so; an agreement that was in place before he decided to walk away from full-time racing after the 2017 season.

    Sweetening the scene for Junior fans is that he’ll have his old spotter back this weekend, TJ Majors, who currently spots for the No. 22 Team Penske Ford driven by Joey Logano in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

    Junior told a fan he got permission from Roger Penske, himself, for Majors to spot this week. But as for Steve Letarte stepping in as Junior’s crew chief? That won’t be happening, Junior says, because of Letarte’s commitments to broadcasting for NBC Sports.

    However, although the band won’t be totally back together, we wouldn’t bet against Letarte dialing up Junior for an in-car interview or two.

    Dale Jr.: Richmond ‘may be the last time I race a car’

    (9/10/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spent this season working in the broadcast booth for the first time in his career, but he will make another “first” in two weeks at Richmond Raceway. Although he has retired from full-time racing, he will make a one-race start in a JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the Sept. 21 Xfinity Series race at the track.

    It will be his first NASCAR start since he climbed out of his Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 after the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season finale in Homestead, Florida, last November — and it might just be his last, he hinted.

    “I’m looking forward to it,’’ Earnhardt said of his Xfinity Series debut this season. “I didn’t miss racing at the start of the year at all. I didn’t miss driving much. When I got back to the broadcasting and started to really plug into what the races were like and what was going on, you see moments in the races that make you wish you were out there doing that. And so, I started to miss it a little bit.

    “I like Richmond as a track. And it’s a pretty straightforward little race track. We have had success there. I’m not really putting any expectations or pressure on myself as far as performance. I just want to go run and have fun.”

    And, Earnhardt said, it just may be the last time he enters a major NASCAR race.

    “It’s the only time I’m going to race a car this year. And it may be the last time I race a car,’’ he said.

    “I really don’t know what our plans are going forward. I don’t really have any initiative to drive a ton of races. So, we’ll just kind of see what kind of opportunities there are down the road with the sponsorships and so forth that help the rest of the company. But, hopefully I get to run all the laps and just enjoy driving the car.

    “The only reason you get behind the wheel of a race car is because it’s fun and you enjoy the competition. Hopefully those are things that I get out of it and try not to get real competitive about it. I don’t want to sweat over every lap and how fast we are in practice and all those things, and make it a miserable experience because most race car drivers tend to do that if you’re not careful.”

    Reactions from Sally Field and more to Burt Reynolds' death

    (9/7/18) Reaction to the death on Thursday of actor Burt Reynolds:

    ___

    — "There are times in your life that are so indelible, they never fade away. They stay alive, even forty years later. My years with Burt never leave my mind. He will be in my history and my heart, for as long as I live. Rest, Buddy." — Sally Field, in a statement released to The Associated Press.

    — "Quinton and I are extremely touched by the tremendous outpouring of love and support from friends and family throughout the world. Burt was a wonderful director and actor. He was a big part of my life for twelve years and Quinton's loving father for 30 years. We will miss him and his great laugh." — Loni Anderson and Quinton Anderson Reynolds, Burt Reynolds' ex-wife and son, in a statement to the AP.

    — "Burt Reynolds was one of my heroes. He was a trailblazer. He showed the way to transition from being an athlete to being the highest paid actor, and he always inspired me. He also had a great sense of humor — check out his Tonight Show clips. My thoughts are with his family." — Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Twitter.

    — "Oh how sad I am today along with Burt's millions of fans around the world as we mourn one of our favorite leading men. I know we will always remember his funny laugh, that mischievous sparkle in his eyes, and his quirky sense of humor. You will always be my favorite sheriff, rest in peace my little buddy. I will always love you." — Dolly Parton, who posted the statement on social media along with a photo of Reynolds in a sheriff's uniform in their 1982 film "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas."

    — "Rest in peace to a legend and a friend." — Mark Wahlberg, via Twitter.

    "A sad day, my friend Burt Reynolds has passed away. I remember him back in 1979, he always reminded me that I should've cast him as Colonel Trautman in 'First Blood,' I said that's impossible, because you're too expensive and too famous, and probably tougher than Rambo! He laughed, He had a great sense of humor and I enjoyed his company so much... RIP Buddy." — Sylvester Stallone, on Instagram.

    — "Worked with Burt Reynolds on a TV show once. He introduced himself by saying, 'Hi, I'm Burt Reynolds. I used to be big in the 70's.' How do you not love that?" — comedian Michael Ian Black, via Twitter.

    — "Burt, what an impact you made. Working beside you and seeing firsthand what a movie star was like when cameras were and were not rolling was truly instructive. Thanks for the kindness you always extended. RIP, Giant." — Actor Carl Weathers, on Twitter.

    — "I'm 19. I get a few lines in a movie. The megastar on set was really nice and cool to this punk actor (me) for no reason. The director called me before the movie came out to tell me I had hit the cutting room floor. But I never forgot that Star. Thanks Burt." — Kevin Bacon, on Twitter.

    — "Burt Reynolds the movie star was larger-than-life. Burt the man was down-to-earth, funny as hell, and more talented than he ever gave himself credit for. A true icon has passed." — Larry King, in a tweet.

    — "Rest in peace Burt Reynolds. You were an icon and one of my heroes." — Actor Danny Trejo, on Twitter.

    — "It was just two weeks ago that we were talking about the upcoming college football season and the 'Noles. Burt, better known as 'Buddy' to his friends, loved FSU football and no matter how big a star he became, he never forgot his friends from the FSU family. I will forever remember our conversations and the true friend that he was." — ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso, a teammate and roommate of Reynolds' when both played football for the Florida State Seminoles in the 1950s. Via Twitter.

    "Burt Reynolds, you are the glorious dictionary definition of a golden man. Thank you for spreading your glow." — Lena Dunham, on Twitter.

    "'Stroker Ace was born to race.' Much respect to you Burt Reynolds. RIP." — NASCAR Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    "Very sad to hear about the passing of Burt Reynolds. He was a great actor, a philanthropist and a pioneer of the cool mustache." — Steve Harvey, via Twitter.

    Dale Jr. predicts Truex-Pearn pairing destined for JGR in 2019

    (9/5/18) In his former role as a driver and his current role as a broadcaster for NBC Sports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a keen perspective on the inner workings of the NASCAR “Silly Season” carousel. Wednesday morning, he used that insight to lob a prediction about a major personnel move that may or may not be drawing near.

    On the heels of yesterday’s news that defending Monster Energy Series champ Martin Truex Jr. and his crew chief, Cole Pearn, will be on the move next season, Earnhardt opened up on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “The Morning Drive” about a potential 2019 shift to Joe Gibbs Racing — a theory that would directly impact Daniel Suarez and JGR’s No. 19 team.

    “It’s definitely going to move a lot of things around on the competition side with Truex and Cole Pearn going to Gibbs,” Earnhardt told SiriusXM. “It’ll be interesting to see where Daniel ends up, and where Daniel goes moves another domino and so forth. I think that this’ll be one of the most interesting offseasons or silly seasons that we’ve had in many, many years. Seems like there’s a piece of news or new domino falling every single day, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens through the rest of the year.”

    Furniture Row Racing announced Tuesday that it would cease operations at season’s end, leaving driver, crew chief and other team personnel in limbo. Earnhardt speculated that whichever team brings Truex into the fold would strive to keep the chemistry of the driver-crew chief pairing with Pearn intact.

    Pearn joined Furniture Row in 2015, one year after Truex landed at the Colorado-based organization. They have combined for 17 Monster Energy Series victories together, including the 2017 championship.

    “I think they’ll both stick together and they’ll end up in the 19, more than likely. I think they both complement each other,” Earnhardt said. “I believe that Martin Truex Jr. is as good as anybody in the series, but without a great crew chief, no driver is going to be as competitive as they could be and reach their potential, so they both complement each other. I think they’re a good package if they can stick together.

    “I worked with Martin for a long time and we’ve been friends for a long time, and I’ve always thought a lot about his ability. He’s a guy that comes to work, does his job. Anything that they ask of him outside the race car, he does. He’s no-nonsense.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive Brickyard 400 pace car

    (8/17/18) The final race before the 2018 NASCAR Playoffs kick off is special at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this year, and it has a special pace car driver, too: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    The Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard kicks off at 2 p.m. ET, Sept. 9 — the last chance for drivers to make the field of 16 for the NASCAR Playoffs.

    “I am honored that Chevrolet asked me to drive the Camaro ZL1 Pace Car in one of the biggest races of the year,” Earnhardt said in a release from Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The fan in me was already looking forward to this event. It’s a big race. There is a lot at stake since it’s the final chance for the teams and drivers to make the Playoffs. So, I hope to do a good job leading the field to the green flag, but I can promise you I’ll soak in every minute and enjoy the Brickyard in a way I never have before.”

    Now an analyst for NBC Sports, Dale Jr. made his final start at the Brickyard as a full-time driver July 23, 2017. He crashed out, finishing 36th. In 17 starts at Indianapolis, Junior had one top 5, five top 10s and an average finish of 19.8.

    Watch Dale Jr., NBC personalities as they take in Xfinity race at Mid-Ohio

    (8/8/18) Want to know what it’s like to watch a race with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the NASCAR on NBC personalities?

    Well, this Saturday you are in luck as Earnhardt and his NBC pals will take in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race (3 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and the @Xfinity handle will be live streaming it for your enjoyment.

    In his first year with NBC, Earnhardt has brought a unique energy to the booth with his excitement and passion for racing. We can only imagine how much fun will be had in this setting.

    This is the second road-course race in a four-race stretch for the series, which will shape the playoff picture until the regular season ends at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App).

    36 NASCAR Drivers join Dale Jr.’s glove auction for Nationwide Children’s Hospital

    (7/29/18) When Dale Jr. puts out the call to NASCAR drivers to help support The Dale Jr. Foundation and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, they show up … by the dozens.

    During the Watkins Glen race weekend (Aug. 3-5), 32 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers and all four JR Motorsports NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers will participate in the Driven to Give Glove program. Drivers will wear skeleton driving gloves inspired by the ones Junior wore during races. Each pair of gloves then will be autographed by the driver and auctioned on Aug. 8, with proceeds benefiting the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

    The fund supports the hospital’s efforts in pediatric injury rehabilitation, research and prevention.

    “We’ve done a lot with the Gloves program through the years at The Dale Jr. Foundation, but this year we wanted to open it up to more people,” said Earnhardt Jr. of the program. “To have 32 of my former competitors and all four of our JR Motorsports’ drivers sign on to this to help the Nationwide Children’s Hospital continue the life-saving work they do there is impressive, and I can’t thank them all enough. Nationwide Children’s Hospital is a huge part of the work we do at The Foundation.”

    The Earnhardts created the fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in November 2017, with an $88,888 initial donation, commemorating Dale’s years driving the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports car with Nationwide as a sponsor.

    Nationwide will be on the No 88 car again at Watkins Glen, with Alex Bowman driving a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet featuring a butterfly-themed special Nationwide Children’s Hospital paint scheme. Patient Champion Ashyzla Jackson was at Hendrick Motorsports for the unveiling of the paint scheme. Patient Champions help tell the story of the work the hospital does for children.

    Driven to Give Glove program also started in 2017 and has raised more than $100,000 already for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital. It is an extension of Junior’s relationship with Nationwide as a sponsor before his retirement and his commitment to the children’s hospital, reaching back several years.

    In 216, the Dale & Amy Earnhardt room was dedicated to the driver and his wife, and they created their fund as a way to extend that relationship beyond Junior’s retirement from driving.

    Bowman has history with Nationwide Children’s Hospital as well. He was the first driver to pilot a car with a special paint scheme for the hospital, at the Xfinity Series’ 2013 race at Mid-Ohio. When he’s back behind the wheel with the hospital on board, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Patient Championship Bricen Thall will be on hand at Watkins Glen with his family.

    Bricen and his family are from Winfield, New York, and he was born with a condition named Hirschsprung’s Disease. He’s now five but had his first of many surgeries at just one week old.

    After several surgeries over the first two years of his life, Bricen was referred to the Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. His care there has set him on a path that for the first time didn’t involve a surgery for a whole year.

    “Nationwide Children’s has a very special place in our hearts for everything they have done for Bricen,” said his mother, Colby Thall. “They have given him a better quality of life and the chance to experience all that a 5-year-old should.”

    Drivers who are participating in the Driven go Give Glove program are: Justin Allgaier, AJ Allmendinger , Aric Almirola, Michael Annett, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Clint Bowyer, Chris Buescher, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, William Byron, Landon Cassill, Matt DiBenedetto, Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Erik Jones, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Michael McDowell, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman, David Ragan, Tyler Reddick, Elliott Sadler, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Daniel Suarez, Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace.

    SPECIAL ANALYST-ONLY “NBC RACE TEAM BROADCAST” SUNDAY AT 2 PM ET ON NBCSN

    (7/16/18) NASCAR on NBC analysts Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte will take over NBC Sports’ broadcast booth for a special analyst-only call of this Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on July 22 at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

    Combining their decades of experience behind the wheel and in the garage, Earnhardt, Burton and Letarte will bring viewers a fresh perspective of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, through informal stories, conversation and race commentary. Called from NASCAR on NBC’s traditional broadcast booth above the start-finish line, the “NBC Race Team Broadcast” will bring fans closer to their favorite drivers and teams as pre-playoff competition heats up at “The Magic Mile.”

    “We have a multi-option offense, and are again excited to try a different booth setup for our NASCAR Cup Series race broadcast this weekend in New Hampshire,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer & President, Production, NBC & NBCSN. “We’re putting people in positions to make it fun for the audience, and the ‘NBC Race Team Broadcast’ will bring a unique and different perspective to the race.”

    Lead NASCAR on NBC race announcer Rick Allen will move to pit road and report on Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice and race coverage from “The Magic Mile,” adding a fresh perspective from pit road. Allen will also call the Xfinity race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this Saturday, July 21 at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN alongside Earnhardt and Burton. Letarte will contribute coverage from pit road on the “Peacock Pit Box.”

    Allen, Burton, Earnhardt and Letarte will all return to NASCAR on NBC’s traditional two broadcast booth set up for NBCSN’s coverage of the Cup series race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 29. Allen will call the action alongside Burton from NBC Sports’ booth above the start/finish line, with Earnhardt and his former crew chief Letarte providing additional insight and analysis from NBCSN’s second broadcast booth.

    The “NBC Race Team Broadcast” is an additional example of NBC Sports’ innovative NASCAR race telecast techniques, expanding on NBC Sports’ “On The Box” coverage and the addition of NBC Sports Group’s “Peacock Pit Box,” both advancements that were unveiled earlier this season.

    Slide job! Dale Jr. brings catchphrase and enthusiasm to new job

    (7/6/18) One week into his next career with NBC Sports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. already has a hashtag-worthy broadcast moment. His exuberant call of the Chicagoland last-lap clash between Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson has already had a lasting effect.

    Just don’t expect “slide job!” to become an every-week occurrence.

    “I don’t know that that’s a catchphrase because I don’t know that you can just work it in any time,” Earnhardt said Friday at Daytona International Speedway. “That was just a natural reaction to what I was seeing. That’s what my bosses asked me to do was to say what I was thinking, especially in a moment like that when you’re excited and I’m enjoying it and reacting like a fan.”

    That reaction seemed to resonate, showing up in online parodies and memes in the days after the Chicagoland event.

    “I was really surprised that that took off like it did,” Earnhardt said. “I got done with the race, went to the car, drove to the airport. By the time I got to the airport, everybody was texting me and saying it over and over, and I’m hearing it all week. That’s cool. I’m glad that the broadcast was a success, and I’m glad everybody enjoyed that little tidbit at the end. Hopefully we see as much excitement out of every race.”

    Earnhardt said he’s easing into the job as an analyst, learning the nuance of communication with his producers and on-air colleagues as he preps for his second race-day assignment, Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM). His brings an extra level of expertise this weekend as a four-time Daytona winner over the course of his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career.

    Earnhardt says he’s been encouraged to take a more casual approach, emulating the laid-back feel of his weekly podcast, the “Dale Jr. Download.” Last weekend’s final call, where he punctuated lead broadcaster Rick Allen’s play-by-play with his descriptions, was a step in that direction.

    “His passion for racing, it showed last week, right?” said NBC Sports teammate and pit analyst Steve Letarte, “because you had an expert when you needed an expert and you had a fan when you wanted a fan, and I think that was a great balance.”

    Said Earnhardt of his first go in the NBC booth: “I’ve got nothing negative to say about it. Even if I tried to think about anything on the negative side, everything’s been positive. I get to work with my friends, have fun and we get to talk about racing. Jeff Burton says this all the time and I agree: I’m watching the races anyway. I want to be at the track, I miss coming to the track, so if I can go to every race and watch them, I would. And so NBC’s going to do that and send me to all the tracks and then they’re going to pay me to talk about it, so it’s a dream come true to be honest with you.

    “Hopefully, it just comes down to the fans’ opinion of the broadcast, the fans’ opinion of the job we do and I do whether I get to stick around. So I’m going to try hard to do a great job.”

    Dale Jr.’s debut on NASCAR broadcast an instant classic

    (7/3/18) The deep appreciation Dale Earnhardt Jr. carries for NASCAR’s history includes him often re-watching races from decades before. It was fitting then that Sunday his debut Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series broadcast as a full-time NBC analyst just happened to be a race harkening to the classics Earnhardt likes to view.

    A thrilling last-lap duel featuring Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson saw them bump-and-bang off one another multiple times, culminating with Busch nudging Larson out of the lead in Turn 3, then maintaining control of his battered car to drive it across the finish line to win the Overton’s 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

    “That’s all Dale Jr. right there,” Busch said of the finish. “It’s 70s-, 80s- [esque].”

    During the buildup to the stirring finish and on the final lap itself, Earnhardt shined in his new role, displaying an acumen for broadcasting that gives every indication he will be as successful in the broadcast booth as he was on the track.

    As Larson chased down Busch to overcome a multi-second deficit, Earnhardt adroitly explained how Larson was able to make the high groove work to his advantage while Busch preferred the low section around the mile-and-a-half track. And when the Chip Ganassi Racing driver eventually caught Busch, Earnhardt highlighted how Busch had altered his corner entry to counteract Larson’s advantage and what Larson needed to do in response.

    Then, as Larson went for the lead diving underneath Busch entering Turn 1 on the white flag lap, Earnhardt knew exactly what was coming, excitedly yelling “Slide job!” even before Larson made his brazen bid for the victory in a soundbite that in all likelihood will become part of NASCAR lore.

    It was a sequence exemplifying Earnhardt at his best. Demonstrating his ability to mix his knowledge and perspective that allowed him to correctly anticipate what was to come with a folksy enthusiasm that made it sound as if he was sitting at the bar watching the race with buddies.

    That Earnhardt’s debut was a smash is no surprise. During cameo TV appearances as a NASCAR analyst before retiring from full-time racing following the 2017 season, it was apparent Earnhardt possessed the ability to become his generation’s Benny Parsons — a star driver turned beloved broadcaster whose analyst skills actually superseded what had been a hall of fame career.

    But there is more to becoming an ace analyst than a former driver simply exchanging their helmet for a headset, even if they have the charisma to connect with the audience. It takes work, something Earnhardt acknowledged he needed to put in if this career transition was going to be deemed a success.

    With an eye on becoming a media personality once his racing career concluded, Earnhardt began in earnest preparing for this venture even before announcing his retirement.

    Instead of just occasionally hosting a popular podcast that bared his name, Earnhardt became the full-time host prior to the 2017 NASCAR season, thus acclimating himself to the preparation, routine and production that goes into making a show. There were also stints this past February where he served as a roving reporter during NBC’s broadcast of the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics, where Earnhardt made sure to step outside his comfort zone and attempt things he previously would not have considered doing.

    And in the lead-up to his debut Sunday, Earnhardt took part in several mock broadcasts where co-analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte, and Rick Allen (play-by-play) would call a Cup race to gain familiarity and develop chemistry with one another.

    Their strong rapport was on full display where the four enjoyed seamless banter in describing the action at Chicagoland — especially among Earnhardt and Letarte, his former crew chief, with the two respectfully disagreeing at times but also acting as a nice complement in their differing viewpoints on how things would unfold. When Busch crossed the finish line, Earnhardt and Letarte exchanged high-fives over the electric conclusion they had just witnessed.

    “I knew that I was going to get along great with my teammates, so I’m not surprised I had a blast with them,” Earnhardt said post-race in a live video stream on Periscope. “We’re going to have a good time this year. I got a lot to learn and there is a lot more I can provide, and as I get better and understand some of the things that are going on [in the broadcast booth] I’m sure things will continue to get better.

    “First broadcast was a big hit, I feel like.”

    There is little question Earnhardt’s foray into full-time broadcasting exceeded expectations. Of course, being able to call a rousing finish that certainly gave him and his NBC colleagues plenty to discuss only helped.

    Nonetheless, Earnhardt deserves credit for contributing to what was a memorable race Sunday. A fantastic ending featuring two of NASCAR’s best made all the better by an enthusiastic analyst who enhanced what was transpiring before him – while avoiding the cheesiness that can often overcome a broadcaster in that moment.

    By any measure, it was a star-making performance.

    Best part about Dale Jr.’s new gig? He can be himself

    (6/28/18) The moment is nearly here. In a matter of hours, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be covering his first practice session for NBC Sports from Chicagoland Speedway as an official analyst.

    Earnhardt boarded a plane Thursday morning en route for the race weekend in Chicago with his new teammates — lead commentator Rick Allen, analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton.

    Sporting a throwback Richard and Kyle Petty T-shirt, it’s go time for the 15-time Most Popular Driver.

    “I’m excited to finally be at the race track with my teammates and getting ready to go to work,” Earnhardt said in a Thursday afternoon teleconference. “I’m just watching these guys and following them around to see how they prepare and what all goes into the days leading up to the race itself. It’s been extremely educational.”

    Earnhardt’s exact role on the NBC Sports broadcast has yet to be detailed in full, but it sounds like fans are in for a treat.

    “We have the multi-option offense,” said Sam Flood, NBC Sports Group Executive Producer. “We have different booths with different tracks. We’re putting people in positions to make it fun for the audience and give the most insight. We have five different styles of booths and we’ll roll them out and we’ll let you know each week what we plan to do.”

    Earnhardt’s first directive from Flood in his rookie broadcasting year is simple, but also one that’s hard to believe.

    “The best part about it is Sam Flood says just be yourself,” Earnhardt said. “I keep asking him if that’s really what he wants because that sounds a little bit too good to be true, and a little bit too easy. But, that’s what they expect out of you.

    “That should be very fun to just get up there and watch races and react,” he added. “All the guys in the booth are such huge fans of what we’re seeing, it’s going to be a lot of fun just doing that. Sitting around talking about what’s happening on the race track. I’m excited to learn a lot and get to know my teammates even better.”

    Earnhardt participated in countless hours of practice with Allen, Letarte and Burton in a radio booth at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, earlier in the year, along with another mock broadcast from a suite during May’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    “I was really nervous about going into it cold turkey without a whole lot of experience, so it gave me a lot of peace of mind and it allowed me to build a little bit of rapport with Jeff and Rick because we’re going to need that kind of chemistry,” Earnhardt said. “It was really helpful for me.

    “I still got the job, so obviously NBC is pretty happy with what they heard in our practice runs,” he added jokingly. “I got a lot of great feedback and was able to adjust on the fly. It was cool.”

    Now, it’s time for Earnhardt to experience the real deal.

    “We’ve been talking about it for a long time,” Earnhardt said. “We’ve been practicing and here it is. It’s time to get to work. We’re going to have a great first weekend to kick off the next several trips to the race track. It’s going to be an awesome run all the way to Homestead.”

    Dale Jr. getting real comfortable commentating in Wrangler

    (6/27/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. is rounding Turn 4 of his offseason before getting the green flag on his NASCAR commentating career this weekend at Chicagoland. Recently, he’s had his hands full between the birth of his daughter, Isla, his home renovation show on the DIY Network and his “Dale Jr. Download” podcast.

    Some might ask: What’s left in the tank for Junior? How will he downshift to being in the booth and not in a No. 88 Chevrolet? The real question is — we know he won’t be in a fire suit, but will he be in an actual suit and tie or jeans?

    Watch the humorous spot below for a sneak peak at how Dale Jr. has been preparing for his career shift. (Video)

    Dale Jr. jokes he likes hanging out with ‘pal’ Jimmie Johnson more than ‘uncle’ Jeff Gordon

    (6/27/18) With Dale Earnhardt Jr. set to make his debut on NASCAR on NBC’s broadcast of the second half of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season in Sunday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN), the recently retired driver is making the media rounds in New York.

    Thankfully for us, this included a trip to the always-insightful “Dan Patrick Show” on Wednesday.

    Patrick is a master interviewer, and has such a rapport with Earnhardt that the pair often dives headfirst into deep subjects, showcasing a side of the former Hendrick Motorsports driver not often displayed. It’s why Patrick often cites Earnhardt as his favorite interview.

    Wednesday’s show was no different — they quickly got into Earnhardt’s recent foray into fatherhood, the background of his seemingly-sudden retirement and more — but not before starting off on a light note… as in, which NASCAR driver he’d want to drive him around “The Big Apple” in a taxi cab.

    “Jimmie (Johnson). Jimmie had a place in New York City, so he knows the town a little bit, he knows where he’s going.”

    Patrick then pointed out that Earnhardt’s former HMS teammate and current NASCAR on FOX commentator Jeff Gordon also had a place in NYC.

    “He did. I enjoy being around Jimmie a little bit more than Jeff,” Earnhardt, age 43, said. ” … I dunno, Jeff’s older and he’s kind of like my elder, where Jimmie and me are kind of pals. It’d be like hanging out with my best friend versus, maybe, my uncle. That kind of thing.

    “I don’t even know (what the age difference is), maybe four years? He got started so young, it seems like he’s been around forever.”

    Regardless, everyone knows it pays in life to have both a best friend and a cool, fun uncle that can get you fireworks, which we’ve heard Junior has a penchant for.

    We now go live to Gordon, 46, who managed to sneak into the back seat of the cab of Johnson, 42, and is Periscoping the trip.

    Letarte offers behind-the-scenes look at Dale Jr.’s rebirth in ‘Leading the Way’

    (6/26/18) When Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. came together as crew chief and driver prior to the start of the 2011 season, both were at a crossroads. Earnhardt hadn’t won a race since 2008 while Letarte was coming off a winless season with Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports.

    Four years later, as Letarte was leaving the pit box for the NBC Sports broadcast booth, the duo had tallied five wins together — including the 2014 Daytona 500 — and the sport’s longtime Most Popular Driver was a title threat again.

    “Our relationship was on a different level,” Letarte told NASCAR.com. “It was more as equals, more as friends, more as buddies, more as coworkers, and that instantly gave it sort of a different feel. When I look back on it, the success that Dale and I had and the relationship that he and I created was just an amazing four years to finish out my career.”

    In his new book “Leading the Way,” (as told to Nate Ryan of NBC Sports and available for purchase today) Letarte offers readers and fans alike a unique inside look into how he helped rebuild confidence for Earnhardt — who wrote the forward for the book — and the No. 88 team, and how the relationship with Junior still impacts Letarte to this day.

    “When Dale and I were put together, we were both at a point in our careers where we questioned privately ourselves where our careers were going,” Letarte said. “It was such a turnaround from there to 2014.

    “While I looked forward to the opportunity to take my new job (at NBC), I was going to miss what I was doing greatly. After being out of it for six months or so, I kind of wanted to go back and relive it. To tell the stories to the fans, the behind-the-scenes stories and then also to the business leaders, the managers of the world about how we went about rebuilding his career and my career together.”

    The book was a three-year project for Letarte and opens with the crew chief learning of his new assignment following the 2010 season, where team owner Rick Hendrick shifted him from Gordon’s No. 24 team to Earnhardt and the No. 88. Letarte candidly admits he thought he would be unemployed after that season.

    Throughout the book, Letarte provides insights into the leadership and team building he utilized in helping get Earnhardt back on track to Victory Lane. In the two seasons before their pairing, Earnhardt had finished outside the top 20 in points. The key to the relationship, according to Letarte, was that it started from scratch with no preconceived notions.

    “One thing I learned with Jeff (Gordon) — the best advice I never took — was he wanted me to treat him like everyone else on the race team,” Letarte said. “And while that is great advice, I could just never do it. He was my mentor. He gave me the opportunity to crew chief. He’s the whole reason I’m in the sport.

    “So when I got Dale as a driver, I was convinced that even if it didn’t work, I won’t look back on it and say that I should have done this or I should have done that. I decided I was going to do it my way. We just started with conversations and building a relationship and then took that relationship to the race track.”

    Early on, there were several near-victories for the pairing, with the most notable being the 2011 Coca-Cola 600 where Earnhardt ran dry on the final lap.

    In 2012, each was able to snap his personal winless drought – Earnhardt’s was at 143 races, while Letarte’s was at 115 races – with their collective triumph in June 2012 at Michigan International Speedway. And while the victory was a huge sigh of relief, it also was the moment Letarte realized he wasn’t going to be a crew chief forever.

    When Letarte was considering leaving the pit box for a television job with NBC, Earnhardt was one of his sounding boards. Dale Jr. showed his leadership and growth in an emergency team meeting when the news of Letarte’s move leaked out.

    “Dale was one of the people that I leaned on to get his opinion,” Letarte said. “I think that proved our relationship. As a race car driver, he didn’t want me to leave. Professionally, he didn’t want me to leave, but personally, he saw how it could be great for me and my family, and I really think that is why we are going to work together again.

    “Because our friendship was much more than on the race track.”

    The release of the book coincides with the start of NBC’s portion of televising the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series beginning at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. The recently retired Earnhardt is joining the booth and re-teaming with his former crew chief once again.

    And while the book shows the strength of this relationship, the television screen is sure to display it as well.

    “DALE JR. DOWNLOAD” - HOSTED BY DALE EARNHARDT JR.

    (6/15/18) NBC Sports Group hits the ignition switch on NASCAR on NBC’s fourth season of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing, with a new 30-minute show, the Dale Jr. Download, debuting Thursday, June 21 at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. In collaboration with NBC Sports’ newest on-air contributor Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr), NBCSN takes viewers couch-side for the taping of the motorsports icon’s weekly podcast. The latest addition to NBC Sports’ extensive motorsports lineup, the Dale Jr. Download will air each Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET following NASCAR America.

    NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years (2003-17) and winner of two Daytona 500s, Earnhardt co-hosts the show with Mike Davis. Thursday’s debut episode surrounds Father’s Day, Earnhardt’s first as a dad. Earnhardt will reflect on his time as a new parent, and share some of his favorite memories of his own father, Dale Earnhardt Sr.

    “Our approach with the TV show will be no different than our approach with the podcast – buddies hanging out, talking racing, sharing life stories, and telling jokes that may or may not be funny only to us,” said Earnhardt. “I’m having a lot of fun with the podcast, and we are excited to be bringing it to TV. If we have a guest join us, it’s only because they’re relevant to whatever has my attention that week. It could be a NASCAR driver, or it could be my plumber – depends on who’s more important to me that week. The Download is as transparent as I can be when it comes to my life and thoughts.”

    Produced on-site at Dirty Mo Media Studios in Mooresville, N.C., Earnhardt and Davis raise the bar with unparalleled perspective, candid commentary, and first-person insight into the life of a broadcaster and celebrated race car driver.

    The full Dale Jr. Download podcast is available at DirtyMoMedia.com and all major podcasting platforms.

    Lionel Racing celebrates Isla Rose Earnhardt with a die-cast

    (6/15/18) (Photo) Isla Rose Earnhardt may not be ready to trade in baby booties for hot shoes, but she has her own car now — at least in 1:24 scale.

    Lionel Racing created a pink and white Isla Rose No. 88 die-cast celebrating the birth of Dale Jr. and Amy’s daughter April 30.

    Dale Jr. documents fatherhood, shares stories of Isla Rose’s first week

    (5/9/18) Isla Rose already has the ‘Earnhardt smirk’ down. At least according to her dad.

    It’s been one week since Dale Earnhardt Jr. and wife Amy welcomed home their new bundle of joy, and the first seven days of fatherhood have been a whirlwind.

    “I feel like everything that’s going to come out of my mouth is so cliche,” Earnhardt Jr. said during the most recent episode of “The Dale Jr. Download” podcast. “The love that you have is more than ever. This person … I don’t know what it is. It’s hard to explain. You feel this love for this baby that is not a love that you’ve felt for anyone else. I love my wife to death. I love my parents, my father and my sister. … It’s a 100 times more than that.”

    The couple, who wed on New Year’s Eve in 2016, announced the pregnancy in October 2017 and had the racing world on pins and needles as the due date got closer.

    The newest little Earnhardt was born April 30, just one day after what would have been Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s 67th birthday.

    “I was really emotional, more so than Amy” he said. “This whole week I keep telling Amy she reminds me of a pit crew. The car comes down pit row, hops in the box … it’s like clockwork. It hits this line, the crew jumps over, goes to work, does the work, crew goes over wall, car leaves and everyone is back watching the race.

    “It’s instinctual. That’s the way she’s been. Baby comes out, she knows what to do, she’s doing it. She’s not crying, not emotional. She’s just doing her mother thing. I’m just a basket of nerves and crying.”

    And it didn’t take long for Junior to find a little personality in his daughter either.

    “She smirks the ‘Earnhardt smirk’ some, where she does it off to the side,” he proudly shared. “… I like to tell Amy that’s the Earnhardt in her coming out, because that’s how Daddy always smiled.”

    KELLY CLARKSON, DALE EARNHARDT JR., CHARLES BARKLEY & SHAQ TO PICK KENTUCKY DERBY WINNERS ON NBC’S DERBY COVERAGE THIS SAT., MAY 5, AT 2:30 PM ET

    (5/4/18) NBC Sports Group celebrates the 144th Kentucky Derby with 14 hours of Kentucky Derby Week coverage highlighted by a record five-hour live NBC broadcast from Churchill Downs at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.

    In preparation for the Derby, NBC Sports Group asked a number of celebrities and NBCUniversal personalities for their horse picks, including Charles Barkley, Kelly Clarkson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Savannah Guthrie, Megyn Kelly, Hoda Kotb, Adam Levine, Shaquille O’Neal, Danica Patrick, Al Roker, Blake Shelton, Kenny Smith, Justin Thomas and Shaun White. Their picks will be revealed during NBC’s Kentucky Derby broadcast on Saturday.

    Actress and Kentucky-native Ashley Judd will narrate NBC Sports’ show open, as well as select scene-setting vignettes this Saturday. Judd, who has voiced the show open the prior two years, will be making her on camera debut this year as she narrates the opening tease set in a Kentucky-style speakeasy. A signature of NBC Sports’ Kentucky Derby coverage, the opening film celebrates the pageantry and rich history of Churchill Downs and will lead off the 6 p.m. ET hour of NBC’s coverage of the 144th “Run for the Roses” this Saturday.

    A wide range of NBCUniversal properties joined NBC Sports Group in celebrating the food, fashion, celebrity and entertainment spectacle that is the Kentucky Derby. A summary of Kentucky Derby Week activities and activations are below:

    TODAY & WEEKEND TODAY – NBC News weather anchor and NBC Sports Group’s Kentucky Derby lifestyle correspondent, Dylan Dreyer will contribute to TODAY and Weekend TODAY live from Churchill Downs Friday and Saturday morning on the latest horse racing news and developments.

    TODAY WITH KATHIE LEE AND HODA – NBC Sports Group anchor and correspondent Carolyn Manno joined TODAY’s Kathie Lee and Hoda yesterday morning for a special “Who Knew” Kentucky Derby segment. Tomorrow, on "Try-day Friday," Kathie Lee and Hoda will help ring in the weekend with mint juleps.

    NBC NIGHTLY NEWS WITH LESTER HOLT – On Friday, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt will tease NBC’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby.

    THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON – The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon will feature a Kentucky Derby edition of “Man on Street,” testing New Yorkers’ Derby knowledge, during tonight’s show, and a special “Puppy Predictor” tomorrow, Friday, May 4, to forecast Saturday’s winner.

    E! ENTERTAINMENT – E! News will bring viewers complete Derby Day red carpet coverage from NBC Sports Group’s Peacock Paddock with behind the scenes glam cam footage available across E!’s social media handles.

    BRAVO – Bravo’s Top Chef, Tom Colicchio, will be on-site Saturday to whip up a special Derby Day treat in celebration of Top Chef’s upcoming season filmed in Kentucky. Vanderpump Rules’ Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright will make a red carpet appearance on the Peacock Paddock Saturday. NBC Sports Group’s features reporter Rutledge Wood also joined Monday’s Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as a guest bartender.

    CNBC – On Friday, Churchill Downs’ CEO William C. Carstanjen will join CNBC’s Power Lunch to preview the weekend. Audible’s Vice President of Marketing John Harrobin also contributed an interview to CNBC’s feature article on Audible, the Florida Derby-winning horse and Kentucky Derby contender, backed by Amazon.

    GOLF CHANNEL – Kentucky Derby host Mike Tirico will join Golf Channel’s Morning Drive tomorrow to preview the field, and discuss his second year covering the Kentucky Derby. Golf Channel will also air a feature with No. 2 world ranked golfer Justin Thomas’ visit to Woodford Reserve.

    THE DAN PATRICK SHOW – Mike Tirico joined Dan Patrick and the ‘Danettes’ on the Dan Patrick Show this morning to preview the Kentucky Derby.

    NBC AFFILIATES, OWNED STATIONS AND NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS – Kentucky Derby promotions will air throughout the week on NBC Affiliates, Owned Stations and NBC Sports Regional networks across the country, with analysis and commentary from NBC Sports Group’s horse racing team on local newscasts.

    NBC SPORTS RADIO – NBC Sports Radio will feature interviews with the on-air Kentucky Derby team throughout the week.

    It’s a girl! Dale Jr., Amy welcome new baby

    (5/1/18) Since announcing a “baby Earnhardt” was on the way in October 2017, Dale Jr. and wife Amy have had the racing community eagerly awaiting the arrival of their baby girl.

    And now, the countdown is over.

    @AmyEarnhardt : She’s finally here! @DaleJr and I are officially parents to a beautiful baby girl, Isla Rose Earnhardt. It feels like a dream. The best dream ever.

    @DaleJr : Everyone was right. It’s a new beginning. Now everything I do will be for her and Amy. So blessed.

    The happy couple welcomed Isla Rose Earnhardt on April 30, the first child for both, revealing the baby’s birth on Tuesday morning.

    Dale Jr. has been open about his excitement to enter the fatherhood fraternity throughout the pregnancy. Sharing his thoughts on social media, the former driver has given fans an inside look into the couple’s experience. He even gave updates on the size of the baby throughout the trimesters on Twitter.

    The baby was born the day after what would have been Dale Earnhardt’s 67th birthday.

    In an interview on the Dan Patrick Show, he talked about how quickly his life has changed since hanging up the fire suit at the end of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

    “You’re driving 200 mph last year and now you’re going to try to put a baby seat in a Suburban — what happened to you, Junior,” Patrick quipped at Earnhardt, who laughed.

    “I’m becoming a father,” he said.

    Earnhardt Jr., who is 43, and Amy wed on New Year’s Eve in 2016.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. prepares for baby girl’s arrival; NFL Draft will wait

    (4/4/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. told Dan Patrick on Wednesday that he would eagerly — but nervously — welcome the chance to announce the Washington Redskins’ pick — 13th overall — in the NFL Draft.

    “Any fan that gets asked to do that, they’ve got to get up there and do it and I would definitely take the opportunity if I ever got that chance,” Earnhardt Jr. said on “The Dan Patrick Show,” airing on NBCSN.

    There’s one problem, though; Earnhardt Jr. and wife Amy are expecting their first child on May 2, less than one week after the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft is held on April 26.

    “Nope,” he said. “Maybe next year, we go to the draft. I mean, I’m nervous to do or go anywhere. Because this could happen at any moment.”

    The preparations for the couple’s baby girl in full swing, Earnhardt told Patrick that he received a tour of the hospital recently.

    “I just can’t wait til she gets here, I can’t wait to meet her,” he said. “… During the tour the other day, they took us into one of the rooms and they showed us where the delivery room is and they’ve got that little table there and damn, I about choked up just doing that. The baby ain’t even here and I’m looking at this little table and I’m getting choked up like she’s here.

    “It’s going to be an incredible experience.”

    Earnhardt was mum on the baby’s expected name that he and Amy have one picked out, saying he’ll “get in real big trouble if (he tells).” Plenty has changed for the former No. 88 wheelman in a year; this time last season, he was preparing for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series’ race at Texas Motor Speedway.

    “You’re driving 200 mph last year and now you’re going to try to put a baby seat in a Suburban — what happened to you, Junior,” Patrick quipped at Earnhardt, who laughed.

    “I’m becoming a father,” he said.

    Patrick also pointed out another part of the delivery experience that Earnhardt is all too familiar with.

    “You get to drive fast one more time,” he said. “Like, if her water breaks you’ve got to get there.”

    “Yeah! I know, I’m excited,” Earnhardt said. “I think the drive there and the drive back are going to be two completely different drives.

    NASCAR AMERICA TO DEBUT “WEDNESDAYS WITH DALE JR.,” THIS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28 AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

    (3/26/18) NASCAR America, NBCSN’s daily motorsports show, will debut “Wednesdays with Dale Jr.,” weekly episodes with motorsports icon and NBC Sports’ newest on-air contributor Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr), this Wednesday, March 28 at 5 p.m. ET.

    NASCAR’s most popular driver for the last 15 years will contribute weekly to NASCAR America, from the “big oak table” at NBC Sports’ NASCAR office in Charlotte, N.C. Set outside of the traditional NASCAR America studio, each “Wednesdays with Dale Jr.” episode will feature in-depth discussions and free-flowing conversations about the latest news to come out of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series.

    Viewers and fans can join in the conversation using #WednesDale, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    Rutledge Wood (@Rutledgewood) will host this Wednesday’s edition of NASCAR America, alongside Earnhardt, and fellow NASCAR on NBC analyst Kyle Petty (@KylePetty). Driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford, Ryan Blaney, will also contribute to Wednesday’s coverage.

    Following this week’s debut of “Wednesdays with Dale Jr.,” Earnhardt will make weekly appearances on NASCAR America every Wednesday night at 5 p.m. ET.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to return of No. 8 car

    (3/22/18) Daniel Hemric announced Tuesday that he will drive the No. 8 Chevrolet in two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts for Richard Childress Racing this year.

    The No. 8 hasn’t been on the track in the Monster Energy Series in nearly a decade. It was made famous, so to speak, by Dale Earnhardt Jr. from 2000-07, when he won 17 races in the red Budweiser paint scheme.

    Hemric, who grew up in Kannapolis, North Carolina, much like Dale Earnhardt and drove by the old Dale Earnhardt, Inc., building on his daily commute, told NASCAR.com he had not spoken to Junior about the news.

    Well, Junior has chimed in.

    @DaleJr :The 8 is coming back!!! Good luck with it @DanielHemric ???? https://twitter.com/nascar/status/976224972648714241 …

    Judging solely by exclamation points and emojis, we think he approves.

    NBC’S DALE EARNHARDT JR., NASCAR’S MOST POPULAR DRIVER FOR LAST 15 YEARS, DEBUTS AS ANALYST ON NASCAR AMERICA - MONDAY, MARCH 12 AT 6 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

    (3/9/18) NBC’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) makes his debut as an analyst on NASCAR America, NBCSN’s daily motorsport show, this Monday, March 12 at 6 p.m. ET. Following his recent assignments as a contributor for NBC Sports Group’s pre-game coverage of Super Bowl LII, and NBC Olympics’ coverage of the 2018 PyeongChang Games, Earnhardt will begin his role as a NASCAR on NBC analyst and provide in-depth expertise and insight to Monday and Tuesday’s 60-minute episodes of NASCAR America, live from NBC Sports Group’s headquarters in Stamford, Conn.

    Earnhardt will reunite with his former crew chief and fellow NASCAR on NBC analyst Steve Letarte (@Steveletarte), to provide a complete breakdown and examination of Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at ISM Raceway, in Phoenix, Ariz.

    Leigh Diffey (@leighdiffey) will host NASCAR America throughout the week, and will be joined by NASCAR on NBC analysts and 21-time Cup Series winner Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton), Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett (@DaleJarrett), and auto racing icon Kyle Petty (@KylePetty), from NBC Sports Charlotte, in Charlotte, N.C., and Burton’s Garage, in Huntersville, N.C.

    Dale Jr. on skiing steep slope in South Korea: ‘It scares the hell out of you’

    (2/28/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. spent nearly a week in South Korea covering the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics for NBC Sports, giving us an all-access look into the games and country’s culture.

    Prior to returning home, Earnhardt and business manager Mike Davis recorded the latest edition of “Dale Jr. Download” on Dirty Mo Radio in their hotel room. Earnhardt and Davis shared their various experiences, one of which included the opportunity to hit the ski slopes for a few hours.

    After a few warm-up hills, Earnhardt decided he would tackle a double black diamond slope — the steepest hill offered.

    “If someone had said you wanna go down that when we got there … no chance in hell,” Earnhardt said.

    But Earnhardt built up the courage tackle the humdinger of a slope. The wild ride only took about 20 seconds and fulfilled the need for speed he has always chased throughout his life.

    “It scares the hell out of you going down that double black diamond,” he added. “It’s just straight down. It’s crazy.”

    NASCAR AMERICA RETURNS FOR FIFTH SEASON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

    (2/22/18) STAMFORD, Conn. – February 22, 2018 – NASCAR America, NBCSN’s daily motorsports show, returns for its fifth season this Monday, February 26 at 5 p.m. ET. The season premiere will provide complete coverage of this weekend’s triple-header action at the year’s first mile-and-a-half track, Atlanta Motor Speedway.

    NASCAR on NBC reporter Marty Snider (@HeyMartysnider) will host NASCAR America next week, from NBC Sports Group’s headquarters in Stamford, Conn., alongside NASCAR on NBC analyst and the “Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton), and Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte (@SteveLetarte).

    The 2018 NASCAR America season will feature regular appearances by NASCAR on NBC’s newest crew member Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@Dalejr), as well as Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett (@DaleJarrett) and auto racing icon Kyle Petty (@KylePetty). NASCAR on NBC’s pre- and post-race host Krista Voda (@kristavoda), and studio host Carolyn Manno (@carolynmanno), also return as regular hosts of NASCAR America.

    NBCSports.com’s lead motorsports writer Nate Ryan (@nateryan), features reporter Rutledge Wood (@rutledgewood), in addition to reporters Kelli Stavast (@KelliStavast), Dave Burns (@tvdaveburns) and Parker Kligerman (@pkligerman) will also return to contribute regular reports and features.

    In 2018, NASCAR America will also bring back its extended series My Home Track: 50 States in 50 Shows. Crossing the country alphabetically from Alabama to Wyoming, the favorite series will showcase and celebrate local race tracks and racing communities in all 50 states across the country.

    Airing each weeknight at 5 p.m. ET, NASCAR America will include in studio driver interviews, regular interviews with crew members from race shops across the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series, regular live i-racing simulator segments, and weekly deep dive Scan All segments with audio from each race weekend.

    NASCAR America originates from NBC Sports Group’s headquarters in Stamford, Conn., with contributions from NBC Sports Charlotte, in Charlotte, N.C., Burton’s Garage, in Huntersville, N.C., and the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, allowing the show to report directly from NASCAR’s heartland.

    NASCAR America is also available on the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TV’s.

    Dale Jr. says Bubba Wallace drove ‘like a veteran’ in Daytona 500

    (2/20/18) En route to South Korea to cover the Winter Olympics for NBC Sports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. used a layover in Atlanta to produce his weekly “Dale Jr. Download” podcast on Dirty Mo Radio.

    Fresh off his duties as Grand Marshal for the 60th annual Daytona 500, Earnhardt reflected on his experience at the “Great American Race” as a newly-retired driver. Spending a good portion of his time atop the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsport pit box cheering on Alex Bowman, Earnhardt was impressed with how well the younger drivers of the sport were able to hold their own against veterans.

    Among the fleet of competitors who fall under the youth movement category in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, it was Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. who stole the headlines following a second-place finish in Sunday’s race.

    After Bubba became the highest-finishing African-American driver in Daytona 500 history, he caught the attention of many — including Earnhardt.

    “A lot of people kind of wondered if he had done enough, I guess, to get this opportunity. I never felt that at all or felt like he didn’t deserve the chance,” Earnhardt said in his podcast. “And he went out and proved it on Sunday by driving like a veteran and driving with his head on his shoulders.”

    On top of his on-track performance, Earnhardt also noted how well Wallace was able to handle all the pressure on NASCAR’s biggest stage.

    “I was watching him all of Speedweeks and he had so many media responsibilities and commitments, more than any other driver by far … multiple times more than any other driver by far,” Earnhardt added. “He was feeling that pressure, man. I think it was probably the most pressure I’ve ever seen any driver deal with. I think he set a new high for handling that type of pressure.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes a name for himself in new Goodyear commercial

    (2/14/18) (Video) “Those who live up to their names, make one for themselves.”

    That is the premise of Goodyear’s new commercial for 2018, which features Dale Earnhardt Jr. as he makes the move from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver’s seat to the NBC Sports television booth.

    In the one-minute video, released Feb. 14, the tribute tells the story of Earnhardt’s rise up the NASCAR ranks with a mixture of clips dating back to his younger years through his triumphs in the sport.

    From watching his father’s dominance in NASCAR to 20-plus years of success on his own path, Earnhardt has made a name for himself — both on and off the race track.

    Dale Jr. reacts to Bowman winning Daytona 500 pole

    (2/11/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. may not be driving this season, but the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet still took a familiar position on Sunday with newcomer Alex Bowman winning the Daytona 500 pole ahead of the Feb. 18 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) race.

    This marks the second straight season with the No. 88 sitting on the front row for the “Great American Race.” And from the sidelines, Junior and wife Amy Earnhardt were cheering on their former team.

    @DaleJr : Awesome! Great job @AlexBowman88 @TeamHendrick on the #Daytona500 pole! @Ives_Greg and the gang built a fast one.

    @AmyEarnhardt : Congrats @AlexBowman88 @Ives_Greg and #Team88 !!!! https://twitter.com/hendrick88team/status/962759321384779776 …

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. extends longtime partnership with Nationwide

    (1/23/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career may have come to a close, but his longtime partnership with Nationwide Insurance isn’t going anywhere.

    Nationwide announced Tuesday that Earnhardt will continue his role as a company spokesperson, a relationship that originated in 2008 — his first season with Hendrick Motorsports.

    The multiyear personal services agreement not only entails the promotion of Nationwide’s products and services, but Earnhardt will also make appearances for the company at various national sales conferences and industry events.

    “I’m excited to be continuing my partnership with Nationwide,” said Earnhardt in a company press release. “The relationship I have them is very special to me. They’ve been with me through most of my life — as a sponsor and also a company that I’ve come to depend upon to protect the many different aspects of my life. I’m proud to represent them and look forward to sharing my Nationwide experience with others for years to come.”

    The company also noted they will continue to work alongside Earnhardt in his efforts to support Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

    Nationwide will also serve as a primary sponsor on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet during the 2018 Monster Energy Series season, driven by Alex Bowman. Earnhardt and Bowman will come together for various social and media events in support of the primary sponsorship throughout the year.

    Dale Jr. crashes in snowy weather after helping other driver

    (1/17/18) Dale Earnhardt Jr. is warning North Carolina drivers not to venture out into a snowstorm after he slid off the road and hit a tree.

    Earnhardt said on his Twitter account Wednesday that he had just used his winch to help a sedan out of a ditch in snowy weather when he himself drove off the road and into a tree.

    He wrote: ''NC stay off the roads today/tonight. 5 minutes after helping these folks I center punched a pine tree.''

    A spokesman for Earnhardt, Mike Davis, said that the recently retired NASCAR driver wasn't injured and his pickup truck had only minor damage, if any. Davis said the people Earnhardt helped weren't injured, either.

    Earnhardt's crash happened in Mooresville near where his racing team has its shop and offices.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. to make NBC debuts at Super Bowl LII and Winter Olympics

    (1/16/18) Motorsports icon and two-time Daytona 500 winning driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his NBC debuts as a contributor for the network’s coverage of Super Bowl LII on Sunday, February 4, and the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, beginning Thursday, February 8.

    Voted by fans as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years (2003-17), Earnhardt will make his first trip to the Super Bowl with NBC Sports, and participate in NBC’s Super Bowl Pre-Game Show leading up to the big game. While in Minneapolis, Earnhardt will experience the celebration surrounding this year’s winter weather Super Bowl, and share his great sense of adventure, as he takes part in some of the outdoor events and activities taking place in town leading up to kickoff.

    “I’m excited to get to work with my new NBC family,” said Earnhardt Jr. an an NBC release. “Beginning with two huge events like the Super Bowl and Olympics, right out of the gate, should be quite the introduction. I’m looking forward to raising the profile of NASCAR, and all that we’re going to be doing during the 2018 season.”

    Later in February, Earnhardt will travel to PyeongChang, where he will explore the culture, people, and traditions in South Korea, and experience Olympic competitions first hand. Earnhardt will visit the speed skating venue at Gangneung Ice Arena, and through the lens of a racer will view the speed, close contact, and tight turns on the short track speed skating oval, which so closely mirror Earnhardt’s racing days and nights at Bristol Motor Speedway.

    “Dale is a star on the race track and off, and we are excited to have him join the NBC team,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer & President, Production, NBC and NBCSN. “It will be fun to have him be a part of our coverage of the Super Bowl, and we are looking forward to watching him explore a new world with the Winter Olympics.”

    Following a recent invite on social media from his new friends on the U.S. bobsled team, including U.S. bobsled team pilot Nick Cunningham, Earnhardt will also travel to Alpensia Sliding Center, where he will test the true speed of the bobsled track and live out his post-retirement dream of riding in an Olympic bobsled.

    In July of 2017, Earnhardt and NBC Sports announced the 26-time NASCAR Cup Series winner would be joining NBCUniversal as an on-air analyst and contributor. In addition to serving as an analyst for NBC’s coverage of the 2018 NASCAR season, the agreement with NBCUniversal allows Earnhardt to participate in a wide range of opportunities in the company’s media businesses, including movies, television, podcasts, and other areas.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. tops best-selling die-casts from 2017

    (12/15/17) The die-cast car from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final race as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver was the best-selling paint scheme for Lionel Racing in 2017.

    Lionel Racing released its top 10 list Thursday. Earnhardt paint schemes take up five of the 10 spots. The Axalta/Last Ride car at Homestead-Miami Speedway consisted of a design Earnhardt drove early in his career.

    Not only was it this year’s top seller, Lionel Racing says the car is now the best-selling die-cast in the company’s history.

    “The demand for this car has been simply astounding,” said Lionel Racing president Howard Hitchcock. “The fan response to this die-cast is a true measure of how much Earnhardt has meant to both casual NASCAR fans and serious die-cast collectors.”

    The 2017 top 10 best-selling cars:

    1.Dale Earnhardt Jr. Axalta/Last Ride Chevrolet SS

    2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nationwide Darlington Chevrolet SS

    3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Nationwide Chevrolet SS

    4. Chase Elliott NAPA Chevrolet SS | SHOP: Elliott’s new number

    5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Axalta/Ducks Unlimited Chevrolet SS

    6. Ryan Blaney Motorcraft/Pocono win Ford Fusion | SHOP: New look for Blaney

    7. Kyle Busch M&M’s Caramel/Bristol Win Toyota Camry

    8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Axalta Chevrolet SS

    9. Chase Elliott Hooters Chevrolet SS

    10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Mountain Dew/Talladega raced version Chevrolet SS

    Hendrick presents special gift for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    (12/8/17) (Video) Tracks presented Dale Earnhardt Jr. with gifts throughout his final full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. He won the Most Popular Driver Award for a 15th straight year and was award the Bill France Award of Excellence. There has been plenty of Appreci88ion for the son of Dale Earnhardt has contributed to the sport.

    And there is a little bit of extra thanks from the folks at Hendrick Motorsports, the team that Earnhardt drove for from 2008 to 2017.

    The 2018 season will see Earnhardt in the broadcast booth with NBC’s NASCAR coverage as well as plans to run a NASCAR XFINITY Series race for JR Motorsports, the organization he co-owns. Alex Bowman will step into the No. 88 for Hendrick Motorsports in 2018.

    Dale Jr. and Truex Jr.: Friends, competitors and champions in many ways

    (12/2/17) In so many ways Thursday’s 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards seemed like the perfect sentimental send off — a fond farewell for retiring superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a fitting championship celebration for one of his best friends, Martin Truex Jr.

    Celebrating the two drivers and longtime friends on stage on the same night felt almost destined. It was certainly one of the most genuinely heart-touching times in the history of the sport’s celebratory evenings.

    Their connection is substantial and long-standing.

    As with his good friend Junior, Truex won back-to-back (2004 and 2005) XFINITY Series (then called the Busch Grand National Series) championships driving for the late seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s former team. Then, as with Junior six years earlier, Truex ran his first full-time Cup season for the Dale Earnhardt Inc. team as well.

    The fondness between the men is genuine, abounding and as the banquet showed, enduring.

    So much so, that it was Earnhardt who delivered a heartfelt speech in introducing Truex for the championship trophy presentation.

    “To me and many who know him, he’s a champion in so many ways,” Earnhardt said, as Truex smiled and began wiping away tears.

    “Like when his professional career turned challenging, his options limited, he blamed no one. He kept his head high, he persevered because he’s a champion person.

    “While the love of his life [Truex’s girlfriend Sherry Pollex] battles the most evil of diseases, and he stands with her to make her fight his fight, he’s a champion partner. When he’s away from the track, perhaps enjoying his true passion for hunting or fishing, you realize this: He’s a champion friend. He’s the man. He is the champion in so many ways and no one more deserving this night.”

    And while the two-time Daytona 500 winner Earnhardt has never hoisted a Cup championship trophy, the newly-crowned 15-time Most Popular Driver, has impacted the sport in bountiful ways and will continue to as he transitions from the cockpit to NBC’s broadcast booth in 2018.

    First, he will serve as Grand Marshal for the 2018 Daytona 500 and undoubtedly he will continue charitable efforts that included an $888,000 donation from longtime sponsor Nationwide in Las Vegas — his time devoted and money raised for charities is a legacy that, for many, may outshine all his great achievements on the race track.

    That interest in giving back is something he and Truex share in addition to their on-track legacies — another way the two men are connected and another reason why their time together out front wrapped up this season most appropriately.

    Champion Martin Truex Jr., Dale Jr. honored at 2017 Monster Energy Series Awards

    (11/30/17) The 2017 version of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards included a night of tributes, honor and plenty of good cheer celebrating the 2017 champion Martin Truex Jr. and his Furniture Row Racing team and giving a fond and heartfelt farewell to the now 15th consecutive NMPA Most Popular Driver in the sport, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    The ceremony – shortened to 90 minutes this year – at the gorgeous Wynn Las Vegas included time spent speaking with the 16 playoff drivers, handing out awards and recognizing Truex for his maiden and emotional Cup victory.

    Drivers, their wives and the sport’s VIPs walked the sport’s version of the “red carpet” to come into the banquet looking fabulous in tuxes and formal gowns and giving off good vibes and fond farewells.

    All 16 drivers who qualified for the playoffs took turns on stage with the final four making speeches culminating with Truex’s earnest words of gratitude for his team, team owner Barney Visser – who is in Denver, recovering from a heart attack – and his longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex, who is battling a recurrence of ovarian cancer.

    Earnhardt Jr. introduced Truex and offered sincere words of congratulations and praise for his longtime friend and onetime employee.

    “His life partner battles the most evil of diseases and he stands with her,” Earnhardt said bringing Truex on stage to receive his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup.

    “He is a champion friend. And there is no one more deserving.

    “It’s my privilege to introduce the 2017 Monster Energy Cup champion . .. my good buddy, Martin Truex Jr.”

    The introduction culminated a night of handshakes and back pats. The ballroom gave a standing ovation to special guests – Las Vegas area emergency responders, who assisted during the recent mass shooting in the city.

    And there were multiple good wishes made from drivers and NASCAR executives throughout the evening to 2003 champion Matt Kenseth who is retiring at the end of the season.

    The prestigious Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award was presented by the namesake’s grandson, Ben Kennedy to Julian Maha for his work developing KultureCity. The Alabama doctor founded the KultureCity organization to help autistic children navigate busy locations such as “arenas, stadiums and other public settings as well as developing the “lifeBOKS” program which helps the families “monitor the movements of their children though GPS and Bluetooth tracking devices.”

    One of the evening’s most anticipated moments was time on stage with Earnhardt Jr. who retired from full-time competition following the season finale at Miami two weeks ago.

    In addition to accepting his NMPA Most Popular Driver award, Earnhardt was also presented the prestigious “Bill France Award of Excellence” by NASCAR Chairman Brian France. The award is not given on an annual basis but instead only for extreme merit and extraordinary work.

    “I had no idea,” Earnhardt said of receiving the recognition. “The Myers Brothers award and the Bill France Award, those are so personal and they really get your feelings. It’s an incredible feeling for someone to feel like you’re worth that acknowledgement. I’m grateful and it makes you inspired to continue to be an asset and help the sport grow.”

    While making his speech for finishing runner-up in the championship, Kyle Busch joked that he appreciated the retired Earnhardt giving all his “Junior Nation” fans to his “Rowdy Nation.”

    “It’s all going to be very different getting all those cheers at driver intros,” Busch said smiling.

    In the end, Truex was feted by sponsors, Toyota, fellow drivers and cheers from the rear of the grand room – his Furniture Row Racing team.

    “The 78 team has a motto, “never give up,” a smiling Truex said.

    “It’s just unbelievable to be here. It’s a childhood dream for me.”

    He thanked his parents and Pollex’s parents for being there and reminded that team owner “Barney Visser is the heart of this team, “People thought he was crazy to start a NASCAR team in Denver,” Truex said breaking into a huge grin.

    “Well, who’s crazy now?”

    Truex thanked his crew chief Cole Pearn who led the team to a series best eight wins this season.

    “He never sleeps and is more competitive than anyone I’ve met in my life,” Truex said. “Buddy, thank you for making me a champion.”

    And Truex finished the night in the ultimate feel good – a reminder that life and love goes beyond the race trophies and championships.

    “You are the love of my life,” Truex said, turning toward Pollex. “Thank you for the change you caused in my life. Winning is a great feeling but spending my life with you is the real victory.”

    It sure felt like a win all around.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins most popular driver for 15th year

    (11/30/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrapped up his final season as a NASCAR driver with one last piece of hardware. He won the Most Popular Driver Award on Thursday night for the 15th consecutive time.

    The award is based on a fan vote and sponsored by the National Motorsports Press Association. Only Bill Elliott won the award more than Earnhardt — 16 times between 1984 and 2002 — before he removed his name from consideration.

    "It always comes back to the fans, it really does, and I’ve got to thank them for keeping the train on the track and rolling all these years," said Earnhardt, who retired as a full-time driver following NASCAR’s season finale. He will move to NBC’s broadcasting team next year.

    Earnhardt was presented as NASCAR’s most popular driver during the annual season-ending awards ceremony, which is meant to fete all the playoff drivers and Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. But this week has truly been a send-off for Earnhardt, who was also named Grand Marshal for February’s season-opening Daytona 500 — just one of the many ambassador gigs the superstar is nabbing for the sport he loves so much.

    NASCAR Chairman Brian France also presented Earnhardt with The Bill France Award of Excellence on Thursday. The award is not presented every year.

    "It is for the ultimate contribution to the sport that they love, sometimes it is off the track, sometimes it is on, and sometimes it is both," France said.

    Earnhardt was appreciative of the award and said he’s always done his best to represent the sport his family has been such a huge part of for decades.

    "I always tell people all the time, all I wanted to do was be able to pay my bills and be able to race a long time," Earnhardt said. "I’ve always tried to take a lot of pride in taking the sport to new places and introducing it to new people."

    He then tried to turn the attention to Truex, his good friend and former driver. Truex won two second-tier series titles driving for Earnhardt before Truex graduated to the Cup Series. Earnhardt told a story Thursday night of how his father, the late seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt, stressed to his son to celebrate after his first Cup victory.

    Now a married man expecting his first child next year, he said he finally understands what his father meant: there’s only one chance to celebrate firsts, and he vowed to party hard Thursday night in celebration of Truex’s first Cup title.

    Earnhardt was winless in his final season, didn’t make the playoffs, and wasn’t all that competitive at the end of his 19-year career. But he’s beloved by "Earnhardt Nation" and his fans supported him all year during his "Apreci88tion" tour.

    His farewell party began earlier this week in a salute from sponsor Nationwide, which Earnhardt turned into a charity event. Fans paid $88 to attend, and proceeds will go to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He and wife Amy established a fund at the hospital and contributed the first $88,888.

    The next day, Chevrolet named Earnhardt the recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. opens up on childhood, relationship with father to Dan Patrick

    (11/30/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been praised over the years for his candor, openness and thoughtfulness.

    The 14-time Most Popular Driver brings an element of authenticity to his interviews unparalleled in NASCAR, and no interviewer seems to bring this side of Junior out more than NBC Sports’ Dan Patrick. The longtime anchor has built a rapport with Earnhardt and has routinely listed the Hendrick Motorsports driver among his favorite interviewees — and it’s easy to see why.

    The “Dan Patrick Show” aired a wide-ranging, 21-minute conversation between the two on Thursday morning. The exchange – originally slated for 10 minutes – took many twists and turns, only to be cut off due to time constraints mid-sentence; it could’ve gone even longer.

    Early in the interview after discussing some early career tribulations, Patrick asked Earnhardt if he’d ever tried therapy.

    “Oh yeah, I’ve been in therapy in and out of my whole life,” he explained. “I was in therapy as a child and definitely think that therapy is a very useful tool. If you meet the right therapist; I met a lady named Jane that I worked on and off with the last several years and she has changed my life. To meet the right person that you can trust and listen to and sort of absorb what they’re telling you, it can be incredibly helpful.”

    Patrick noted that it was unusual for a child to be in therapy.

    Earnhardt explained the unique circumstances of his upbringing, and a significant emotional event a young age.

    “As a child it was hard to open up or understand why you were there or understand what was the reason for being there. Man, I was a troubled kid. I was going to get kicked out of a Christian school and got sent to military school for a year and a half and I didn’t really have much direction until I got the opportunity to drive race cars. I was really probably more of a disappointment up until probably 1996, ’97 when I started driving in the XFINITY Series in a couple races for Dad and started showing ‘hey, there’s some purpose for me here and here’s direction for me.’

    “Having divorced parents and then the fire; we were living with my mom in a mill house near Concord Mills in Kannapolis that caught fire when I was five, six years old. So, I’m standing outside in the yard in the morning watching our house burn down. My mom is broke and doesn’t have anywhere to turn, so she had to move back to Norfolk, Virginia to live with her mother, because that’s the only place she could go. She made the very difficult choice to give up custody of me and my sister at that moment to my dad because she knew that he could provide for us and give us a better life. I was at my mom’s watching our house burn down in the morning and then that evening I was at my dad’s house, rummaging through my toy box in the garage, seeing if all my toys had made the trip. That’s difficult. Probably needed some therapy through all that.”

    It also explains why Earnhardt – who it’d be easy to assume would have lived the good life growing up the son of a seven-time champion – admittedly struggled in his adolescence and even into his early 20s.

    Those teenage years were especially trying times, and his relationship with his father was complicated, he divulged.

    “I was just wanting his attention. I didn’t know it, because I didn’t want his attention in a negative way, I didn’t want whoopin’s and all that stuff. My sister says that I was always acting out and trying to get his attention. Kelley would do things like get good grades, which is what she’s supposed to do to get his attention, and I was doing whatever I could to … I felt like the only way I could get him to talk to me or notice me was if I did something wrong or rebelled or fall back or whatever or made things difficult. I don’t think I did those things on purpose but my sister swears I did.

    “He wasn’t around; it wasn’t like we were interacting all the time. He would come home from working in his shop all day long. He’d get home around 9, 10 o’clock and it’s time for us to go to bed. And we’re dying for just five minutes of his time. We just want five minutes just to see him and say hey. He would come in and sit in his La-Z-Boy in the living room and you would sit on the couch and ask him questions and he would not even answer your questions, he was so tired and worn down and so much on his mind about his racing career. This is back in the mid-80s when he was sort of kind of struggling to right the ship, so-to-speak. It was a difficult time but I think that he was really frustrated for a long time with me and who I was going to become and what kind of kid or what kind of person I was going to be.”

    Their relationship started to turn a corner around the time Earnhardt got behind the wheel of an XFINITY Series car for a part-time schedule in 1997, at the age of 22.

    Racing was a language they could both speak.

    “It really clicked as soon as I got in the race car. I don’t know if he knew I could a race car or not, because he never saw me in the late model series from ’92 to ’96; he never saw a race. I ran 159 late model races and I don’t think he saw one of them. He was just going off people’s opinions off whether I had any talent or not.

    “Once I got in an XFINITY car, we went to Michigan and ran in the top 10 right there in front of him and he says ‘hey, this is all right,’ so we started talking about the future.”

    And that future?

    A career that saw Earnhardt earn 26 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins, become the face of the sport and, most importantly, follow a man that found himself along the way.

    Dale Jr. has fun with baby names, talks about higher role in NASCAR with Dan Patrick

    (11/30/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. took some time out of his busy schedule during Champion’s Week in Las Vegas to call in to NBCSN’s “Dan Patrick Show” Thursday morning, discussing a variety of topics — both deeply personal and fun-spirited.

    The call was originally supposed to last 10 minutes, but it turned into a 21-minute conversation with Patrick; one that was abruptly ended mid-sentence due to other prior commitments. Although Earnhardt talked longer than the allotted time, it seemed he wanted to talk longer. Patrick even shared on-air that Earnhardt later sent him a text apologizing for cutting their talk “short.”

    Paying particular attention to the fun stuff, baby names were quickly brought up by Patrick as Earnhardt’s wife, Amy, is pregnant with the couple’s first child. With their daughter due in May, Patrick asked if they have a few names picked out already.

    “We do. We have a list on our phones that we share. I had a lot of names that I liked, but all those got sent to the trash can,” Earnhardt said with a laugh.

    “I’m learning as I go that it’s really going to be down to her. She’s got some great ideas and whatever she chooses is going to be just perfect.”

    Patrick then asked what other NASCAR driver Earnhardt would name the baby if it was a boy.

    “Oh, man. That’s a tough call,” Earnhardt said. “Kyle Larson is a cool name. I think Chase Elliott, that’s a cool name. And Ryan Blaney. All these young kids are coming in with all these racing names.

    Earnhardt then came up with the perfect mixture.“I think Chase Blaney.”

    When asked if he would ever want to take on being the president of NASCAR someday, Earnhardt shared that he didn’t see himself thriving in that position.

    “I think it would be interesting to be in those conversations, to be in those boardroom meetings, understand a little bit of what’s going on and how they come to the decisions that they come to,” he said. “I’m sure there’s a lot more moving parts than myself or a lot of people know that make up the decisions they have. I don’t think I would want to be a president of NASCAR, nor do I think I would be a great president for the sport.”

    But, Earnhardt didn’t rule out an executive role of some form potentially down the road.

    “I think I could be just underneath that in maybe a Mike Helton-style role or a Steve O’Donnell-style role where I have some influence,” Earnhardt said. “I think the France family should and always should be the leaders of the sport. They are the ones that brought this together and created it. I do think it would be fun and be something I would be good at if I could be an influence in the sport some way, some how.”

    The two-time Daytona 500 champion and 14-time Most Popular Driver wrapped up the show by talking about his beloved Washington Redskins, as Patrick suggested he pack up the RV and take his family around to games across the country.

    “I mean, yeah, why not? That sounds like a lot of fun,” Earnhardt said. “They are more fun to watch these last couple years as the defense has gotten better. It’s funny … I get invited to go see them play away, but I don’t feel comfortable going into the opponent’s stadium. When they play the Panthers, or the Cowboys especially, I cannot go to the Cowboys stadium.”

    When Patrick asked if he hated the Dallas Cowboys, Earnhardt didn’t mind giving his opinion.

    “I don’t like them, yes,” he said. “Hate is a strong word. I grew up with a family that had a lot of Cowboys fans in it and it’s been a tug-of-war all my life.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. named 2018 Daytona 500 grand marshal

    (11/29/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. will have a prominent role in next year’s Daytona 500 after all.

    Daytona International Speedway announced Wednesday that the two-time winner of “The Great American Race” is set to serve as Grand Marshal for the 60th running of the Daytona 500, scheduled Feb. 18, 2018.

    The recently retired Earnhardt won the Daytona 500 in 2004 and 2014. Come February, his duties will include giving the command to start engines to the field.

    “I was humbled when asked to be the Grand Marshal of next season’s Daytona 500,” Earnhardt said in a release provided by the track. “The race has so much history and being a two-time winner of the event is something I am extremely proud of. The list of names who have Grand Marshaled the race is one I’m honored to add my name to. Speedweeks is an exciting time for our sport, and this assures me an opportunity to witness the thrills of it all.”

    Said track president Chip Wile: “Talk about a perfect fit — on the historic 60th running of the Daytona 500, we will have a man responsible for so much of our history serving as the Grand Marshal. He has meant so much to our facility, to NASCAR and all race fans through the years. It’s an honor to have him back in this capacity for the 2018 DAYTONA 500.”

    Earnhardt completed his final full season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series earlier this month at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He ends his full-time career with 17 career victories at Daytona International Speedway, including his wins in Can-Am Duel qualifying races and XFINITY competition at the 2.5-mile circuit.

    Earnhardt joins a list of celebrities who have served as Grand Marshal for the season-opening event, including former President George W. Bush and last year’s honoree, Owen Wilson. Former Daytona 500 winners Junior Johnson and Richard Petty have also presided over the event as Grand Marshal.

    Tickets for the 60th edition of the Daytona 500 are on sale now through the track’s website or 1-800-PITSHOP.

    Dale, Amy Earnhardt establish fund at Nationwide Children’s Hospital

    (11/28/17) (Video) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s involvement with Nationwide Children’s Hospital will continue into his retirement as he and wife Amy announced the creation of the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Fund at the hospital via Twitter on Tuesday morning.

    Earnhardt has been visiting the Nationwide Children’s Hospital for the past three years, making five trips to the Columbus, Ohio-based facility through his partnership with Nationwide. He most recently made a trip to the hospital in July, ahead of the tripleheader race weekend at Kentucky Speedway. As a retirement present, the track presented him with a special jukebox that would be given to the hospital.

    The hospital also named an area of the facility the Dale and Amy Earnhardt Activity Room last season.

    “We will continue to go,” Earnhardt said in a press conference after his July visit. “We will be connected to that place forever. Can’t wait to go back. Can’t wait to take a whole planeload of people with me that have never seen it before so they can see what is going on.”

    Classic rides again on display, for a good cause, at Evernham car show

    (11/24/17) Classic cars owned by four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and more are scheduled to be on display Saturday as part of the fifth annual AmeriCarna LIVE car show in Davidson, North Carolina.

    Gordon’s 1952 Oldsmobile Super 88 Convertible and Earnhardt’s 1976 Chevrolet Laguna highlight the annual charity event hosted by NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2018 member and former championship-winning crew chief Ray Evernham.

    The show will be held at Ingersoll Rand North American headquarters and Corporate Center located at 800 Beaty Street in Davidson.

    Funds raised through the event support IGNITE, the Autism Society of North Carolina’s community center for young adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.

    Evernham is the founder of IGNITE while MSC Industrial Supply Co. and Ingersoll Rand are supporting sponsors.

    A special display of off-road vehicles and vintage race cars will also be on hand. In addition to the vehicles of Gordon and Earnhardt, also on display will be Joey Logano’s 1972 Chevelle Duramax twin turbo diesel; a 2018 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 owned by Rusty Wallace and a display of vehicles from Evernham’s own collection.

    Admission is $5; children under 10 will be admitted free.

    Interested car owners can pre-register online at AmeriCarnaLIVE.com or register at the gate on day of show for $30.

    Emotions hit Dale Jr. the hardest when thanking Rick Hendrick

    (11/21/17) Rick Hendrick has a knack for bringing out the heaviest of emotions in his drivers who have gone into retirement from full-time racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

    In 2015, Jeff Gordon stepped out of a No. 24 car he made famous with four championships and 93 victories during his 24 years with Hendrick Motorsports. Not only was Hendrick a car owner for Gordon, he was a role model and a friend, which led Gordon to tears when thanking Rick and wife Linda on stage during that year’s banquet in Las Vegas.

    Fast forward to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final weekend as a full-time driver. Piloting Hendrick’s No. 88 for the last time in Miami, Earnhardt called it a career with 26 victories over his 19-year tenure — 10 of those years while driving for HMS.

    The two-time Daytona 500 winner and 14-time Most Popular Driver immediately embraced his boss for a lengthly period of time after climbing from the car with swarms of people surrounding them on pit road.

    For Earnhardt, it was those interactions with Hendrick that got him the most.

    “Really didn’t get seriously emotional … only when I talked to Rick,” Earnhardt said during his Dale Jr. Download podcast.

    Not only did Hendrick hire Earnhardt when Dale Earnhardt Inc. was facing rocky times, he was also by Earnhardt’s side during some of the toughest moments in his personal life.

    “It’s easy to thank him for hiring me,” Earnhardt said. “But when I think about what he did for me personally, for some reason it’s hard for me to thank him. I don’t know why. But, for some reason, when I try to do that, it brings up all the feels.”

    As Earnhardt trades his firesuit for a business suit next season in the NBC Sports broadcast booth, the relationship between he and Hendrick will remain special and unwavering.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth made their own ways as friends and racers for 14 years

    (11/20/17) The crew in black and yellow fire suits went methodically about its business, check-listing last details before the beginning of the final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    A few feet away, the crew in the red and black fire suits were performing the same series of tasks, but a throng of onlookers and well-wishers pressed in at every movement.

    It was a surreal scene, or rather scenes, both on Sunday and 14 years ago. But in each case, the careers and personas of NASCAR’s most popular driver and his understated friend and contemporary had intersected. In 2003, it was in the garage bays in the hours before Matt Kenseth finished off his first and only championship at NASCAR’s highest level. On Sunday, it was as he and Dale Earnhardt Jr. posed for a series of photographs for friends and family beside their cars staged in Turn 4 as they prepared to undertake their final races before retirement.

    Earnhardt Jr. eventually broke from his gathering on Sunday, slinked under a rope and waited through a television interview to speak with Kenseth. He’d been “adamant” Kenseth said, that their cars be parked next to each other for their moments, and was particularly intrigued that they were both using versions of their early career paint schemes for their farewells. They shared a quip and a hug and then prepared to get on with the last vestiges of their careers. In keeping with their divergent personalities — Earnhardt Jr.,compelled to accommodate the scores who wanted to share in the moment with him — and Kenseth joined the field of cars to begin the start of the race, and NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver slowly drove pit road to exchange handshakes with crewman from other teams waiting near the wall.

    Earnhardt Jr. and Kenseth have always been different people seeking the same career goals, since they entered first the Busch Series (now XFINITY Series) and then Cup together, and it can be argued that Kenseth accomplished more. Both won the Daytona 500 twice, but Kenseth claimed the 2003 championship and contended for others more frequently than his friend, who finished a career-high second in the same season. Kenseth won 39 career Monster Energy Series races, Earnhardt Jr. 26. When Earnhardt Jr. won consecutive XFINITY titles in 1998 and 1999, Kenseth finished second and third, respectively.

    But Earnhardt Jr. always was and always will be the focus. It was his birthright and burden. Understated and wry, Kenseth saw up close the scrutiny and demands on his friend and wanted no part of them. He learned that early. In 2002, the bachelor Earnhardt Jr. hitched a ride with Kenseth and his wife, Katie, driving back from a race at Rockingham, when they cruised into a McDonald’s. Earnhardt Jr. was inundated. Kenseth and Katie walked to the front of the line. Demands came with such fame and Earnhardt Jr. came to accept them as his part of the bargain.

    NASCAR legend dictates that Kenseth’s march to his championship for Roush Racing was so banal — after winning one race he entered the finale 226 points ahead of Jimmie Johnson — that it prompted the series to institute the first version of what was then called the “Chase” in 2004. Earnhardt Jr. arrived in third place, 264 behind for Dale Earnhardt Inc. and still gathering momentum as the standard-bearer of the sport and a crossover marketing star just two years after his father and namesake perished on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. In keeping with the Budweiser sponsorship on his red No. 8 Chevrolet, the mood on the edge of his camp that November was festive bordering on hysterical. Such was the reason that security stations theater ropes extended several feet beyond the mouth of his garage bay so crew members could work and push through mobbing fans carrying gear back to their transporter. Kenseth’s crew went about its business unbothered.

    Ultimately, their departures from the series were in keeping with the way they conducted their careers, or at least had them dictated to them. Returning this season after missing half of the 2016 season because of a recurrence of concussions, Earnhardt Jr. announced in April that he would discontinue full-time racing at the end of the season. A hashtagged farewell tour ensued, allowing his scores of fans and appreciative admirers to partake in his moment. Kenseth, who will be replaced next season at Joe Gibbs Racing by 21-year-old Erik Jones, refused to accept a lesser job and eventually accepted his career was over.

    Earnhardt Jr. chugged a beer as a massive mob surrounded his rubber-clumped car and engaged in a long embrace with team owner Rick Hendrick after exiting the car following a 25th-place finish. Hendrick, whose son, Ricky, died with nine other Hendrick family members or employees in a 2004 plane crash, claimed Earnhardt Jr.’s helmet as a souvenir and slid away from the scene. He’d done the same in 2015 after four-time series champion Jeff Gordon’s last race as a full-time driver at Homestead and wouldn’t be without a token from someone he said he loves “like he’s flesh and blood.”

    “I don’t want to get any more helmets,” Hendrick said, becoming emotional. “He and I have such a special relationship. We were talking about it. Now we can go fishing. So, it’s unbelievable to see his driving career come to an end, but he’s excited about the next stage and I am, too, We have a special bond, so we are going to do a lot of fun things together, and that’s a commitment we made this year, early on when he told me he thought it was time. I’ve turned the page now and we’re going to start planning the trip tomorrow morning.”

    At the absolute end of pit road, in the quiet, Kenseth sipped on a sports drink and joked with crew chief Jason Ratcliff. It was fitting.

    There is the feeling that their paths will cross again, as Earnhardt Jr. remains around the sport as an XFINITY Series team owner and NBC analyst. Kenseth, with three daughters younger than eight and another imminent said his life will become filled with recitals and sports events. In the near-term, he planned to “go up to Wisconsin and be cold.”

    “That was fun,” he said of exiting alongside Earnhardt Jr., including taking a group photo with their teams on Friday. “We went for a bike ride when we were in Darlington and I told him this was going to be it, but I never really announced it just because I kind of knew by September, I pretty much had my mind made up the way things were going and kind of knew it then. It’s kind of cool we came into Cup together and now we go out together.”

    And in their own ways.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. throws epic retirement party after finale

    (11/20/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. threw his own retirement party on pit road. Earnhardt popped out of his car, flashed a thumbs-up sign and chugged a Budweiser. Drenched in sweat and suds, he grabbed another cold one. It was easy enough to keep happy hour rolling since the beer cooler was stashed on the trunk of his Chevrolet.

    Earnhardt passed the brews around to his crew members. One by one, they huddled like frat brothers around the car and raised — and sprayed — their Buds in a career toast to NASCAR’s most popular driver.

    The most popular party boy at Homestead was more like it for Junior.

    Earnhardt cut loose like he won the NASCAR championship that eluded him in an 18-year-career.

    The No. 88 on the hood served as a de-facto coaster for his posse as they hugged and laughed and called for more beers in a Sunday night bash that seemed poised to stretch into Monday morning.

    "We’re going to miss you Junior!" a fan screamed at Earnhardt.

    Earnhardt finished 25th in his final NASCAR Cup race, the result a mere footnote in a career that counts two Daytona 500s, 14 straight most-popular driver awards and a universal respect in the garage.

    One example why he’s earned the love : Earnhardt left his party to seek out hunting buddy and best friend, new NASCAR champion Martin Truex Jr. on the stage.

    Earnhardt still left with some hardware. He gets to keep the weathered Chevy as a parting gift from team owner Rick Hendrick. Hendrick kept Earnhardt’s race-worn helmet. Earnhardt planted a kiss on Hendrick’s cheek after the race and they smothered each other in a bear hug that neither man seemed to want to let go.

    "He’s like a daddy. Trying to tell him how much he means to me is really hard," Earnhardt said.

    Earnhardt, whose father died in a last-lap accident in the 2001 Daytona 500, surrounded himself with family Sunday. Before the race, he embraced his pregnant wife as fireworks crackled in the sky and fighter jets roared over the track.

    Earnhardt kissed Amy three times on the lips, then pulled on his helmet and slid into his car as dozens of cameras clicked in unison.

    All the video tributes , gifts and heartfelt gratitude Earnhardt received in the months since he announced his retirement seemed to fade as he pulled onto pit road. Earnhardt stuck his left arm outside the window and slapped hands with all pit crews from the entire series as he prepared to take off for a ceremonial pace lap.

    Driving the car must have been a relief to the 43-year-old Earnhardt. He spent Sunday morning doing his final rounds of interviews and earned a standing ovation from his peers at the drivers’ meeting.

    Earnhardt was the last one brought out before the four championship contenders. It was moments after a video aired about Earnhardt’s impact on NASCAR, which was narrated by "This Is Us" star Justin Hartley.

    As the video closed, Hartley said of Earnhardt: "Talent is a gift. Character is a choice."

    Earnhardt then walked across a special stage, where he tried to high-five as many fans as possible. He hopped into the back of a pickup truck, flipped his baseball cap backward and waved to the crowd during his final trip pre-race parade around the track.

    Four-time champion Jeff Gordon, his former Hendrick Motorsports teammate, stopped by the car for a chat. Hendrick hugged him. Amy dabbed her eyes with tears after each photo shoot, and Junior gently patted her tiny baby bump.

    Earnhardt laughed when a couple of fans shouted they wanted to buy him a round at Shots and Giggles, a pub near his Key West vacation home.

    The fans at Homestead-Miami Speedway who usually stick Sharpies in Earnhardt’s face demanding autographs instead crammed the 88 pit box and wrote messages for him on the concrete wall.

    NASCAR played a tribute video during the drivers’ meeting that was filled with celebrities, including actor Adam Sandler, late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel, actor/director Mark Wahlberg, country music singer Brad Paisley and retired NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley.

    After it ended, the entire room stood and clapped for Earnhardt.

    "We’re going to miss him for obvious reasons," NASCAR chairman Brian France said. "He’s not going to be that far away. He’s going to be glued to the sport, and that’s going to be good for us."

    Earnhardt, who became the sport’s face of concussion awareness and persevered in the wake of his father’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500, won’t desert NASCAR: He has two or three Xfinity races planned for next season and tossed out the Homestead finale in 2018 as a potential race. He owns second-tier Xfinity race teams and will call the action next season in the NBC Sports broadcast booth.

    "I still want to have a purpose in this sport," Earnhardt said.

    Miami finale a stepping stone to new beginnings for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    (11/20/17) After all the hugs and handshakes, well wishes and heartfelt thank yous, the only thing left for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to do was climb in his No. 88 Chevrolet, fire the engine and begin his final start as a full-time competitor in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

    Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway signaled the end of more than just a driver’s career, it signaled the end of an era of sorts as well.

    The record will show that Earnhardt finished 25th, two laps down and never quite in contention at the 1.5-mile track in south Florida.

    But the disappointment of his final finish with crew chief Greg Ives and crew won’t last, he said. He’ll look back fondly on the day, thanks in part to a big reminder located nearby.

    “I’m going to keep the car so I’ll always be reminded about how the race went,” Earnhardt said shortly after sharing a hug with Hendrick Motorsports team owner Rick Hendrick.

    “I’ll never forget being with my crew before the race and right now. I’ll never forget shaking all the over-the-wall guys and crewmen’s hands on pit road. That meant a lot to me to be able to shake their hands because I have so much respect for everybody in the garage and the commitment it takes to work in that garage is very difficult.”

    Crew members from all the teams in Sunday’s field greeted the 43-year-old as he rolled off pit road prior to the start of the race.

    No less memorable, he said, was the fact that former teammate and good friend Martin Truex Jr. won the race and the series championship

    “I ran into (him) with my car so I would have marks on it and would remind me of Martin,” Earnhardt said of the side-by-side contact on the cool-down lap. “I think I wasn’t the only one that hit him though.”

    Earnhardt is stepping aside but is scheduled to compete in select XFINITY Series races next season. He will continue to be a co-owner of JR Motorsports along with sister Kelly Earnhardt Miller and Hendrick, and he will do television work with NBC next season, as well.

    He wasn’t one of the Championship 4 contenders – Earnhardt had missed qualifying for the playoffs for the second time in as many years – but in the eyes of many, Sunday’s season-ending race was as much about what he has meant to the sport as it was the battle for the 2017 title.

    Earnhardt qualified 24th for his final start, and paced the field for one “honorary” pace lap before dropping to the rear for an engine change made by the team on Friday.

    An early caution sent him to pit road and he lost much of the track position he had gained but the trade-off was fresh tires and a few adjustments to his car.

    But by Lap 56 he was a lap down in 20th; he later brushed the wall, and 130 laps into the 267-lap race found him two laps behind the leader.

    The throng surrounding the car once he pulled onto pit road afterward couldn’t have been any bigger had he won the event.

    Earnhardt was on social media early on race day, giving his followers something of a “good morning” when he posted via Twitter.

    @DaleJr : Woke up at 6. Made a pb&j and went back to bed. Woke up for good at 930. This is gonna be a weird day.

    The son of seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt, the younger racer made his 631st career start Sunday at Homestead. In a Cup career that began in 1999 when he made five starts, Earnhardt won 26 times, including twice in the series’ biggest race, the season-opening Daytona 500.

    He is also a two-time champion in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, where he won titles in 1998 and ’99 and 24 races.

    There were non-points wins as well for the series’ 14-time most popular driver. He is a two-time winner of the series annual All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the annual Bud Shootout held at Daytona. He has five career wins in qualifying races at Daytona (used to set the field for the Daytona 500) as well.

    Moments after taking the stage for what has become an annual wrap-up of the NASCAR season and state of affairs in the sport, NASCAR CEO Brian France singled out Earnhardt for his role on Sunday morning at Homestead.

    “He has made an obviously big contribution on and off the track for a long time,” France said. “So while we’re going to miss him for obvious reasons, he is not going to be that far away, being an owner and working with NBC. So he’s going to be glued to the sport, and that’s a good thing for us.”

    Fellow drivers and team owners, dignitaries and officials gave him a standing ovation at the conclusion of a video presentation featuring athletes, fellow competitors, actors and numerous others from across the sports and entertainment industry.

    As for the car, Earnhardt said it will go “wherever (wife) Amy lets me put it.”

    “We’ve got that 2 car coming from Talladega, which still ain’t there yet, dammit,” he said.

    As a parting gift from Talladega Superspeedway, officials there and in conjunction with the International Motorsports Hall of Fame arranged for him to obtain the No. 2 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driven by his legendary father in 1979 and ’80.

    “She said that (car) is going in the main garage,” Earnhardt said, “and we’ve only got four (garage) stalls. We’ll put this one in there and have to park the good (expletive) outside I guess.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. emotional after standing ovation in driver meeting

    (11/19/17) The screams and applause from the assembled red-carpet audience in the garage area served as an alert to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s arrival for perhaps his final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver meeting.

    Dressed in a red cap, red T-shirt and jeans, he slowly made his way in, stopping to sign autographs and pose for impromptu photos with fans before stepping into the meeting three minutes before it was set to start.

    Before the formal driver instructions were issued, NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton took the podium to recognize a trio of NASCAR’s biggest stars making Sunday’s race their final full-time start. After calling Danica Patrick “an incredible force” and saying “it’s been a lot of fun” watching Matt Kenseth, Helton turned his attention to Earnhardt Jr.

    “People will write about different legacies in our sport and different moments in our history, and I suspect every one of them will touch on the Dale Earnhardt Jr. era,” Helton said. “You have done great things for us and it’s been a great personal and professional pleasure watching you grow up in this industry, watching you take responsibilities … you have been a great asset to NASCAR, we thank you and wish you the best and are glad you will be close to the sport.”

    Then Helton introduced a specially made video to further confirm what Earnhardt has meant to so many — the people that make a living in the sport but also the passionate fandom who watch, cheer and sustain it.

    Videos posted on social media showed an emotional Junior wiping his eyes during the ensuing standing ovation, which lasted approximately 30 seconds.

    Current drivers such as Ryan Blaney, Earnhardt’s good friend Truex, his former XFINITY Series driver Brad Keselowski and his former crew chief Steve Letarte were among those that spoke in a celebrity-heavy ode to Earnhardt.

    “The biggest way he affected all of us,” former Cup champion Dale Jarrett said, “is putting more eyes on the sport.”

    Late night television host Jimmy Kimmel, country superstar Brad Paisley, former NBC anchor Brian Williams, former NBA superstar Charles Barkley and movie star Adam Sandler — wearing a No. 88 hat — praised Earnhardt’s impact and offered good wishes.

    The ending featured a long list of people — not only celebrities, but team members and race fans — each offering a most simple, but poignant message: “Dale, I appreciate you.”

    And judging by the love and attention Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, has been showered with this weekend, there is no doubting that.

    William Byron gives Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s race team Xfinity title

    (11/18/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. got the best retirement gift he could have asked for when William Byron won the Xfinity Series championship for JR Motorsports on Saturday, one day before Earnhardt’s final race as a full-time driver.

    NASCAR’s most popular driver is a part owner of the race team with sister Kelley and boss Rick Hendrick, and JR Motorsports went in to the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a 75 per cent chance of winning the title. JRM drivers Justin Allgaier, Elliott Sadler and Byron were up against Daniel Hemric of Richard Childress Racing for the championship.

    Hemric appeared up for the challenge at the start and he led the title contenders until he headed to pit road with a dead battery early in the second stage. The team frantically changed the battery, but his car still had no power after the swap. When Hemric finally got back on the track, he was down 12 laps from the leaders.

    That sealed the title for JRM, and the organization only had to watch to see which of its three drivers would take the crown.

    Earnhardt and Hendrick watched intently from the top of Byron’s pit box. Kelley Earnhardt Miller watched from another. Earnhardt moved to Sadler’s pit stall.

    Calling the race for Allgaier? Seven-time championship-winning crew chief Chad Knaus, who was filling in for Allgaier’s suspended crew chief. Earnhardt likened the call to the bullpen to having Joe Gibbs coach a kid in Pop Warner football.

    Although a second title for JRM was in the bag, it wasn’t without anxious moments.

    Sadler and Byron had a spirited battle for the championship as they raced each other for position for several laps. The two had contact at least once, and it took Sadler until 36 laps remaining to get past Byron. But Byron came charging back, and the two again raced aggressively for position with nine laps remaining.

    Sadler was held up by Ryan Preece, who was trying to win the owner championship for Joe Gibbs Racing, and Byron passed him for good with nine remaining as Sadler was stuck in the top lane behind Preece.

    As the laps wound down, Sadler grew more aggressive and hit the wall. After fading to eighth, Sadler angrily charged toward Preece on pit road.

    "He cost us a championship and he’s not racing anybody," said Sadler. "It’s just devastating to me to have one taken away from me like that."

    Sadler has now finished second in the standings four times in the last seven years.

    Preece argued he was racing for position — he finished fifth — and Gibbs. But he felt horrible to have played a role in the title race.

    "If there’s a person you don’t want to cost a championship to it is Elliott Sadler," said Preece. "It’s not where I want to be right there. I can’t take it back."

    Cole Custer, meanwhile, easily won his first career Xfinity Series race. It came a week after he was eliminated from the playoffs. He had leads of up to 15 seconds as he was out front for all but 15 of the 200 laps.

    The Custer race victory was a win for Ford, which has so far won both the Truck Series and Xfinity Series races on a weekend it sponsors. Ford has two drivers racing for the Cup championship on Sunday in Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski, and Ford has not won a Cup title since 2004.

    The driver championship, though, went to Chevrolet. That was a given before the race because all four finalists were in Chevys.

    Team Penske won the owner championship, and Chevrolet won the manufacturer title.

    It’s the second championship for JRM, which won its first title with Chase Elliott in 2014. Elliott graduated to the Cup Series, and Byron is taking over the No. 24 at Hendrick Motorsports next season.

    Byron is a rapid climb through NASCAR’s ranks, and has gone from an 18-year-old rookie in the Truck Series last season, to Xfinity Series champion next season, to Jimmie Johnson’s teammate next year.

    He probably should have two titles, too.

    Byron was the strongest driver in the Truck Series last year but was eliminated from the playoffs a week before the championship when his engine blew at Phoenix. He responded by winning the finale, when he had nothing but pride on the line, the next week at Homestead. That had been Byron’s seventh victory in the series.

    Byron settled for four wins this season, but he and his JRM teammates were statistically the class of the field all year among the Xfinity Series regulars.

    Byron finished third to win the title. Allgaier was 12th and Hemric was 34th, 13 laps down.

    Byron, at 19 years, 11 months and 20 days, is the second-youngest driver to win a championship in any of NASCAR’s national series. Chase Elliott was 18 years, 11 months and 18 days when he won the Xfinity title for JRM.

    Byron, who grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and trick-or-treated at the houses of Hendrick, Johnson and Jeff Gordon, is the newest alumni of JRM drivers who graduated to top Cup rides. Elliott is at Hendrick, Brad Keselowski is racing Sunday for the Cup title, as is Martin Truex Jr., who won two Xfinity Series titles under Earnhardt Jr.’s first company, Chance 2.

    Earnhardt Jr. to start from the rear in Sunday’s finale

    (11/17/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. is scheduled to make his farewell Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start from the rear of the field after his Hendrick Motorsports team changed engines in his No. 88 Chevrolet.

    Earnhardt’s car — adorned with a brilliant red paint scheme borrowed from early in his career — sputtered during opening practice at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He coasted back to the garage, telling his crew that something in the engine had broken.

    Per the NASCAR Rule Book, Earnhardt is set to start at the back of the field in Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM), the season-ending race. He indicated through Twitter that he would still make a qualifying run in Friday’s Coors Light Pole Qualifying session (6:15 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM).

    Earnhardt had announced in April that this season would be his last as a full-time driver. He has said he still plans for a handful of races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series next year.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. at ease with final start this weekend

    (11/17/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave his final weekly pre-race press conference Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, touching on a variety of subjects ranging from his health to his competitiveness to his championship pick as he prepares for his final scheduled start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

    Earnhardt, driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, will step away from full-time competition in the series following Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). He’ll remain deeply entrenched in the sport as co-team owner of JR Motorsports, which fields multiple entries in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, and through work with NBC, which broadcasts the second half of the NASCAR season.

    “In the car, I just want to run all the laps,” Earnhardt said of Sunday’s season-ending, championship-determining race. “I want to finish the race in one piece. … Obviously you want to do as well as you can. But no matter where we finish, to be able to pull down pit road, stop the car and get out. Then see my guys and do all that. It would be a bit of a heartbreaker if we have any kind of issue that would take us out of the event and not be able to finish.”

    The 2017 season is Earnhardt’s 18th as a full-time competitor. He’s a two-time champion in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, has 26 career victories in Monster Energy Series competition and is the winner of the series’ most popular driver award for 14 consecutive years.

    After sitting out the final half of the 2016 season while recovering from a concussion, Earnhardt announced on April 25 of this year that he would step down from full-time competition at year’s end. Asked if he had reconsidered the decision at any point this year, Earnhardt didn’t hesitate when answering.

    “No, I don’t need to reconsider,” the 43-year-old said. “This is great timing for me. It’s time for somebody else to get in that car and get out of it what they can. “And with Alex (Bowman) coming in behind, it’s just a great opportunity for him. It’s his time. And mine, in my heart, has ran its course.

    “With everything we’ve been through, with the concussion and trying to come back, the emotion was man, I’m so glad I get to run this last year. It was always this is the last year. And I’m glad I get to run it.”

    Bowman made 10 starts for the team while Earnhardt was sidelined in ’16, winning the pole in the fall race at Phoenix. He will take over full-time duties in the car beginning next season.

    Neither Earnhardt nor his teammates, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, Chase Elliott and Kasey Kahne, made it to this year’s Championship 4 round here at Homestead.

    Earnhardt said he will be “Team Martin for this weekend for sure,” indicating his choice of champion is Furniture Row Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. The two were teammates earlier in their career at Dale Earnhardt Inc.

    Truex, Kevin Harvick (Stewart-Haas Racing), Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Brad Keselowski (Team Penske) will compete for the championship on Sunday.

    “He’s the guy,” Earnhardt said of Truex. “Me and Brad are great friends. I love to see Brad do well. But with what Martin, just as a driver, what he has been through it would just be awesome to see him put his name on that trophy.

    “I don’t know how you put into words what it would mean for him to win. I don’t know how you describe what that means. It’s bigger than words.”

    In the day’s opening practice, Earnhardt started out fifth-fastest, but returned to the garage with engine issues.

    Friday afternoon there’s qualifying, then two more practice sessions on Saturday.

    Sunday, he’ll climb aboard his No. 88 for the final time.

    Forever family

    (11/17/17) (nascar.com) The years slipped by unnoticed, one and two and then five and now 10, and suddenly Dale Earnhardt Jr. is retiring from full-time competition in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Rick Hendrick wonders where the time went.

    Hendrick owns the car, the No. 88 Chevrolet, that Earnhardt has driven for the last decade. Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Earnhardt is scheduled to make his final start in the series. The Ford EcoBoost 400 (3 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) signals the end of the 2017 racing season. It also signals the end of a career for NASCAR’s most popular driver.

    Amid the palm trees and warm breezes of South Florida, Earnhardt Jr. will close the books on a driving career that will have seen 631 starts and, barring one final victory, 26 wins. There have been 149 top-five and 260 top-10 finishes thus far.

    The 68-year-old Hendrick always has enjoyed a close relationship with his drivers, but perhaps none have been as close as he and Earnhardt Jr.

    “We have had some heartbreaking finishes,” Hendrick told NASCAR.com, sounding apologetic. “There should have been a lot more wins. But at the end of the day, I got to spend a good part of my life with a young man that I’ve become extremely close to. We have almost like a father/son relationship. Now I get to see him grow through all those stages of life, get a girlfriend, get married and now be a father.

    “The biggest regret I have is that he got hurt in the car. But I wouldn’t take anything for the time. I would like to have won championships, I would have liked to have won more races but the good times we had together, the bond that we have with each other, the fun we’ve had together and the relationship that’s been developed is so important to me. That’s not going to end.”

    In 2018, Earnhardt will make at least one previously arranged start in NASCAR’s XFINITY Series. It will come in a car fielded by JR Motorsports, the organization he co-owns with sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Hendrick.

    He also will join NBC for work during its portion of the NASCAR season, as well as other projects.

    But his Monster Energy Series career officially ends Sunday in Miami when he shuts off the engine of the No. 88 Chevrolet for a final time.

    • • •

    On May 10, 2007, Earnhardt announced he was leaving his family-owned Dale Earnhardt Inc. organization following months of tense negotiations with his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt.

    The son of seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt wanted controlling interest in a multi-car organization that had been built by his father, but that had begun to flounder in the years after his passing.

    Unable to strike a deal, Earnhardt Jr. decided his best career move would be to leave DEI.

    “At 32 years of age, the same age my father was when he made his final and most important career decision, it’s time for me to compete on a consistent basis and contend for championships now,” Earnhardt Jr. said in announcing his decision.

    Hendrick was the most successful outfit at that time with Johnson headed toward a second consecutive title and Hendrick drivers winning 10 of the first 14 races that season.

    Although HMS had no room, fielding teams for Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Casey Mears, Hendrick went to work.

    Earnhardt Jr. had 17 wins, including a Daytona 500 title, 76 top-five and 121 top-10 finishes in 291 starts at DEI. But the stats were only part of the reason Hendrick said he felt a need to bring Earnhardt Jr. into the fold.

    “You know, sometimes in life there are things that you just feel are so right that you just want to make happen,” he said. “And that’s the way I felt about him.”

    The Earnhardts “were family,” he said, “because of Robert Gee and knowing Dale and Kelley since they were kids.”

    Gee was the Earnhardt’s maternal grandfather and a legendary fabricator who had done business with Hendrick before there was a Hendrick Motorsports.

    Ricky Hendrick, Rick’s son, had competed against Earnhardt Jr. in the XFINITY Series. The two had become friends and “Ricky had this big idea that they were going to get together and Dale was going to drive here,” Hendrick said.

    The younger Hendrick died, along with nine others, in 2004 when a private plane ferrying the group to a race at Martinsville crashed into the mountainside outside Stuart, Virginia.

    After 36 days filled with rumors and conjecture, Earnhardt Jr. made the announcement — beginning the following season, he would resume his driving career at Hendrick Motorsports.

    By season’s end, Busch had been released and Earnhardt Jr. was beginning a new chapter in his racing career.

    • • •

    In 2007, Steve Letarte was crew chief for Gordon, by then a four-time champion. The acquisition of Earnhardt was not a surprise among those who knew and those who worked for Hendrick.

    “We never were shocked by Mr. Hendrick,” Letarte said. “He always seemed to have his hand on the pulse of the sport. … We knew getting (Earnhardt Jr.) with the company was going to be an improvement. We had no doubt that Mr. Hendrick, in his way, would get that done.”

    In 2008, Earnhardt, teamed with cousin and crew chief Tony Eury Jr., won in his first two outings on the track — the annual Clash at Daytona and Daytona Duel qualifying race.

    “I thought ‘Man, there’s going to be a lot of trophies.’ I remember telling him, ‘This is a great way to start,’ ” Hendrick said. “It was really special. I just knew, I thought, ‘Man, this is just going to be awesome.’ ”

    Earnhardt Jr.’s first points win came in his 15th start at Hendrick, a victory at Michigan snapping a 76-race winless streak that dated back to 2006.

    But it was nearly four years before Earnhardt took another checkered flag as the race winner. In the meantime, Eury Jr. had been replaced by Lance McGrew and McGrew was eventually replaced by Letarte.

    “I would have loved to have given him more wins and a shot at a championship, that’s the only regret I have,” Hendrick said. “I feel like maybe sometimes I moved a little slow to get him what he needed. He and I both have this same problem, we get attached to people and we don’t want to make a change. He gets that way; he doesn’t want to hurt anybody … sometimes it’s a hard decision.”

    By the end of 2010, however, it was apparent a change was needed. Letarte and Gordon had struggled through the season, so much so that Letarte believed when Hendrick called him into his office it was to tell him his services were no longer needed.

    Earnhardt, meanwhile, was mired in a two-and-a-half-year, 143-race winless drought.

    But instead of getting fired, Letarte said Hendrick told him, “I need you to do me a favor. I need you to go crew chief Dale Earnhardt Jr. We need to get him running better. He can’t run this poorly in our equipment. I’m trying to figure out why and we have to come up with a solution.”

    Letarte, who won 10 times with Gordon, immediately went to work. And he knew the parts and pieces were not the problem.

    “Jimmie Johnson was dominating and we all had the ability to have the same equipment, so you could rule that out,” Letarte said. “It was more than that; I didn’t know what the more was. I just knew it was more than that. And the only way to define the more was to spend as much time together with that guy as I could. That was my goal and that’s what I did.”

    Winning certainly would have helped soothe Junior Nation in 2011, but the issues for both driver and crew chief went deeper than that.

    “There was a point in that time that, and this is going to sound odd, but winning wasn’t the goal,” Letarte said. “It was enjoying going back to the race track. We had to start with that.”

    By the time Letarte stepped away from the pit box at end of 2014 to become an analyst with NBC for its NASCAR coverage, Earnhardt had won four more times, including that season’s Daytona 500.

    Since Letarte’s departure, Greg Ives has called the shots for the team. After a three-win season in ’15, Earnhardt Jr. missed half of ’16 while recovering from a concussion. He enters Sunday’s race winless in his last 54 starts.

    “I learned a tremendous amount,” Letarte said of his time with Earnhardt. “I cherish every race I had with Dale Jr. I was raised by Jeff Gordon; I’m thankful for every weekend I had with him, even the ones that weren’t as much fun, I learned something. His approach is very different than Dale’s.

    “Dale taught me a lot about the sport, taught me a lot about speedway racing. I think we taught each other … There was never a question of commitment, him to me or me to him.”

    • • •

    There wasn’t a championship, but there were wins and a deep friendship that developed and both the Hendrick organization and Earnhardt Jr. came away winners, you might say.

    Was his time there a success?

    “I think everyone has to define their own success,” Letarte said. “I think a Daytona 500 and a handful of wins, I think he was pleased that he was able to win those numbers and he would tell you himself, of course he wanted to win more. Any race car driver that doesn’t say that, I’d love to meet him because I’ve never met one that said they’d won enough.

    “I think overall, more than just the trophies, we became very good friends. He was very good to the people that worked on the teams. Rick and him have always been very tight. We all mature, we age, and I think he’s going to look back and be proud of those 10 years.”

    It’s obvious in speaking with Hendrick that the team owner is proud of what they accomplished, how he helped Earnhardt and just as importantly how Earnhardt helped Hendrick Motorsports.

    “He did tell me when we hooked up, he said ‘You know, I’m going to make you more popular. You’re not very popular right now,’ ” Hendrick said, laughing. “He brought a lot of excitement to our company. … He grew our fan base tremendously. You’ve got Jeff Gordon who could reach across different types of folks and then you get Junior with his fan base. All of a sudden it elevated our company. The people wanted to be involved with him.

    “I don’t know how to say it. … It was like you had Peyton Manning on your team, or Kobe Bryant.”

    • • •

    In 2008, more than a month before the season began, Earnhardt Jr. showed up in Daytona for preseason testing, even though his own Hendrick team wasn’t scheduled to test until the following week.

    Ten years later, and a bit further south, he makes his final start for the organization.

    Ten years. Hendrick wonders how the time went by so quickly.

    “I love watching guys like Jimmie come in and grow up and become a superstar and a family man,” Hendrick said. “Jeff, the same way. Dale, the same way. In life when you work so hard and you do things, relationships to me mean an awful lot. Being around people you like and love and do things with. That’s super important.

    “Dale and I have had so many special times. … It’s been more than a race car driver/team owner (relationship), way more than that. And it’s something that will go on forever.”

    Countdown to E-Day: Untold stories of Dale Jr.’s first race

    (11/16/17) Fifty-five years after “D-Day,” Budweiser was preparing America for “E-Day,” the name applied to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s debut in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. When Junior made the first of his now 630 Cup starts back in 1999, it was one of the most anticipated debuts of any driver in racing.

    “I don’t remember anyone coming in who’s gotten this much attention,” broadcaster Ned Jarrett said at the time of Junior’s debut. “It’s unusual to say the least. We might not ever see it again.”

    “The Countdown to E-Day” spanned the first half of 1999 and was a level of promotion never before seen in NASCAR. With all eyes on Junior, he entered the Cup Series to incredible fanfare and enormous pressure.

    As a 23-year-old in 1998, Dale Earnhardt Jr. first entered full-time competition in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, then the Busch Series. After winning seven times that year, Earnhardt claimed the championship by 48 points over Matt Kenseth. His talent was obvious and observers were crazy about the idea that NASCAR’s most famous driver had a winning son.

    In November 1998, NASCAR ran its final exhibition race in Japan, and Junior was entered. It was the first time he competed with his father, and Dale Sr. was just as thrilled as his son.

    “The one time I raced against my dad was at a dirt track,” Earnhardt Sr. reminisced. “I was racing this guy, and my dad, who was leading the race, came up behind me, and I couldn’t figure out what he was doing. Finally, he started bumping me, so I figured I better hold the car straight. He pushed me by this guy, and I beat him, then dad drove on past me. It was pretty neat.

    “It’ll be a great experience racing Dale Jr. in Japan. However, it wouldn’t look very good for him to beat his good old dad, now would it?”

    As it turned out, Dale Jr. did beat his dad and finished sixth, two spots ahead of his namesake. While that race was an exhibition, it helped set the stage for his first real Cup race.

    The details of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s debut came on Jan. 12, 1999. In an extravagant press conference at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, the Earnhardts, Senior and Junior, entered the building on a wagon pulled by the Budweiser Clydesdales.

    Driving the No. 8 Budweiser-sponsored Chevrolet, Junior would make his first start in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 30th. As NASCAR rules put a limit on the number of races a driver could run before their rookie season, Earnhardt’s schedule that year consisted of only five events run on different style tracks.

    The Coca-Cola 600 was an interesting choice for Dale Jr. to make his debut. It almost seemed odd to make his first start in the longest race of the year, but it all had to do with family history. Twenty-four years earlier, Dale Earnhardt Sr. made his debut in the same race, also driving a car with the No. 8 on the side. With the pieces in place, Junior was ready.

    “I couldn’t have asked for a better situation to make my Winston Cup debut,” Earnhardt Jr. said at the time. “I’ll be racing at the track near my hometown, in a car owned by my dad, competing against the best drivers in the world on the same track where he began his Winston Cup career. Best of all, I’ll have my granddad’s No. 8. It’ll be a special day for the entire Earnhardt family.”

    The 138 days between the official announcement and Earnhardt’s debut were packed with a tremendous level of promotion. Budweiser devoted a section of their website to Earnhardt and sent him to countless appearances. There were “Countdown to E-Day” shirts printed, diecast cars made, commercials filmed and special 16-ounce cans of beer that featured Earnhardt’s picture.

    All that promotion nearly drove the young man insane. As a full-time XFINITY Series racer and with commitments from two major sponsors, the demands placed on Junior’s time came as a terrible shock to the 24 year-old.

    “The only thing I’m uncomfortable with is that there was never a break period,” Earnhardt Jr. told reporter Dustin Long for the Roanoke Times. “One year, I couldn’t scrounge up $20,000 to run my late model car, the next year I’ve got people knocking down the door to sign me. Having to do an appearance two to three times a week, we’re booked up solid.

    “I’m somewhere every single day of my life. That’s taking some getting used to. A year ago, I was sitting back at home hanging out with my friends doing what I want to. Now, I’m out of touch with just about everything I was in touch with last year. At times it’s a little frustrating. My father tells me that’s the way it is and that’s the way it’s going to be.”

    Amid the added pressure, Earnhardt went winless in XFINITY Series races prior to his Cup debut. In a revealing Sports Illustrated interview, Junior said he expected the week prior to the Coca-Cola 600 to be a sort of “Hell Week.” Filled with attention and sponsor commitments, racing seemed like an afterthought.

    Earnhardt’s Jr.’s team arrived at Charlotte in a plain white hauler and burdened with a great deal of pressure to perform. With no points or provisionals to rely on, it was possible that Earnhardt could miss the race. After all the promotion, it would have been a devastating embarrassment for Junior to spend E-Day at home on the couch.

    But to his complete relief, the car was fast. In first practice, Junior was 10th fastest as his teammate, Steve Park, led the session. And in his first qualifying session as a Cup driver, Earnhardt Jr. raced to an impressive eighth-place starting position. In that Wednesday night session, Junior qualified seven positions higher than his father and better than all former Cup champions in the field.

    “I have never been that nervous in my life,” he said after his run. “It’s a big, big relief. You just don’t understand. It’s a big, big relief.”

    The attention on “Little E” was not ignored by competitors. After winning the pole, Bobby Labonte joked to reporters, “Do you guys have any questions you want me to ask Dale Jr.?”

    Earnhardt Jr. would share the spotlight with Tony Stewart on race day, as Stewart also raced in the Indy 500 that day. While Stewart arrived at Charlotte just prior to the green flag, a mob of attention surrounded Junior. Breaking through the crowd of reporters was Ken Schrader with an unusual request. He wanted an autograph. Earnhardt signed the back of Schrader’s suit and climbed into his own car to start the race.

    Once the green flag dropped, it was clear the new team missed the setup. After two laps, Junior had fallen to 15th and struggled through the early part of the race with an ill-handling car.

    On the first green flag pit stop, Junior lost time on pit road when he couldn’t find his pit stall, his spotter directing him to Steve Park’s box by mistake. Junior fell a lap down on Lap 78. The rest of the night was calm and after 600 miles, Junior finished 16th, three laps down. The event was a learning experience.

    Once the attention, pressure and excitement was over, perhaps the most important part of Junior’s night was getting feedback from his father, who finished sixth. Long after the sun had set that night, Dale Jr. walked through the dimly lit garage to see if his father was happy with the way the night went.

    “He said, ‘You did good and stayed out of trouble,’ ” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I wanted to know he was happy as a car owner and a father.” Dale Sr. was certainly happy at the track less than one year later, when he was celebrating Junior’s win in the All-Star Race.

    Finally now, after more than 600 Monster Energy Series races, Earnhardt Jr. will end his career in a similar manner. He’ll drive his car back to the garage following a race ending after sunset, and hopefully upon reflection, he’ll be happy with the way a career went.

    This article was edited for brevity. To read the entire historical piece, visit racing-reference.info.

    Cain: Memories stir as Dale Jr.’s final race approaches

    (11/16/17) (nascar.com) I first met Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Charlotte when the massive NASCAR national media corps showed up for preseason interviews in January 1998. In between formal sessions with the sport’s biggest-name drivers and owners, we were given the option to move into a nearby smaller room to speak to a young man who was about to make his full-time debut in what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

    The 22-year-old Earnhardt Jr. sat by himself at a table waiting to see who — if anyone — would essentially initiate him with this “process.” The chance to sit down one-on-one with the Earnhardt Jr. two decades later is a rarity, and I smile thinking how much everything has changed since.

    I distinctly remember that first interview, however, and how he spoke quietly, looked down a lot and seemed a bit overwhelmed and unsure at the process. I concede, I did this mainly as a favor to his father’s public relations team. In retrospect, I’m glad I did.

    In speaking with Junior, I discovered his seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion father made him work at his family’s car dealership — his first job was sweeping floors — that he attended military school for a bit and that he had played soccer and had some artistic ability.

    At the time Junior only had a handful of starts in NASCAR’s former Busch Grand National series — those coming at strategic venues no-doubt well thought out by his dad — an assortment of short tracks, 1.5-milers, a road course and a couple big tracks.

    His first XFINITY start came three weeks after a DNQ at Nashville, Tennessee, in a No. 31 Chevy owned by his dad, with his uncle, Tony Eury Sr., as the crew chief and sponsored by “Gargoyles.” He completed only 87 of the 320 laps and finished 39th, victim of his car’s oil pump failure. Another young driver, a future close friend of Junior’s, and an eventual Cup champion, Matt Kenseth, finished 11th in that race.

    Up-and-coming young drivers may find some solace to know that the future two-time Daytona 500 winner Earnhardt finished 39th, 39th and 38th in his first three NASCAR national series races.

    In many respects, I’m guessing his father didn’t mind the lessons in tough luck and pick-yourself-up attitude. And Junior was a good student.

    Not only did he pick himself up, but he also raised several trophies beginning the very next year. He found himself. And he found Victory Lane, winning seven races in 1998 on the way to the series championship, and six the next year winning a second consecutive title and establishing himself ready to be a big-time player in the sport’s big stage.

    At one of his father’s press conferences after the seven-time champion won an early race in Daytona Speedweeks, he stood in the Daytona International Speedway press box high above the track’s famous front straightaway and was constantly turning away from reporters so he could stare out the wall of windows overlooking the track, where XFINITY Series cars were turning practice laps.

    I got a kick out of his timing. He was far more interested in his son’s — whom he called “June Bug” — lap times and drive lines than answering questions about his own latest, greatest win there. After a few questions, he got the timing down so that he could answer a question then turn around toward the track just in time to proudly watch his son zoom around the tri-oval. He had that full-on, mustache-extended Earnhardt grin looking down at the track.

    Those were the platinum hair and rock n’ roll halcyon days for Junior — winning races, working with his dad, enjoying all the perks of success and stardom.

    “Sometimes we’ll go places and it’s like I’m walking with Elvis,” this year’s Monster Energy Series championship favorite Martin Truex Jr. once said of his good friend Junior.

    Everything changed for Junior, however, that gut-wrenching day, Feb. 18, 2001 at the Daytona 500.

    Sitting across the track high above in the Daytona press box, I remember too vividly watching Junior park his car after finishing runner-up to Michael Waltrip in the 500; a 1-2 showing for his dad’s team. Immediately after climbing out, Junior started running down pit road toward the infield care center — wanting desperately to understand the situation. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

    There was no transition time really for Junior or for the fans — those that had cheered for his dad, immediately shifted their adoration to the son — absolutely willing to change driver allegiance to support this young man in the midst of a tragedy.

    For all the good intentions, it was a lot for a 26-year-old to have thrust upon his shoulders.

    And as Junior prepares to step out of the driver’s seat now 16 years after that fate-twisting Daytona 500, the grace, strength and resilience he showed in handling that unimaginable grief has been as important to him as the talent he has shown behind the wheel as a NASCAR champion, multi-time Daytona 500 winner and 26-time Monster Energy Series race winner.

    Earnhardt Jr. has always reminded that his deep drive to win and succeed was not because his father had, it was because he wanted to — although obviously their presence in NASCAR has understandably been linked.

    And for some, Junior’s decision to step away from full-time competition now affords many the “goodbye” fans never got to give his father — the thank you.

    This is one of the most significant and emotional transitions the sport has ever experienced.

    For Earnhardt, this life-changing shift should make him feel proud and will one day make his children — the first, a daughter, due in early May — feel proud, too.

    He has handled the immense attention and fame with class and remained competitive and championship worthy through it all.

    Something Junior told me for a story 15 years ago still resonates every bit today.

    “(Being an Earnhardt) has opened a lot of doors for me,” he said. “I’ve never wished I was anybody else. Sometimes it gets a little bit over the top, but I just kind of ride it out. It’s been a lot of fun.”

    Somewhere high above, his dad is smiling. And so will people everywhere Junior looks Sunday afternoon at Homestead-Miami Speedway as he makes his last full-time start.

    He has lived the spectrum of emotion with millions of eyes upon him and here’s hoping he gets out of the car Sunday feeling deservedly tremendous and accomplished for a career he should be proud of.

    And it will be difficult to tell who is more grateful, Junior for the love and support, or NASCAR fans for the lessons in grace and strength.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway

    (11/15/17) Race: Ford EcoBoost 400

    Date: Sunday, Nov. 19, 3 p.m. ET (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Miami: 40th, 14th, third, 10th, 11th

    Notable: The weekend JR Nation has been anticipating since April is here: Earnhardt’s final start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as a full-time driver. Fittingly, he will do it while running a paint scheme he is most known for, a throwback to his beginnings at Dale Earnhardt Inc., in the famous red and black Budweiser machine. Sunday will be Earnhardt’s 17th start at Homestead-Miami Speedway and the 631st of his career.

    Memorable: Miami has not been a place to get excited about for Earnhardt. While the track allows him to do something most drivers enjoy — run up along the wall — Earnhardt’s results haven’t been as pleasant. In 16 starts at the 1.5-miler, Earnhardt has just two top-10 finishes, both of which came in back-to-back seasons (2012-13). In 2013, Earnhardt found himself in contention for the victory as he led inside the final 30 laps before being overtaken by Denny Hamlin. However, Earnhardt put up an entertaining fight with Matt Kenseth, as the two traded paint and the second spot back and forth. Earnhardt, who led 28 laps, finished third and wound up fifth in the final championship standings.

    Quotable: “I am not sure that I’m ready to be going through all of the emotion that I will have in Homestead, but it’s coming. I hope that I can handle it well, but it’s definitely going to be interesting to see how that feels. All these videos and all these things that our partners are creating, this content has just been incredible. It makes you feel so good in your heart.”

    Dale Jr.’s distinctive voice resonates, even through retirement

    (11/14/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s voice has long been a distinctive one. The North Carolina twang didn’t skip a generation after his famous father, who handed down his name, his affinity for fast cars and that trademark drawl.

    Two decades after Earnhardt Jr. was introduced to racing on NASCAR’s national stage, that voice has become the sport’s most resonant, with unvarnished colloquialisms seamlessly blending with deeply incisive thoughts.

    We’ll hear that voice one more time in Earnhardt’s final media rounds as a full-time competitor this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he’ll round out his appreciation tour as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver. Those farewell interviews ahead of Sunday’s championship race promise to be appointment viewing for fans and reporters alike.

    It’s why veteran ESPN reporter Marty Smith — himself the proud keeper of a vibrant Southern accent — remarked on a recent visit to Richard Deitsch’s SI Media Podcast that Earnhardt Jr. “is the best interview in sports and it is not even close,” owing to Earnhardt’s intelligence and his ability to process questions with genuine, profound answers.

    It wasn’t always that way, Smith noted. In the early stages of Earnhardt’s career, drawing responses out of the young, frosted-haired kid in the red fire suit was sometimes like extracting teeth. The relatable plain-spokenness was always there, but there was often an underlying arms-length distance, almost a reluctance to fully connect.

    When he did open up early on, Earnhardt’s words sometimes had the subtlety of a flying elbow off the top rope. Provocative profiles in Rolling Stone (2001) and Playboy (2003) revealed a brash twenty-something still in the acquaintance phase with the responsibilities of his newfound stardom. And the on-air profanity he blurted out in Talladega Superspeedway’s Victory Lane in 2004 was especially ill-timed, with the FCC still on high alert in the months after the Janet Jackson “wardrobe malfunction” Super Bowl performance. NASCAR fined Earnhardt $10,000 and stripped him of 25 points in the midst of a late-season championship pursuit.

    Earnhardt’s interviews have remained must-see TV as his career has progressed. But the tenor of those media sessions has turned, transforming into opportunities to spend time with a mature, self-assured man whose soul-baring opinions — both about the sport and life outside it — carry real weight. He shared his decision to donate his brain to concussion research with us in spring 2016 at Martinsville with unflinching openness. And when he decided one year later that this season would be his last, he answered every question in an hour-long news conference — down to the wildest hypothetical — with patience and grace.

    Earnhardt has often been at his best when asked to draw from his appreciation of stock-car racing history. I attempted to tap into those memory banks two years ago, enlisting Earnhardt as a participant in our oral history of his father’s breathtaking final win at Talladega in 2000, an undertaking we had internally dubbed “The Earnhardt Project.”

    Earnhardt had been briefed about the subject matter when we connected on a sweltering Labor Day Saturday in the drivers’ motorcoach lot at Darlington Raceway. I offered a general first question about that season’s rules package as a table-setter.

    “Man, that was 15 years ago,” Earnhardt said, inspiring faint initial confidence in his recall ability with several questions still in the queue. What happened instead was 15 minutes of brilliance as he fondly recounted the specifics of a race almost a decade and a half old.

    Vivid details about his father’s determination to win that day sprang to life. Earnhardt Jr.’s description about his own efforts spilled out, as if we were watching a replay and he was doing play-by-play commentary. I wanted to use every word; the final product came close to hitting that mark.

    As reflective as Earnhardt’s sense of history has been, his perspective on current matters has been just as illuminating. His weekly media availabilities this season have unfolded in 30-minute blocks, expanded from the usual 15 to allow for farewell gifts from each track but also to satisfy media demand and provide Earnhardt time for his typically thorough answers. It’s also why Team Chevy public relations has often split up transcription duties for Earnhardt’s wide-ranging interviews among two or three staffers each week in his final season.

    After this weekend, Earnhardt’s competitive career on the track will end, but his voice will still be a familiar sound on race weekends next season. He’ll offer his views, likely with the same characteristic depth and charm but on the opposite side of the media divide, as an analyst for NBC Sports.

    Whether it’s as an interviewer or interviewee, the future should hold many more years of Earnhardt’s enlightened, conversational insights.

    All served up with a distinctive dash of twang.

    Dale Jr.: My Last Run At Talladega

    (11/13/17) My Last Run At Talladega: theplayerstribune.com.

    Preview: Dale Jr.’s final Phoenix race

    (11/10/17) Nearly two decades ago, a pair of fresh-faced drivers stared back at the many subscribers of “ESPN the Magazine” as they pulled the Spring 2000 issue out of their respective mailboxes.

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth are on your tail,” the tagline read.

    Now, they’re on their way out.

    After more than 600 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races together, Earnhardt and Kenseth find themselves with but a pair of foreseeable races remaining in their Cup-level racing careers in Sunday’s Round of 8 cutoff at Phoenix Raceway (2:30 p.m ET, NBC) and next weekend’s Championship 4 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Nov. 19, 2:30 p.m. ET, NBC).

    Neither of the accomplished drivers are among those racing for a title. Right now, it’s about race trophies – and memories, which the duo have shared throughout their careers despite never racing for the same team.

    It kind of all started with that “First kid you meet in kindergarten becomes your best friend for life” principle, way back in the mid-1990s.

    “(Our friendship has) really kind of stayed the same,” Earnhardt said Friday afternoon at Phoenix, of his perennial motor coach-lot neighbor and cycling pal. “Matt engaged me early in our careers in the XFINITY Series and I was really shy; didn’t have an understanding of how to interact with my peers and competitors that well. I was just trying to do well.

    “I was really nervous coming up into the ranks, but Matt engaged me and we became friends through conversations with him really quickly. We were both sort of coming into the XFINITY Series at the same time and then we went into the Cup Series together. We did a lot of things together. We supported each other and enjoyed seeing each other have success.”

    Their mutual success blossomed in the new millennium after starting as rookies in 2000 – as foretold by that ESPN cover – with 64 Monster Energy Series wins combined.

    Earnhardt edged Kenseth for a pair of XFINITY Series titles in 1998 and 1999 (with the latter earning a runner-up finish in ’98 and a third-place result in ’99), but it was Kenseth who earned the only premier-series title between the two – and with equipment that may not have been top-of-the-line, no less.

    “Matt won his championship in 2003. I bet he was probably down 40 horsepower to everybody else. Roush (Fenway Racing) probably wouldn’t admit it, wouldn’t like to hear that, but he was just an amazing driver,” said Earnhardt, who finished third in the standings that year – the closest he’d come to a title.

    “We beat him in the championship in the XFINITY Series. We had a whole lot more race car than he did, and he ran us pretty hard. I felt like he did a lot in those two years with very little. … I had always been impressed with his talent and his ability. He was as good a driver as anybody that is in the series today.”

    While that may be true – and Kenseth’s 14 wins over the past four years alone indicate it is – Joe Gibbs Racing has plans to move on from its current, 45-year-old driver of the No. 20 Toyota to usher in its future with 21-year-old Erik Jones, currently driving for Furniture Row Racing.

    After announcing last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway that he’d be stepping away from driving in 2018 – without going so far as actually calling it a “retirement” – it’s evident that we could be seeing the last of a pair of superstars racing at the sport’s highest level.

    And, given all the fanfare, gifts and recognition thrown at Earnhardt and the hushed, humbling nature of Kenseth’s announcement, they’re going out just the way they came in.

    “One funny thing that we talk about; we were getting our picture made for the cover of ESPN magazine back when we were coming into the Cup series and everybody knew that Matt had so much potential, so they had me up front and then they kind of had him behind me,” Earnhardt said. “The image was to express that there is all this hoopla about me coming in and there is all this attention on me, but you better watch this guy Matt, that was sort of what the image was trying to express. This guy is one you need to keep your eye on and he is lurking over my shoulder.

    “But, Matt was really frustrated because the photographer kept sliding Matt a little further and a little further behind me. He kept getting more and more angry and he is whispering in my ear how pissed off he was at this photographer because he was like ‘they can’t even freaking see me.’ And I’m like ‘Matt the story, really … the image is to sort of show you as the real threat,’ you know, and people are talking about me and they should be talking about you. But, we still talk about that today.”

    It’s hard not to look at their relationship and see a brotherly bond, Kenseth being the older, wiser sibling and Junior, well, being the junior sibling that tends to get all the attention. It’s a friendship that has benefitted each tremendously, and one that will soldier on – even as one continues to soak up the spotlight in an NBC Sports commentator role and the other sinks heavily and happily into a deep family life, even if he’d still like to be racing.

    Both have children on the way – Earnhardt’s first and Kenseth’s fifth – and plenty of photos will likely be exchanged, even if Kenseth was slightly miffed and gave Junior a hard time for finding out about wife Amy’s pregnancy via social media and not through a text.

    That kind of humor is what Junior loves about his friend, and the overall ‘Matt Kenseth package’ is something he draws from.

    “Matt, I love his sense of humor. I love the person he is and the person he has become, the father he is. And so, you know, he has always had an influence on me as far as how I race or the person I want to be or become,” Earnhardt said.

    “All us drivers have terrible egos and we can hardly stand each other and being around each other sometimes, but I’ve never felt that way about Matt. Matt has never done anything where I have felt like he was inflating his ego. He has always just been Matt and was such a pleasure to race with and to know and be friends with. So, I hope that … and I know we will … he is more than likely going to be hard to find once he is out of the race car, but I hope we can spend time together and we will definitely remain friends.”

    Preview: Dale Jr.’s final Phoenix race

    (11/9/17) Race: Can-Am 500

    Date: Sunday, Nov. 12, 2:30 p.m. ET (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Phoenix: 14th, fifth, first, 43rd, eighth

    Notable: Phoenix Raceway is one of Junior’s best tracks when it comes to total wins — three. His average finishing position of 16.0, though, ranks the 1-mile track among the lower third of his best venues. He has 14 top 10s and nine top fives in 29 races in the desert. Junior has had a resurgence at Phoenix lately; in his last eight races there, he has one win, five top fives and six top 10s. The only race among those eight when he finished outside the top 15 was when a blown right tire ended his day on Lap 180 of the March 2015 race.

    Memorable: Earnhardt Jr.’s 2004 Checker Auto Parts 500 was significant not so much for how he won that day at Phoenix, but for what that victory meant. It was Junior’s sixth trip to Victory Lane that season, a mark that still stands as the most wins he’s logged in a single season. Earnhardt did start 14th and needed to pass Jeff Gordon with 12 laps remaining to claim the victory, too.

    Quotable: “Phoenix is a good track for us. We have certainly had a great car there the last several times,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a team release. “Knowing we have won there helps you just go in there with a good attitude. I don’t think that we’ve lost hope on winning a race by any means. So, we’ll go in there with a solid attitude and see how it works out for us.”

    Texas Motor Speedway provides special scoreboard section to Dale Jr.

    (11/4/17) Texas Motor Speedway provided a Lone Star State-sized gift to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s season-long send-off, giving him part of the track’s scoreboard from his first win.

    Track president Eddie Gossage supervised the festivities on horseback before opening practice for Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 (2 p.m. ET, Sunday, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM).

    Earnhardt is set to make his likely final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile track, where he scored the first win of his premier series career as a rookie in 2000. Gossage unveiled a large scoreboard segment, with his former No. 8 illuminated in the first position as a parting gift.

    “That’s it. That’s the one,” Earnhardt said. “Isn’t that something?”

    The track also made the gift of naming a horse from a nearby therapeutic horse ranch in his honor as part of the Jr. Nation Apprecia88ion Tour. Gossage also provided a baby gift for Earnhardt and his wife, Amy — a kids’ hot-rodded push car stroller.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. says Ryan Blaney is a leader in engaging with fans

    (11/4/17) As each week passes in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final full-time NASCAR season, he is asked about not only his legacy but also about the new generation of drivers who will crowd the Monster Energy Cup Series grid for the foreseeable future.

    Judging by Earnhardt’s remarks and smiles Friday morning at Texas Motor Speedway, he feels like the future is in great hands — both on track and away from the track. Specifically, he had high praise for second-year Monster Energy Series driver Ryan Blaney, one of two young drivers (Chase Elliott is the other) still challenging for this year’s championship.

    “I’m excited about all these guys, Alex (Bowman) and William (Byron) and (Ryan) Blaney — he’s just so much fun outside of the car just to observe and watch,” Earnhardt said, speaking at length about his high expectations of the 23-year-old Blaney. “We all kind of enjoy seeing what he’s up to. He’s doing something every week.”

    This year’s Pocono winner, Blaney may be NASCAR’s version of the “Most Interesting Man in the World.” The son of sprint car legend Dave Blaney, Ryan has established himself as a big fan favorite and is always a candid interview — win or lose.

    His “Glass Case of Emotion” podcast on NASCAR.com is so popular, it just topped 1 million listens this season.

    “He’s the guy I think that’s taking the lead and a lot of guys could follow as far as how he self-promotes and engages with the fans,” Earnhardt said of Blaney. “He does such a good job with it and he’s up for anything. I think that’s a great example if those guys want to look for somebody to follow.”

    And best of all for Blaney, his performance on the race track has only legitimized and stoked his popularity away from it. He finished runner-up in the Daytona 500 and won the pole position at Kansas earlier this year before claiming his first Monster Energy Series win at Pocono three weeks later. | Blaney’s career stats

    He moves to Team Penske next year, teaming with former champion Brad Keselowski and perennial title favorite Joey Logano.

    He is ranked fifth among the eight drivers still playoff-eligible – only six points below the cut-off line with two races remaining to set the Championship 4 for the season finale Nov. 19 at Homestead-Miami.

    Preview: Dale Jr.’s final Texas run

    (11/1/17) Race: AAA Texas 500

    Date: Sunday, Nov. 5, 2 p.m. ET (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Texas: 5th, 2nd, 6th, 3rd, 6th

    Notable: Earnhardt Jr. won the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points race of his career at TMS, but he has failed to repeat the feat in the 28 other visits to the 1.5-mile track. However, statistically speaking Texas has been a good track for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, with seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes there. His average starting and finishing positions are identical — 13.1 and second best among all 24 tracks he’s raced on in the series through the years. His fifth-place run at TMS in the spring was his first top five since June of 2016.

    Memorable: Earnhardt Jr.’s victory in the DirecTV 500 at TMS came in his 12th career start in the series. After qualifying fourth, he led 106 of the race’s 334 laps, including the final 53. His winning margin over Jeff Burton was a comfortable 5.920 seconds. It was the first win for crew chief Tony Eury Sr., as well as the first victory for Dale Earnhardt Inc., the MENCS organization fielded by seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt. “He’s like a wild horse,” Eury said of his young driver. “He’s something else; we knew the kid could do it,” the elder Earnhardt said.

    Quotable: “Dad wasn’t one to waste a lot of time. There were some race tracks where he’d drive out of the race track in his uniform. He’d jump out of his car and into the rental car; he’d tell Teresa (Earnhardt) — I think he’s actually said over the radio before the race was over with to tell Richard (Childress, team owner) to tell Teresa to get the rental car ready. He was in a hurry to get out of the race track no matter what. So we won the race in Texas and he comes in there and he grabs me, said he was happy and all that. He said ‘I’m proud of you, I’m happy, enjoy this but you’ve got to find another ride home.’ He didn’t stay around for pictures or nothing. He was out of there.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. opens driver confessional with #IWreckedEm

    (10/31/17) After admitting on his Dale Junior Download podcast Tuesday that he has wrecked several drivers intentionally during his career — including himself — Dale Earnhardt Jr. opened the Twitter confessional to his fellow drivers Halloween night, using the hashtag #IWreckedEm.

    In the podcast, Junior addressed the race- and playoffs-changing incident at Martinsville in which Denny Hamlin put his No. 11 Toyota’s bumper to Chase Elliott’s No. 24 Chevrolet, after Elliott had just taken the lead with four laps to go and appeared on target to claim his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory before wrecking.

    Junior said, “I’d be surprised if there’s a driver who hasn’t intentionally wrecked somebody in their career.” Then he admitted to wrecking Kerry Lawrence, Stanton Barrett and Kasey Kahne over the years — and lastly Kyle Busch in 2008 at Richmond. The No. 88 driver admitted he was fined for a self-spin at Bristol because he bragged about the strategy play too much afterward.

    He opened up the floodgates of self-cleansing with a reply to Landon Cassill later on social media, who tweeted, “In light of Dale’s humble admissions, I want to be the first to say to anyone I may have wrecked in the past, … you probably deserved it.”

    Amy Earnhardt: Pace car ride ‘incredible’ at Martinsville

    (10/29/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. had twice the luck on track with him before the green flag dropped ahead of his likely final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.

    Leading the field in the pace car, Amy Earnhardt, who is pregnant with the couple’s baby girl, wheeled her way around the .526-mile track like a natural … and with a smile from ear-to-ear.

    “It was incredible,” Amy Earnhardt told NASCAR.com. “I had no idea what it was going to be like. Everyone told me that the perspective of the (track) was going to be the best part, and they were totally right.”

    It’s not unusual for the drivers behind the pace car to give an innocent tap. Martin Truex Jr., good friends with Dale and Amy, qualified second for the First Data 500 and started on the front row. He told Earnhardt to check her rearview mirror just in case she saw the No. 78 coming behind her.

    “He threatened to, and he got pretty close a couple of times, but he didn’t,” she said laughing. “He was easy on me.”

    With the Earnhardt family expanding by one, all eyes were on the track when Amy wheeled the pace car off pit row. It was the first time the littlest Earnhardt would take a ride in a race car — and it may not be the last, either.

    “I’m not sure if she’ll be into or racing or not,” Amy Earnhardt said. “We’ll just have to see, but she got to go for a ride around the race track with me, so that’s pretty neat.”

    Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell said having Amy as the honorary pace car driver was a way to give back to Dale Jr. for all of his contributions to the Virginia track, and for everything he has done for NASCAR.

    “The Earnhardt family has meant so much to Martinsville Speedway through the years, Dale in particular, and we wanted for him to be able to share his last Cup race here with the person closest to him,” Campbell said. “Dale has often talked about how much Amy has meant to him and this is one small way in which we can say thank you to the both of them; to Dale for what he has meant to the sport and to Amy for what she has meant to Dale.”

    Earnhardt: ‘It would be great for the sport to have an Andretti’

    (10/29/17) Another Andretti in NASCAR racing? It’s not that far-fetched.

    IndyCar legend Mario Andretti ran 14 races in what is now the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, winning the 1967 Daytona 500. John Andretti, Mario’s nephew, competed in 393 Cup races, winning at Daytona and Martinsville.

    Jeff Andretti, Mario’s youngest son, tried his luck in three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 1999, all ending as DNFs because of mechanical issues.

    And on Saturday morning at Martinsville Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. acknowledged discussing the possibility of providing a NASCAR XFINITY Series ride for Marco Andretti, Mario’s grandson.

    Only one problem: with four Chevrolets set to compete full-time for the XFINITY title next year – with drivers Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier, Michael Annett and Tyler Reddick — Earnhardt doesn’t have an “all-star car” to make occasional starts with a variety of drivers.

    “We’ve got four teams and they are all full,” Earnhardt said. “So it’s probably not got any life, but we are friends and we’ve talked about it for two to three years. He has some interest in coming over and running some road courses and so does (Graham) Rahal and a bunch of other guys.

    “If I had a field full of race cars, we would have a blast, all our buddies racing, but it’s just hard to do. We’re really thankful to be in the position we are in to have four full cars racing for a championship. As fun as the all-star idea and car is, and as many races as we won with (Kevin) Harvick, the real goal is to have a team running for the championship.”

    Though he’s leaving the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at the end of the season, Earnhardt is committed contractually to run at least one XFINITY Series race next season at a track still to be determined.

    When that happens, he’ll have to field a fifth car, but that situation likely won’t be available to other drivers, even if their names are Andretti or Rahal.

    “If we did have those opportunities, we certainly would entertain it, and I think it would be great for the sport to have an Andretti out there running in stock car,” Earnhardt said. “No matter where it is at, it would be awesome.”

    (Earnhardt) Junior on (Truex) Junior: ‘I’m not surprised by his success’

    (10/29/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s history with Martin Truex Jr. has plenty of depth, dating back to Truex’s first forays into NASCAR’s national ranks. They’ve grown closer in the years since they were first teammates back in the middle of the 2000s, but Earnhardt has always had an appreciation for Truex’s talent at driving a stock car.

    That recognition was so strong that Earnhardt said he lobbied current team owner Rick Hendrick to hire Truex during a time of transition for his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series organization.

    “There was a particular time when I think when Rick was making a change on the 5 car, whether it was before Mark (Martin) or after Mark, I’m not real sure, but I like begged Rick,” Earnhardt said Saturday before practice at Martinsville Speedway. “I was like, ‘(I’m) telling you if you get Truex in here, he can do anything that any of these other guys in your company are doing, myself included. I think that he’s got that kind of talent. You’d be surprised at how well he’ll do.’

    “And he didn’t have the track record or statistics to be in that conversation, but I tried to push him into that conversation. So, I believed in him since the first race we ran together. …”

    So count Earnhardt among the least surprised at Truex’s current tear through the 2017 campaign, a march that’s included a series-best seven victories, a regular-season championship and a surplus of playoff points that make him a sizable favorite for his first premier-series title.

    The two were first closely connected by the Earnhardt family-owned Chance 2 Motorsports, where Truex won two championships in what is now called the XFINITY Series. When Earnhardt suffered burns in a sports-car accident in 2004, his Dale Earnhardt Inc. team turned to Truex as a relief driver making his first premier-series appearance.

    From his rookie Cup season with DEI in 2006, Truex’s career has had its share of highs and lows — his six-year wait between his first two wins, his split from Michael Waltrip’s operation and his agonizing first season with Furniture Row Racing, the Colorado-based team he still calls home. The adversity off the track has been gut-wrenching, standing beside longtime girlfriend Sherry Pollex in her fight against ovarian cancer.

    Though Truex and Earnhardt went separate ways as on-track teammates after the 2007 season, the two remained close. It’s given Earnhardt an intimate look at Truex’s perseverance.

    “The way he ran in our cars in those two seasons when he won the championship and knowing the equipment that he’s been in his entire career and how he performs in it and to me, he’s always overachieved and always at least gotten everything out of the car that the car was capable of getting, if not more,” Earnhardt said. “And so, also, I think he had a lot of years there where he could have allowed himself to get frustrated. I think his ability to remain professional, his ability to be strong-willed and see opportunity down the road says a lot about his personal character.

    “He is a guy where if you get a chance to go hang out with him, go deer hunting with him, he’s a tough, tough person mentally. And so, I think that has served him really well. I’m not surprised by his success.”

    Truex’s ascension from upstart to championship heavyweight has paralleled Furniture Row’s rise. The Barney Visser-owned organization — a geographical outlier in Denver — made its first postseason appearance with Kurt Busch in 2013, a year before Truex’s arrival.

    Truex led just one lap in his first season with Furniture Row, struggling to a career-worst 24th-place finish in the yearlong standings. Buoyed by a new crew chief (Cole Pearn) in 2015 and a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing in its switch to Toyota in 2016, Truex clawed back into week-in, week-out contention.

    With all the pieces in place, Truex won four times last year in a breakout performance that foreshadowed this season’s stunning star turn.

    “I think I’m more surprised by the team and how far that team has come,” Earnhardt says. “I think that’s an incredible story. As hard as it is to come into this sport and create a team out of thin air and be an owner that succeeds amongst the teams that are solidified in this sport, it’s so impossible to do that. It’s so hard. There are so much financial resources that have to be poured into it and I think that team should be commended. They found an incredible crew chief and he’s done an amazing job building great chemistry and it’s just incredible to watch.

    “Personally, I’ve pulled for Martin to have this chance and this opportunity. And when he went over there I thought this could be the start of something great. And I know I’m not the only one to feel that way. It’s awesome to see.”

    That’s a tough admission to make when Earnhardt’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott are also locked into the Round of 8, scrapping for one of four slots in the championship phase at Homestead-Miami Speedway next month.

    “It makes it harder for me because I want my teammates to do well,” Earnhardt said. “I’m a company man. I want them to win the championship and here’s one of my best friends, regardless of racing, we’re incredibly good pals and it’s hard not to want to see him win it too, you know? I’ve loved seeing him win and celebrate his success. They’ve had such a difficult journey over the last couple of years.”

    Going ‘ghost:’ Earnhardt Jr. gets another chance to drive iconic scheme

    (10/26/17) (Pic)This weekend at iconic Martinsville Speedway, the “Gray Ghost” will ride again. This time Dale Earnhardt Jr. will indeed be behind the wheel.

    Junior’s personal history with this particular paint scheme dates back to 1980. Buddy Baker won the Daytona 500 that year in a black-and-silver entry that a young Earnhardt Jr. (he was 5 at the time of Baker’s win) never could quite get out of his head.

    The car was named the “Gray Ghost,” a reflection of its color scheme, which blended in with the racing surface of the track and its apparent ability to appear out of nowhere, speeding past unsuspecting rivals at a moment’s notice.

    “He just seemed to be a great match with the car,” Earnhardt Jr. said last year. “They were just so good, so fast. When they won the Daytona 500 after such a devastating loss after 1979 — they were the greatest thing down there, nobody could touch them throughout the entire weekend and then they didn’t even really get to race.

    “And then they went back in ’80 and won, it was pretty neat; I know that was pretty special for Buddy to get that win. You can tell in some of the interviews from back then how important the Daytona 500 win was to him.”

    Prior to the 2016 Darlington throwback race, Earnhardt Jr. unveiled a Nationwide-sponsored car that paid homage to the “Gray Ghost.”

    He never got to run it.

    Lingering effects from a concussion forced the Hendrick Motorsports driver to sit out Darlington that year. Instead, Earnhardt Jr. watched as Jeff Gordon drove the No. 88 to a 14th-place finish in a substitute driver role.

    For his final full-time season as a driver, Earnhardt Jr. and Nationwide held a fan poll to determine Earnhardt Jr.’s livery for the Martinsville fall race (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    The winner? The “Gray Ghost,” which would appear to delight Junior, who responded to a @NASCAR Instagram post in kind — check out his comment below (we’ve highlighted his user name).

    “Martinsville this weekend should be a lot of fun. We’ve got the Gray Ghost — I appreciate everybody voting for that paint scheme so I can run it,” Earnhardt Jr. said earlier this week on his podcast. “I didn’t get to drive that car last year and I love that car, so I may have swayed the vote because I went on social media and said, ‘That’s the one I’d love to run.’ I’m excited to get the opportunity to drive that car this weekend. Martinsville is a great track for us. I love the short tracks and short-track racing.”

    The old-school, black-and-silver scheme belongs perfectly at the oldest track on the NASCAR circuit, a facility that celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.

    Imagine how it would look under the lights.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final Martinsville run

    (10/25/17) Race: First Data 500

    Date: Sunday, Oct. 29, 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Martinsville: 34th, 14th, 4th, 36th, 1st

    Notable: In 34 starts at Martinsville, Earnhardt has just one victory at the short track, but he has finished in the top 10 18 times, including four times in the last seven races. The No. 88 team was forced to exit April’s race early after a crash on Lap 418. Sunday’s Martinsville finale will be extra special for the Earnhardts as wife Amy, who recently announced the couple would be expecting a baby girl, will drive the pace car. Earnhardt will also wheel the ‘Gray Ghost’ paint scheme that the fans voted on.

    Memorable: Earnhardt’s lone Victory Lane celebration at the .526-mile track came in October 2014. The No. 88 team sat in fifth position for a restart with just five laps to go. He had just been eliminated from the playoffs the week before at Talladega, but stole the coveted grandfather clock trophy from several drivers still in the hunt, including former teammate Jeff Gordon. Earnhardt credits his team’s decision to take tires with eight laps left as a key to grabbing the win he had desperately wanted. The win also came on the 10th anniversary of the tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of several Hendrick Motorsports employees.

    Quotable: “Martinsville this weekend should be a lot of fun. We’ve got the Gray Ghost – I appreciate everybody voting for that paint scheme so I can run it,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “I didn’t get to drive that car last year and I love that car, so I may have swayed the vote because I went on social media and said, ‘That’s the one I’d love to run.’ I’m excited to get the opportunity to drive that car this weekend. Martinsville is a great track for us. I love the short tracks and short-track racing.”

    NASCAR Champion’s Week schedule announced

    (10/25/17) Soon after the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series™ champion is crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 19, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup will head to Las Vegas as NASCAR hosts its annual Champion’s Week festivities. Fans will gather in Las Vegas for events honoring the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Playoff Drivers, Sunoco Rookie of the Year and other season-ending award recipients.

    Beginning on Tuesday, Nov. 28 and culminating Thursday, Nov. 30, NASCAR Champion’s Week will feature the annual NASCAR National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Myers Brothers Awards at the Wynn Las Vegas as well as the return of the NASCAR Fan Lounge at Beerhaus located at The Park, situated between New York-New York Hotel & Casino and Monte Carlo Resort and Casino.

    This year, a special celebration of the storied driving career of Dale Earnhardt Jr. “Appreci88ion An Evening with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Presented by Nationwide” will take place at Rose. Rabbit. Lie. at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28. The exclusive fan event will feature surprise guests from Earnhardt’s career with proceeds benefitting Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

    Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs drivers will take to the famed Las Vegas Strip when they get behind the wheel of their race cars for NASCAR Victory Lap Fueled by Sunoco on Wednesday, Nov 29. Fans will be treated to burnouts along Las Vegas Blvd. at the Spring Mountain Rd. and Harmon Ave. intersections before finishing with a post-lap driver tell-all on Toshiba Plaza outside T-Mobile Arena. The event will be simulcast live on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and NASCAR.com.

    NASCAR and live music rev up the Las Vegas night at NASCAR After The Lap Supporting the Vegas Strong Fund, Wednesday, Nov. 29 at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. This year, the fan event will feature a concert by country music star Lee Brice and the first-ever live-on-stage episode of Glass Case of Emotion, with Ryan Blaney as a host and guests to include Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff drivers. VIP areas hosted by event sponsors, Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota will feature appearances by Playoff drivers. All ticket proceeds from this event will benefit the Vegas Strong Fund assisting victims & strengthening the Las Vegas community.

    Festivities will conclude with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards, a star-studded event featuring the Champion, 16 Playoff drivers and a fan red carpet at Wynn Las Vegas. NBCSN presents this year’s awards on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. ET, while Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, will carry the award show live beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares details on his best day ever

    (10/24/17) The 2017 season is not over yet but Dale Earnhardt Jr. already has his favorite moment.

    “Probably the day I found out Amy was pregnant,” Earnhardt said to answer a fan question on his latest Dale Jr. Download podcast episode.

    But Earnhardt revealed that day ended up being extra special because he was informed of the big news after arriving home from another exciting trip. A huge Washington Redskins fan, Earnhardt spent that day, Aug. 30, at the team’s luncheon as a guest speaker.

    “I go to this Redskins luncheon, freakin’ having a blast, right? Hanging out with the whole team and all the execs; just incredible to be able to be there. Fan-boying like crazy. Thinking, what a great day,” Earnhardt describes.

    “Come home. Excited. Telling Amy all about it and then she tells me that she’s pregnant. It was a lot going on. I came home, just like that tweet that the guy said, this is the greatest day ever, Amy! And she’s like, well, let me tell you.”

    Oh, and don’t worry Earnhardt also has some favorite memories from what he’s done on track, too.

    “I think getting the poles at Daytona and Talladega,” he said. “We don’t have a win to brag about or we usually have a win at this point that sticks out, so I’ll say getting those two poles. I mean, when’s the last time we won a pole, much less two poles in same season?”

    That’d be 2013, Dale. But we can blame it on pregnancy brain.

    Keselowski announces Talladega T-shirt proceeds will go to Dale Jr. Foundation

    (10/24/17) Brad Keselowski stole the show at Talladega with a win in the throwback paint scheme that honored Dale Earnhardt Jr., who drove in his final race at the Alabama track — a place nicknamed ‘Earnhardt Country’ rightly so.

    Just weeks later, the No. 2 Ford driver is going above and beyond (again) to show his admiration for Junior’s career and their friendship.

    Keselowski announced on Twitter that all proceeds from his Talladega victory T-shirts will be donated to the Dale Jr. Foundation to show his appreciation to the No. 88 driver and JR Motorsports.

    @keselowski :Out of respect to @JRMotorsports and @DaleJr I’m donating my proceeds from this to Dale Jr foundation https://twitter.com/team_penske/status/922815826658516992 … Earnhardt Jr. responded to Keselowski’s kind gesture with a tweet of his own thanking him.

    @DaleJr : Brad! You da man. https://twitter.com/keselowski/status/922820049945219073 …

    In his pre-Talladega blog, Keselowski gave thanks to Dale Jr. and added, “Dale, there’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ll excel at whatever it is you do next, but it’s not going to be the same out there without you. I’m going to miss racing against you, my friend. I’m going to miss seeing you out there in the 88 on Sundays.”

    Is there a bromance brewing for a good cause? Cheers to this.

    Video message from family friend Ned Yost moves Dale Jr.

    (10/21/17) For a few minutes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasn’t the focal point of his own press conference Saturday at Kansas Speedway.

    As has become customary in 2017, the Hendrick Motorsports driver came into the media center ahead of his final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at a particular track to humbly accept a gift – often an 88-themed charitable donation on his behalf — which Kansas did, in the form of a paperback copy of “The Expectant Father” and a check for $8,800 to the University of Kansas Health Systems Pediatric Unit.

    The projector screen then lowered, a familiar face shone brightly, and perhaps the most heart-warming message Earnhardt has received yet began to play.

    “Hey Dale, I’m always amazed at how time flies by,” boomed the voice of affable Kansas City Royals manager and great friend to the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., Ned Yost. “I sit back and I think about being with your dad and walking into the old (XFINITY Series) shop and seeing you and Tony (Eury) Jr. underneath the late model stock cars, beating and banging trying to get a piece of weight out from the frame.

    “But watching you develop as a race car driver, I remember being with your dad, driving around the farm in the winter of ’97 and he was telling me he was going to put you in an (XFINITY) car full-time. And I asked him, ‘You think he’s ready for that?’ Dale said, ‘You’re damn right he’s ready for that.’ Of course, you proved him right, winning the championship in ’98 and then again in ’99. Then it took 12 whole races for you to win your first (Monster Energy Series) victory at Texas.”

    Earnhardt, sitting in the media center crowd, took it all in. Moved.

    “It’s been fun to watch that. It’s been fun to watch you grow. It’s been fun to watch you become a two-time Daytona 500 champion,” Yost, who chose to wear No. 3 in honor of Senior, continued. “But more than anything, I can flash back to that win in Texas and yeah, it was great that you won, but what was more impressive to me was how proud your dad was that day. It’s been a wonderful experience sitting back and watching you accomplish what you’ve accomplished. What you’ve accomplished is kind of hindsight to what you’ve become, for me. You’ve become an outstanding person. You’ve become an outstanding man. It’s just been a fantastic career. I just wanted to take a few minutes to congratulate you on that. I know you and Amy are going to have a blast in your retirement. It’s been fun watching you compete. It’s been fun watching you grow up. Once again, congratulations on a tremendous career, and a tremendous life. Good luck, Dale.”

    The track then presented Junior with his own Royals home jersey with not his, but his dad’s number on the back.

    As the final weeks of Earnhardt’s full-time career wind down, much of it will likely be a frenzied blur when he recounts his final season in the coming months, years, decades.

    Saturday will be a moment he’ll carry with him.

    “Yeah that is really emotional,” Earnhardt said. “Ned has been a great family friend and just so supportive of me and it is really nice to hear his memories and his thoughts, and I appreciate the track for the donation within their community here. That means a lot to me. That is really what we were hoping the tracks would take the initiative to do and it’s been great all year to see that happen.

    “So, I’m glad you guys did that and that really makes my heart full.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. overwhelmed with joy about baby news

    (10/21/17) As NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver and the sport’s all-around biggest superstar, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is typically enthusiastic and quite comfortable discussing his place in the sport heading into his retirement at season’s end.

    However, his demeanor noticeably changed some Saturday morning at Kansas Speedway. Listening to him speak about his wife Amy’s recently announced pregnancy was both moving and memorable.

    He bowed his head for several moments to collect his thoughts when asked about the fantastic news he and his wife Amy would be welcoming their first child, a daughter, come May 2.

    “We’ve known since actually August and oh man, it’s just been really hard keeping that in and wanting to share,” Earnhardt said smiling.

    “I just couldn’t wait to tell everybody. … We have a lot of check-ups and we’re thankful and I’m looking forward to the whole process of watching and being involved.

    “I’m just trying to be as supportive as I can for Amy, making sure she feels well and is comfortable. I’m trying to soak in all the experiences of going to the doctor and hearing the heartbeat. They are incredible.”

    At one point Earnhardt, 43, pulled out his cellphone to try to play the audio recording he keeps of the baby’s heartbeat.

    “I mean it made it more real,” he said grinning. “We are pinching ourselves even still. We look at each other if we’re sitting on the couch or walking around the house or something and just have to remind ourselves we’re going through this pregnancy and we just can’t believe it.

    “So, anytime you hear the heartbeat or go to an ultrasound or something like that, it makes it like ‘Hey, it’s happening.’ You get a little scared. You get excited, you know?”

    And he animatedly recalled that first doctor’s visit to confirm that Amy was pregnant. She had taken some at-home pregnancy tests, but Earnhardt joked that he wasn’t gonna believe the news until he heard it from the doctor.

    “We went to the doctor and I’m still thinking man, I’m not believing crap until this doctor tells me,” he said smiling. “So, we’re sitting in there for like 20 minutes. And their talking woman language and I’m not understanding (laughter). They are just talking about things and I’m like well, when is she going to say it? I want to hear it from the doctor’s mouth (laughs) that she’s pregnant, so we can rejoice.

    “It took them a while. I was scared to speak up. Finally, they said something that confirmed it for me and I was like, ‘Awesome.’

    “And then we had the ultrasound and got to hear the heartbeat and all that right there, and that was great. We go back for another checkup here soon, in a couple of days, and those are awesome.

    “They are so much fun because it’s like the closest you can get to it before they’re born and I’m looking forward to each and every one of them.”

    And he spoke at length about the efforts he’s made to keep Amy comfortable and happy during the pregnancy. From letting her rest to keeping her company to sharing in the happiness and big plans, Earnhardt seems to be living in the most happy of moments.

    “Everybody says obviously, to try to get your sleep now because the first several months are very difficult, but we can’t,” Earnhardt said. “We’re lying in bed and can’t sleep. We’re so excited.

    “You can read books and I’ve got an app on my phone and am trying to get as much information as I can to understand how to make Amy as comfortable as I can.

    “I think some of the most helpful advice for me is probably what can I do to make it easier for Amy. And the advice that I’ve gotten is that she doesn’t care what you did that day. She doesn’t care how your day was (laughs). So, don’t try to tell her. If you had a rough day or whatever, just shelve it and try to keep on being an assistant to whatever she needs at all times.

    “And that’s pretty easy to remember because I feel that way already about her.”

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Kansas

    (10/18/17) Race: Hollywood Casino 400

    Date: Sunday, Oct. 22, 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Kansas: 20th, 15th, 21st, 3rd, 39th

    Notable: Kansas is one of 11 active tracks where Dale Earnhardt Jr. has not won, and his performance hasn’t been too memorable in America’s heartland — he has just three top-five finishes and nine top 10s in 21 starts. He has one pole at the track, coming in 2002. His average finish of 16.2 ranks in the lower third among his all-time average finishes.

    Memorable: Earnhardt only qualified 28th for the 2011 STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. Still, he managed to race his way through the pack to be in contention as the race wound down at the 1.5-mile track. But Brad Keselowski held on for a fuel-mileage victory in what was just the second win of his career at the Monster Energy Series level. Earnhardt crossed the finish line second — and that remains his best finish at Kansas.

    Quotable: “Kansas is a great racetrack for me,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a team release. “That place has widened out pretty good and you can run against the fence there, which is a line that I like to run. It’s a very fast race track and very smooth – a lot of fun, so we should have a good time.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals the Adorable Way He and Wife Amy Found Out the Sex of Their Baby

    (10/17/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. used a pair of pink baby Converse to announce that he and wife Amy are expecting a daughter — their first child! And the way the couple found out about the sex of the baby is even more adorable.

    “You get an email with a link to click to find out the gender. We actually sent that to Amy’s sister in Texas and she ordered the shoes and mailed them to us. We opened the box on the front doorstep,” said Earnhardt, who publicly spoke about becoming a father for the first time on Tuesday during an interview with NBC Sports Network.

    The couple, who were married last New Year’s Eve, shared the happy news on Instagram Monday afternoon.

    “It is a very exciting thing. Amy and I are thrilled and over the moon,” the father-to-be said, joking: “I have no idea what I’ve gotten myself into.”

    “I’m hearing so much advice already, and I couldn’t be more excited about it. This is something that Amy and I have been working toward for a long time,” added Earnhardt, who is retiring from full-time Cup Series racing after the season finale Nov. 19.

    “There are so many cool little moments. We have been sitting here giddy for so long, it is finally good to be able to tell everybody,” he concluded.

    And a new baby isn’t the only joint project the parents-to-be has in their future.

    In May, the stock car racing champ tweeted that he and Amy will star in a home renovation series on the DIY Network.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Amy expecting first child

    (10/16/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. has told us how much he wants to start a family, and he and Amy shared the good news with NASCAR fans Monday that they are expecting a little girl.

    Junior is retiring from full-time driving in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series after this season. He talked at Dover recently about how much he is looking forward to having children.

    “I’m excited to start a family, and I hope I’m fortunate enough to do that with Amy,’’ he said. “We definitely want to do that. And it would be weird not being a race car driver if I have a daughter or son, I think about that, would they understand what I’m telling them or what I did for a long time. I’m hoping to find out all that stuff soon.’’

    DALE EARNHARDT JR. JOINS NASCAR AMERICA LIVE FROM THE NASCAR HALL OF FAME – TOMORROW, OCTOBER 17, AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

    (10/16/17) As part of NBC Sports Group’s continuing coverage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, two-time Daytona 500 winner and NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for an unprecedented 14 consecutive years (2003-16), Dale Earnhardt Jr. will join NASCAR America tomorrow, October 17, at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

    Earnhardt Jr. will join NASCAR America host Marty Snider (@HeyMartySnider), “The Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton, and Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett (@Dalejarrett), live from the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. thrills, finishes seventh in likely final Talladega start

    (10/15/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. climbed out of his No. 88 for the last time at Talladega Superspeedway as the sun began to set on Alabama.

    After an immediate inspection of the damaged right-front splitter that plagued his final laps and left him with seventh instead of first, Earnhardt debriefed with his team, shaking their hands in a circle.

    There was plenty riding on this race for the undeniable crowd favorite. For many drivers, a seventh-place result at a place like always-unpredictable Talladega is considered a good day. It’s different for Earnhardt.

    Ultimately, he wanted the win for the folks in the grandstands.

    “It’s been better than the last couple of trips here, the last couple of trips we had a lot of trouble in wrecks and hadn’t been able to come home with a decent finish,” Earnhardt said. “I would have loved to have won the race for all the fans that come out here. I know a lot of folks came to see this race just for the fact that it was my last plate race and trust me, I wanted to win it for all those folks more than myself, but just couldn’t get it done.”

    Earnhardt was one of 14 cars that made it through the perils of Talladega on Sunday afternoon in a race that saw three red flags. Indeed it seemed that the No. 88 driver certainly seemed to have a guardian angel on his shoulder throughout the afternoon; he squeezed through a multi-car melee with minimal damage at Lap 171 that took out 16 cars then just barely avoided hitting a crashing Ryan Blaney and Trevor Bayne near the yellow line at Lap 178.

    Four laps later, he escaped a wreck that collected his teammate Chase Elliott and rookie Daniel Suarez.

    The No. 88 team “got lucky,” he said.

    “I (was) carrying Stevie Waltrip’s scripture in the car,” Earnhardt said, referring to the Bible verse that Darrell Waltrip’s wife places in his car each week. “She probably had me a little luck there. So, it never hurts to have an angel on your shoulder.”

    A portion of this week’s verse, coming from Lamentations 3:22-24, read, “By His mercies we have been kept from complete destruction,” which seems eerily fitting in regards to Earnhardt’s day of near misses. After the verse, Stevie wrote “Hope you feel loved and hugged.”

    He was certainly loved — and has been loved — at Talladega on Sunday. The roar of the grandstands when he led the field to green as the polesitter at the start of the race or when he made a move for position is a testament to that.

    He loves it here, too — that started even before he won six races at Talladega in the premier series, when he was a young child running around the garage as his father made a name at the Alabama track.

    “I really do owe a lot to this track and the support that we have had here from the fans, owe a lot to them,” Earnhardt said. “You know, it just has been a very fun place. When I was a little kid going to -- we got to go to a handful of race tracks throughout the year, and this was always a fun trip. There was a pay-to-ride go-kart track down where the hotels were where all the drivers and everybody stayed, and me -- I’d get a hundred bucks from Dad maybe, and then … a bunch of us would run over there and spend all our daddies’ money riding go-karts … Me and the boys, we’d run around the garage looking at the cars that came in there, they were broke or wrecked or whatever, and they’d just bring them in there and park them and leave them.

    “Just so many good memories as a kid coming here, and that was back before hot passes and pit passes, garage passes. Man, you could run anywhere you wanted to go, and we were all over the place having fun and goofing off … A lot of great memories here, and then obviously the career in Cup here, four in a row, all those things mean a lot to me.”

    Even though his career in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has come to a close at NASCAR’s largest track, the Earnhardt connection will remain; he’ll be back in a different form.

    “I hope to always have a great connection here, and trust me when I say that whatever the track needs from me, anytime they want anything, I’ll be here to help promote and support this place no matter what the request is,” Earnhardt said. “They’ve done so much for me, and I want to remain very close.”

    This last one is a bag of mixed emotions for him; his slight disappointment is evident, but he maintains a slight smile and cheerful spirits during interviews. He finished the race, earned a top 10 and gave his devoted fans something to watch up until the very end.

    “I’m always disappointed when we don’t run well at tracks I know we should, but we did run well today, but I know that everybody was probably -- is a little bit of air out of the bag there at the end to finish seventh,” Earnhardt said. “I hate to leave slightly disappointed, but hopefully they enjoyed everything else they saw. I mean, we ran as hard as we could, did the best we could.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes pole for final Talladega race

    (10/14/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won the pole for his final scheduled Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.

    Earnhardt is retiring from full-time competition at the end of the season, and the Alabama crowd has always embraced NASCAR’s most popular driver. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has declared race day "Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day" across the state.

    The field will be led to green by Donnie Allison, a two-time Talladega winner and original member of the Alabama Gang, while driving the late Dale Earnhardt’s No. 2 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Talladega officials presented Earnhardt Jr. with the car , which his father raced during his 1979 rookie season, as well as some races during his 1980 championship season, as a retirement gift.

    Now, with the pole — the first of his career at Talladega — it has turned into quite the special weekend for Earnhardt.

    "This place has meant a lot to me," he said. "It’s awesome to hear those fans happy for us and hopefully we’re going to give them a lot more to cheer about before this weekend is over."

    Could he add a seventh victory?

    "Certainly," he grinned. "You think about that every time you suit up and get in the car, you imagine if that’s going to be the day you get a win. But, this would be a real important one if we could win for all the fans, all year long, we certainly owe them a win."

    Earnhardt is winless this season and didn’t make the playoffs. He’s got just six races left before he turns over his No. 88 Chevrolet to Hendrick Motorsports and replacement driver Alex Bowman.

    On Saturday, Earnhardt turned a lap at 190.544 mph to knock teammate Chase Elliott from the top starting spot. Elliott wound up second with a lap at 190.412 mph in a Hendrick Motorsports sweep of the front row.

    "We’ve been fighting our teammate Chase and his group for poles at these tracks for a long time and it’s been a lot of fun to be honest with you, how these two teams have pushed and elevated each other," Earnhardt said. "Really, all the credit for getting a pole at a place like this goes to the team. … I just hold the wheel straight and try not to bounce into the apron. There ain’t much to it as a driver."

    Joey Logano was third in a Team Penske Ford, followed by Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Brad Keselowski and Clint Bowyer. Ford drivers took positions third through seventh.

    Stenhouse knocked Earnhardt from the pole in May , and then went on to win his first career Cup race at Talladega. Stenhouse added a victory at Daytona in July, making him the winner of the last two restrictor-plate races. Busch’s victory in the Daytona 500 has made the Ford engines built by Doug Yates 3 for 3 so far this year in plate races.

    So Stenhouse wasn’t thrilled to qualify fifth.

    "That was a bummer," he said. "I was hoping we’d get another pole and I think it would have been cool to knock (Earnhardt) off the pole again. But obviously this shows our Ford is still fast. We’ve got speed."

    It was a rough qualifying effort for Toyota, with none of its playoff contenders advancing to the final 12. That’s an odd development considering Toyota drivers have won the first four playoff races.

    Eliminated in the first round were Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth, as well as points leader Martin Truex Jr. Starting position doesn’t mean much at Talladega, and Truex won at Charlotte last weekend so he’s already in the third round of the playoffs.

    "You know it is superspeedway qualifying — just been a little bit off on superspeedway qualifying," Hamlin said. "We obviously race pretty decent. It looks like the Fords are pretty strong, so we’ll have to race those guys tomorrow and we’ll just kind of see how we all stack up."

    Historic car gift from Talladega leaves Dale Jr. beaming

    (10/13/17) It was an Earnhardt behind the wheel and it was at Talladega and one of the places that helped make his father a legend in the sport of NASCAR had a grand parting gift for the son.

    Talladega Superspeedway officials, in conjunction with the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the state of Alabama, handed Dale Earnhardt Jr. the keys (figuratively speaking) to the 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that his father drove to the Rookie of the Year title that year, and possibly wheeled in a few ’80 races as well.

    Earnhardt the elder won the first of his seven Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series titles in ’80 while driving for team owner Rod Osterlund.

    “This car is a 1979 Monte Carlo,” a beaming Earnhardt Jr. told NBC after taking the car for a spin on the 2.66-mile Talladega layout. “Dad drove this car in his rookie season; he probably ran it in his championship season too in 1980.

    “They ran a Monte Carlo here in ’79 but in ’80 they ran an Oldsmobile 442. This was the kind of car he ran at Bristol and all the short tracks and the mile and a halves.”

    The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is located on the grounds of Talladega Superspeedway.

    After climbing behind the wheel, Earnhardt Jr. drove the blue and yellow Monte Carlo, with its long front end and No. 2 emblazoned on the sides, at only moderate speed for a couple of laps around the track. But he did make a quick side trip after starting down pit road to drive it through the Monster Energy Series garage before heading back down pit road for pictures with dignitaries and a quick interview.

    “Actually the state of Alabama owns this car,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “They’re going to let us take it to Mooresville, North Carolina, and show it around in our shop so that’s going to be fun for the guys.

    “I got to take it for a couple of laps; that was fun. I drove it through the garage so all the guys on the team could see it. Pretty neat just trying to imagine what it would be like running one of them around here at 180-190 miles an hour.”

    In addition to the permanent loan of the vehicle, Earnhardt was presented two unopened magnums of champagne by track officials. The first was from the lot that was used during his father’s final victory here in 2000; the second came from the post-race celebration following Earnhardt Jr.’s first Talladega win in 2001.

    Earnhardt Jr. said he did get the opportunity to drive his father’s race cars previously, but none of the older models.

    “I drove his No. 3 Goodwrench car a couple of times, did some tests that first year we were together,” he said. “But never anything old like this, you know, with some real history. “I love to be able to sit in the car and just see the perspective of … what the view was like. So different than our cars today. No headrests or nothing like that. Just kind of see everything and a lot of wind moving around and pretty crazy.”

    Earnhardt Jr. will make his final Talladega start Sunday when the Alabama 500 gets underway here (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Six of his 26 career wins have come at Talladega.

    “I’m pretty surprised,” he said. “I didn’t think I was going to take home a race car from this weekend. I just have to thank Talladega Superspeedway and the state of Alabama. They’ve been really good to me and hopefully we can get them a win this weekend.”

    Dale Jr. describes what it’s like to take the lead at Talladega

    (10/13/17) Racing fans know all too well when NASCAR’s most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the lead during a race.

    There’s the roar that suddenly arises through the grandstands, piercing the air over the already-loud sound of exhaust systems, and then often the standing ovation that unfolds like a choreographed routine.

    This is especially true at Talladega Superspeedway — or as it’s often dubbed, Earnhardt Country. The place where both Junior and his father Dale Earnhardt have always been held in high esteem, holding a combined 16 wins at the Alabama oval.

    NASCAR’s favorite son often sees it, too.

    “You can visually see a difference in the grandstands,” Earnhardt told NASCAR.com in June. “At Talladega, for example, when you take the lead. The difference visually between everybody sitting down and everybody standing up with their arms in the air is extremely easy to see.

    “You come off of Turn 4, if you get the lead on the back straightaway and going into Turn 1 or something, the next time you come off Turn 4, you see everybody kind of waving their arms in the air and going crazy.”

    It’s something that sticks with Earnhardt, giving him a bit of motivation while out front.

    “It kind of makes that pass for the lead a lot more memorable and more fulfilling,” he said. “And it certainly motivates you to try as hard as you can to keep the lead and stay toward the front, keep fans excited and glued to what’s going on.”

    So, Junior Nation: Stand up if Dale Jr. takes the lead in Sunday’s Alabama 500 at Talladega (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    He’ll likely notice.

    Alabama governor declares Oct. 15 ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’

    (10/12/17) Race: Alabama 500

    Date: Sunday, Oct. 15, 2 p.m. ET (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Talladega: 22nd, 40th, second, first, 31st

    Notable: It didn’t take Dale Earnhardt Jr. long to pick up where his father left off at the 2.66-mile superspeedway, winning four times in his first seven visits to the track. That includes four straight victories that began in the fall of 2001 and went until the spring of 2003. Since then, Earnhardt has added two more wins to his resume, making him the winningest active driver at Talladega. Of course, he’s also the active leader in top-five finishes (12) and laps led (960). In other words, Talladega really is “Earnhardt Country.”

    Memorable: Winning at Talladega does not come easy and Earnhardt has had his share of dramatic moments. The 2004 season was the inaugural year of a playoff format in NASCAR, and Earnhardt arrived at Talladega third in points and looking for some momentum going into the final few races. The dominant car on the day, Earnhardt lost his track position when the caution flew on Lap 180 (of 188) as he made his final pit stop and crew chief Tony Eury Sr. quickly called for two tires. With five laps to go, Earnhardt restarted 11th, but he didn’t stay there long. Charging to fourth with four laps to go and to the lead with three laps to go, Earnhardt picked up his fifth victory at Talladega and leaped into the points lead. At least he did for a few days as Earnhardt would be fined and docked 25 points for having used a four-letter word in his Victory Lane interview.

    Quotable: “I’d like to fly under the radar a little bit,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “I don’t want to put too much pressure on us – it messes up the way you think, the way you use strategy in the race, everything. But Talladega is a great track and a great opportunity to win. I think we’ll also have a chance to win at Martinsville and Texas, and some of these other tracks we go to.”

    Alabama governor declares Oct. 15 ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’

    (10/10/17) With the Alabama 500 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway just days away, Governor Kay Ivey has declared this Sunday, Oct. 15th as ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’ in the state of Alabama.

    Ivey, who also will serve as Grand Marshal for the Alabama 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) made the announcement in celebration of six-time Talladega winner Earnhardt Jr. and his legacy at the superspeedway. This Sunday — Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day — will be an emotional one for Earnhardt Jr., who will make his final start at the track he calls a “second home.”

    “Nowhere else in the world are there more Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans than in the state of Alabama,” said Ivey, the 54th Governor of Alabama, who will give the command “Drivers, Start Your Engines” to get the Alabama 500 underway. “He has always made it clear of his love for Talladega Superspeedway and the millions of fans that lay claim to him as their favorite NASCAR driver. He has been an impressive, positive role model for so many and we are proud to honor him this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, but also across the entire state.”

    Dale Jr. scored his first Talladega Superspeedway Monster Energy Series win in October 2001, igniting a seven-race stretch that is unprecedented in the history of the 2.66-mile venue. Between the fall of 2001 and fall of 2004, Earnhardt Jr. won five out of seven races, including a record four straight. The other two races ended in runner-up finishes. His most recent triumph came in the 2015 GEICO 500.

    “We are thrilled that Governor Ivey has proclaimed Sunday, Oct. 15 as ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day’ in the State of Alabama,” said Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch. “Dale Jr. has meant so much to Talladega Superspeedway. He’s one of us, and has left a mark on our state for many years to come.”

    A victory in the Alabama 500 would move Dale Jr. into sole place on the all-time Talladega MENCS wins list, trailing only his father – Dale Earnhardt Sr. – who had 10 Talladega Superpseedway triumphs.

    Brad Keselowski’s throwback tribute to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    (10/10/17) (Pic1, Pic2) Brad Keselowski will run a throwback paint scheme, but at Talladega, not Darlington — and it’s honoring Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Brad Keselowski's Talladega paint scheme

    Keselowski announced Monday via his blog that he will run a No. 2 Miller Lite Team Penske Ford that resembles the No. 88 Navy Chevrolet he drove for JR Motorsports in what is now the XFINITY Series from 2008-2009. Keselowski had six wins and 33 top-five finishes in that stretch.

    In conjunction with the announcement, Keselowski republished his first blog entry, which was a history of his friendship and personal relationship with Earnhardt. He added, “Dale, there’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ll excel at whatever it is you do next, but it’s not going to be the same out there without you. I’m going to miss racing against you, my friend. I’m going to miss seeing you out there in the 88 on Sundays.”

    This weekend’s Alabama 500 (2 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will be the last race at the superspeedway for Junior, who has six wins at the track.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. to be inducted into Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame

    (10/10/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Texas Motor Speedway will forever be synonymous as the NASCAR superstar captured milestone victories in two national series at the world-renowned motorsports facility.

    That connection from his first career wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and XFINITY Series coming at Texas Motor Speedway will be further strengthened by Monday’s announcement of his induction into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame during November’s AAA Texas 500 NASCAR tripleheader playoff weekend.

    Earnhardt Jr. will become the 19th member inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame when he is honored during a special ceremony held in The Grand Ballroom of The Speedway Club on Saturday, Nov. 4, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. Other honorees during the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame event include Vice Chairman of NASCAR Mike Helton, Texas Motor Speedway’s winningest NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and Verizon IndyCar Series driver James Hinchcliffe.

    The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame ceremony serves as a major fundraiser for Speedway Children’s Charities-Texas. Tickets are appropriately priced at $88 to reflect Earnhardt Jr.’s iconic No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and admission also includes a barbecue lunch buffet.

    Earnhardt Jr. took an immediate liking to Texas Motor Speedway, earning his first career XFINITY Series win on April 4, 1998 at the 1.5-mile speedway. He earned the victory with a thrilling last-lap pass of Joe Nemechek and then held off Elliott Sadler to capture the Coca-Cola 300.

    Nearly two years later to the day Earnhardt Jr. would strike again, winning his first Cup Series race on April 2, 2000 in the DIRECTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Earnhardt Jr. proved to be the class of the field, leading 106 of 334 laps to become the first Cup rookie driver to win at Texas Motor Speedway. The celebration that ensued in Victory Lane on that day with he and his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., provided moments that are embedded in NASCAR history.

    “This place definitely has always been one of my preferred stops because of the success we’ve had in the XFINITY and Cup Series in our first races here,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “You never forget where you won your first race and neither do your fans. I always look forward to coming here.”

    Helton will receive the Bruton Smith Legend Award for his leadership in his role as NASCAR President and shaping the legacy of the sport. Helton was instrumental in expanding NASCAR to new markets, both nationally and internationally. New tracks in Chicago and Kansas City were added to NASCAR’s schedule in 2001. Later, NASCAR’s presence grew with the addition of series in Mexico and Canada in 2007. He also was a key figure in the formation of the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C. Dedicated to strengthening NASCAR’s competition and safety initiatives, it is the first R&D center owned and operated by a sanctioning body of a major motorsports series.

    Busch will be honored with the 2016 Racer of the Year award following yet another impressive overall performance at Texas Motor Speedway last season. For the second time in his career, Busch swept both the Cup and XFINITY Series races at Texas in the same weekend after winning April’s Duck Commander 500 and O’Reilly Auto Parts 300. The wins were his 12th and 13th at Texas Motor Speedway among NASCAR’s three national series, the most among any driver.

    For more information or to purchase tickets, call Speedway Children’s Charities at (817) 215-8421 or visit www.scctexas.org.

    The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame event, traditionally held during Texas Motor Speedway’s April NASCAR weekend, will now become part of November’s NASCAR playoff tripleheader weekend. The race weekend features the Camping World Truck Series JAG Metals 350 Driving Hurricane Harvey Relief on Friday, Nov. 3; XFINITY Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 on Saturday, Nov. 4; and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Nov. 5.

    For more race information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com or call the speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500.

    Dale Jr. on helmets, race cars — and who gets his own at season’s end

    (10/7/17) He’ll keep the car, but the helmet will go to his team owner.

    That’s the season-ending scenario for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver who steps away from full-time competition following this year’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway.

    The race, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 19, will be the final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season and the final MENCS race of Earnhardt Jr.’s career.

    At each stop along this year’s MENCS trail, tracks have presented the Hendrick Motorsports driver with a “parting gift” of some sort — Friday at CMS, track officials in conjunction with Speedway Children’s Charities announced the establishment of the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Concussion Research Fund at Levine Children’s Hospital and are launching the initiative with a $100,000 donation.

    As Earnhardt Jr., soon to turn 43 and the son of seven-time champion and NASCAR Hall of Fame member Dale Earnhardt, eases toward the conclusion of one occupation, what’s happening with some of his own racing “memorabilia” such as the helmet he wore in his final Daytona 500? Or the fire suit he wore for his last start in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

    “Well, if you want to know the truth, I only have one helmet and I’ve only used one helmet each year for a long time,” Earnhardt said Friday at CMS. “So, when people come asking for helmets, it is kind of hard to give them away because that is the only helmet I have from that season. And I like to keep it myself and store it away. So, I don’t have a whole lot of helmets floating around.”

    Perhaps, he said, he should have taken a page from three-time series champion Tony Stewart, who had a number of helmets produced for his final year behind the wheel in ’16.

    “I know that Tony was really smart wearing a different one each week; I probably should have done something like that,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “The Stilo’s (brand of helmet) I’ve got are $3,000-$5,000 apiece and I ain’t buying them. So, I just wear the same one all year.”

    Uniforms are likewise less than abundant, he said, and used ones typically get cut into small pieces and included in trading cards or used in similar ways. Others might be donated for charitable causes.

    “We get one or two and Hendrick (Motorsports) gets one or two, we split them,” he said. “And I like to keep one of those. I do give them to … usually I give the uniforms away to drivers for their charity events, Clint (Bowyer) called this week wanting one for his and so, we will give him a uniform out of our allotment.

    “So, there is just not a lot of that stuff floating around.”

    A special paint scheme will adorn the No. 88 Chevrolet for his final start and there will be a unique scheme for the helmet at Homestead as well. Barring any problems, Earnhardt said, the helmet will go to his boss and he’ll get to keep the car.

    “That is our deal,” Earnhardt Jr. said of the agreement struck with team owner Rick Hendrick. “That is the same deal he had with Jeff (Gordon) … that Jeff gave him the helmet and Jeff got the car. And so, I think that is the same deal I’m going to get with Rick.”

    Gordon, a four-time champion, retired at the end of the ’15 season.

    Charlotte track’s $100,000 gift to honor Dale Jr., fund concussion research

    (10/6/17) As he moves through his final season of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had one consistent request — that gifts and recognition in his honor have a broader societal impact.

    On Friday, Charlotte Motor Speedway honored Earnhardt’s wishes — and then some — with a gift of $100,000 to establish and underwrite the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Concussion Research Fund at the Carolinas Healthcare System’s Levine Children’s Hospital.

    During two separate seasons, Earnhardt missed races because of concussion symptoms. In 2012 he was sidelined for two events, and last year he sat out the final 18 races after his symptoms from a wreck at Michigan worsened drastically in subsequent weeks.

    During Friday’s presentation, the football team from Mooresville High School, Earnhardt’s alma mater, was ushered into the media center as part of the surprise.

    “We have a lot of history with concussions and awareness and rehab and all that good stuff, so this is something that is actually very close to my heart,” Earnhardt said. “I hope to be able to continue to help others going forward. This is a great way to do that, so thanks again.”

    Earnhardt didn’t play football at Mooresville. In fact, his Twitter profile lists him as “Former backup fullback for Mooresville Blue Devils varsity soccer.”

    “I was four 4-feet-10-inches tall at the time,” Earnhardt said of the year he entered high school. “I think I was 5-foot-3 when I got my driver’s license. So I was real short, and we were driving by the football field — well, the practice field — and they were out there practicing, and I said, ‘I want to play football.’ And the guy said, ‘I’m going to take you down and introduce you to the soccer coach, because I don’t think you need to be playing football.’

    “So I played soccer anyways. I got me a letter jacket and all that. We went to State and lost, but it was a lot of fun. I played one year, and I was the back-up, so I sat on the bench all year and I got to play a couple of games. We were a pretty good team, so we would get a big lead, I would get in a couple of games.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. crashes in practice at Charlotte

    (10/6/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final weekend as a full-time driver at Charlotte Motor Speedway got off to a rough start when he crashed moments into Friday’s opening practice.

    Earnhardt drove into the high line of the track and slipped in the grippy substance Charlotte officials had used on the surface. It caused him to hit the wall and his Hendrick Motorsports team had to pull out his backup car.

    Earnhardt wasn’t very happy about his misfortune and felt the substance — known as PJ1 — was too slick.

    He had to make a quick visit to the care centre before he was cleared to return to practice.

    Earnhardt is retiring at the end of the season, in part because of multiple concussions he’s received while racing.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last race at Charlotte

    (10/6/17) Race: Bank of America 500

    Date: Sunday, Oct. 8, 2 p.m. ET (NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Charlotte: 10th, 14th, 28th, third, 20th

    Notable: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never scored a points-paying Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Sunday afternoon at the 1.5-mile D-shaped oval will be Earnhardt’s final opportunity to make it happen. In 34 races, NASCAR’s 14-time Most Popular Driver has earned six top fives and 13 top-10 finishes — which equates to an average finish of 18.8.

    Memorable: Although Earnhardt has never won a points race at Charlotte, he is still familiar with Victory Lane at his home track. Earnhardt’s first Monster Energy Series victory came during his rookie season at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2000, which locked him into the All-Star Race at Charlotte. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native went on to have a special night on May 20, 2000 by winning the event. After making a late-race pit stop, Earnhardt rocketed to the front of the field in his No. 8 Chevrolet, passing Dale Jarrett with two laps remaining to take the checkered flag. His father, seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt, was there to greet him in Victory Lane after the race.

    Quotable: “The challenge at Charlotte is not landing too tight in Turns 1 and 2 and being too tight in the center there,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “Something that I think we all fight and we all have to work on there is trying to get your car to roll the middle of the corner, have that front grip and keep the car turning in the middle. You get into the corner so fast in Turn 1 and transitioning into that banking, the car really lands hard and gets tight, so trying to make that transition is a real challenge. Charlotte is our home track and I haven’t won a points race there yet, so that’s certainly something I would like to do. We have been seeing some improvements in our performance and our speed, so I’m looking forward to Charlotte.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. confident for Sunday after stellar Dover qualifying run

    (9/30/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. was all smiles and high hopes as he walked down pit road following qualifying for Sunday’s Apache Warrior 400 at Dover International Speedway.

    NASCAR’s reigning Most Popular Driver qualified seventh Friday on the Monster Mile — his best start since March on any non-restrictor plate track.

    His No. 88 Nationwide Chevy will be the second-highest Chevrolet on the grid — best of his Hendrick Motorsports team and one of only three non-playoff drivers who advanced to the final round of qualifying.

    And the good news for both him and his loyal legions? Earnhardt — the 2001 Dover winner — thinks his car could easily finish better than it starts.

    “Heck yeah I’m happy,” Earnhardt said while walking down pit road as fans in the grandstands cheered and shouted their approval.

    “I didn’t know what to expect. Our car was real fast off the truck. We had some pretty good comfort in practice. So I was feeling pretty confident about it, but yet we’ve had the same thing happen week after week where we’ve been confident and not backed it up. But this car was really nice right off the track. We ran some really good laps in the first run in practice and was right there with the 4 [Kevin Harvick], which I think he’ll be great.”

    Earnhardt got a slightly late start to qualifying as NASCAR officials spent extra time inspecting his car. As he walked back toward the garage following the qualifying session, he said he anticipated an extra “hold” time by NASCAR for tomorrow’s final practice session.

    “We ran some good laps on our qualifying mock runs and actually ran the mock runs on our race tires so we saved another set for tomorrow and we’ll have more stickers for practice tomorrow, but it came at a cost,” Earnhardt said.

    “Thankfully our car is good and comfortable. If we were really struggling with speed and balance I’d be real upset because we need all the practice we can.

    “I’m thankful the car is fast. So, hopefully we’ll learn what we can in the little bit of practice we’re going to get. I think we’ve got a chance at a real good run this weekend. I really do.”

    Just call Junior ‘William Bonney’ next year

    (9/30/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. stressed Friday afternoon at Dover International Speedway that any post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing days will be the result of a mutual decision between him and his wife, Amy.

    But should he be inclined to enter a local short-track weekend feature, NASCAR’s 14-time and reigning Most Popular Driver grinned and confirmed he has used aliases before – a favorite, he revealed was “William Bonney,” Billy the Kid’s name.

    But, he conceded with a grin, “I doubt I’d even try it. I’d just come in there and race. I really don’t have any reason to hide I suppose.’’

    The two-time Daytona 500 winner Earnhardt is retiring at the end of the season and indicated he fully intends to enjoy his post-competition days. In addition to his work on NBC’s Cup Series telecasts next year, it would be only natural for him to still include an occasional short-track visit — to race or to watch.

    “I might enjoy signing some autographs and just kinda being in that environment as a driver,’’ he said. “It might be hard to just quit cold turkey. It might do me some good to hold those feelings again.”

    “I could be in the pits rumbling around. I’ve been there as a car owner. I was lucky enough to be there at one particular race we won and got some pictures in Victory Lane, which is a lot of fun. I’m sure I’ll miss that as a driver.

    “I don’t want to make this sound like I have plans to do this. I have a wife at home that’s part of this discussion. I have to make sure it’s good for both of us and fun to do and maybe I’ll go do that.’’

    Earnhardt mentioned several times during his press conference that he is most hopeful that he and his newlywed, Amy, will soon have children to consider.

    “I’m excited to start a family, and I hope I’m fortunate enough to do that with Amy,’’ he said. “We definitely want to do that. And it would be weird not being a race car driver if I have a daughter or son, I think about that, would they understand what I’m telling them or what I did for a long time. I’m hoping to find out all that stuff soon.’’

    Earnhardt won’t judge athletes who don’t stand for anthem

    (9/30/17) Two NASCAR team owners who said they would fire employees who do not stand for the national anthem do not speak for the sport, star driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday.

    Several owners and executives said last weekend they wouldn’t want anyone in their organizations to protest as NFL players have done to indicate their concern with social injustices, particularly against African-Americans. Richard Childress, who was Dale Earnhardt’s longtime team owner, said of protesting: "It’ll get you a ride on a Greyhound bus." Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty said anyone that refused to stand for the anthem "ought to be out of the country."

    Earnhardt, NASCAR’s most popular driver who will retire at the end of the season, tweeted Monday in support of peaceful protest . Earnhardt said he hasn’t discussed the issue with his teammates, crew or other employees at Hendrick Motorsports. He said he will continue to stand for the anthem.

    "But I’m not quick to rush to judgment on somebody who wants to do something different," Earnhardt said Friday.

    Earnhardt said on weekly podcast he had grown weary of the "same tired stigma that we’ve dealt with for many, many years."

    "I think the whole sports respects Richard Petty and Richard Childress for what they’ve accomplished and what they’ve done, but they speak for themselves," Earnhardt said at Dover International Speedway. "They don’t speak for the entire sport, I believe. I think that everybody would handle those situations differently."

    Austin Dillon, Childress’ grandson, said it was an honour to stand for the anthem.

    "I enjoy that part of my weekend so I can give a little bit back to those who have given their lives to allow me to go race," he said.

    President Donald Trump lauded NASCAR on Monday because no one protested during the national anthem before last weekend’s race at New Hampshire Motorspeedway.

    "So proud of NASCAR and its supporters and fans. They won’t put up with disrespecting our Country or our Flag – they said it loud and clear!" Trump tweeted Monday.

    NASCAR, which is in the midst of its playoffs, was a punchline this week on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert " and "Late Night With Seth Meyers ."

    Seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson, who was not invited to the White House to honour his 2016 championship, said this week he supported peaceful protest. Brad Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champion, expressed his views in a series of tweets , writing: "Please don’t believe that when we stand it’s out of disrespect to civil rights; it is and always will be out of respect and love for our flag."

    Danica Patrick was among a handful of drivers asked about the issue at Dover and said she would continue to stand for the anthem.

    "You have to figure out what’s more important to you," she said. "If you think something should be done differently and you might sacrifice your job, that’s your choice. Otherwise, it’s your choice the other way, too. There’s plenty of platforms to speak your mind. If it comes in interference with putting food on the table or being able to do something that you love, I think that you should probably go by the rules."

    Legacy Series, Part 2: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Presented by John Deere

    (9/28/17) (Video) “We’ve lost Dale Earnhardt.”

    When Dale Earnhardt Jr. lost his father in February 2001, NASCAR wept with him. Since that turning point, the sport has moved with Junior, who withstood the test of some of the most-trying adversity to become the face of NASCAR.

    Six months following the tragic death of Senior, a still-grieving Dale Jr. continued to move forward and build his own legacy in his father’s honor by winning in July at Daytona — the very same track that took his father’s life.

    The “Dale Jr.” persona was cemented in time that night and has grown bigger and bigger ever since.

    NASCAR.com has teamed up with John Deere to bring you the three-part series, Legacy: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Watch Part 2, Driven to Succeed, above, as Junior overcomes tragedy to find glory in tribute to his father at Daytona.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final race at Dover

    (9/27/17) Race: Apache Warrior 400 Presented by Lucas Oil at Dover International Speedway

    Date: Sunday, Oct. 1, 2 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Dover: 11th, 32nd, third, 14th, 17th

    Notable: Earnhardt has just one win at Dover, and that came 16 years ago. In 34 starts at the ‘Monster Mile,’ he has 12 top 10 and seven top fives. He finished second in 2013 after starting that fall race on the pole.

    Memorable: Earnhardt’s only win at Dover is one of the most memorable in NASCAR history. The Sept. 23, 2001 race was NASCAR’s first return to the track since the 9/11 attacks. Just like he did seven months earlier, when he shouldered the emotional burden of the sport after his father, Dale Earnhardt, was killed on a last-lap wreck in the Daytona 500, Junior was able to lift the spirits of NASCAR Nation when the favorite son returned to Victory Lane. He led 193 of 400 laps, though he later told ESPN.com, “I don’t remember hardly a thing about that race. I remember that amazing pre-race show and then I remember the celebration after we won. It wasn’t about me at that point. It was about celebrating America. And it was about feeling normal again. I remember thinking, ‘OK, we’re back at the track now. We’re all happy again, even if it was just for a few hours. Maybe now it’s OK to smile again. To feel normal again.’ "

    Quotable: “I’m looking forward to Dover,” said Earnhardt in a team release.”Well, I’m especially looking forward to some of the tracks that we have coming up after that — Martinsville, Talladega, Texas, Phoenix, etc. I don’t know how we’re going to do at Dover, it hasn’t been a great track for us the past several years. I appreciate everybody’s support, though, and it does help. We’re going to keep grinding and keep working hard and try to get a good run for everybody this weekend.”

    Fan vote: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Martinsville paint scheme up to you

    (9/26/17) There are eight races left in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, and paint schemes for the No. 88 Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. have been determined for seven.

    Fans will determine No. 8, slated to be run at Martinsville Speedway in the Oct. 29 First Data 500.

    Nationwide’s “Pick the 88 Paint Scheme” promotion gives race fans the opportunity to vote for one of eight Nationwide paint schemes run by the Hendrick Motorsports driver from 2015-17.

    Those who vote also can enter for a chance to win Earnhardt’s signed gloves from the Martinsville race as well as a signed replica helmet.

    To vote, go to www.Pickthe88PaintScheme.com. Current vote totals can be seen on the voting site.

    The promotion is scheduled to end at 11:59 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Sept. 26. The winning scheme will be revealed Sept. 27.

    Earnhardt, voted the National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver for 14 consecutive years, is retiring from Monster Energy Series competition at the end of the 2017 season. He has 26 career wins in the series and is a two-time champion in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

    Nationwide has been a primary sponsor of Earnhardt’s No. 88 entry since 2014.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Breaks with NASCAR Owners, Approves NFL Protests

    (9/26/17) Not all NASCAR people are siding with Trump -- with Dale Earnhardt Jr. throwing his support behind NFL protesters ... despite several NASCAR owners bashing them.

    After POTUS said NFL owners should fire any "son of a bitch" who takes a knee, two of the most powerful men in NASCAR gave major stamps of approval.

    Richard Petty said, "Anybody that don’t stand up for that ought to be out of the country. Period."

    Team owner Richard Childress was asked what he would do if any of his staffers protested the anthem -- "Get you a ride on a Greyhound bus when the national anthem is over."

    But Earnhardt -- hands down the most popular NASCAR driver of the last 10 years -- sees things differently ... and weighed in Monday morning with a quote from John F. Kennedy.

    "All Americans R granted rights 2 peaceful protests," Dale Jr. tweeted.

    "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

    As for Trump, POTUS praised the NASCAR community early Monday morning.

    "So proud of NASCAR and its supporters and fans. They won't put up with disrespecting our Country or our Flag - they said it loud and clear!"

    JR Motorsports stable of drivers eye title for boss Dale Jr.

    (9/23/17) One. Two. Three. Four.

    One-third of the field.

    That’s how many JR Motorsports drivers are in the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs — more than any other team.

    William Byron, Justin Allgaier, Elliott Sadler and Michael Annett are the four horsemen who are galloping their way toward Miami to help bring a shiny trophy to the Earnhardt family once more — especially for Dale Jr., who is finishing out his own Appreci88ion Tour over the next couple of months.

    Byron, the lone rookie at JRM, is the clubhouse leader in the XFINITY Playoffs standings with teammates Allgaier and Sadler, the regular-season champion, peeking over his shoulder. A mere five points separate the three as they head to Kentucky Speedway on Saturday for the first playoffs race (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    Although the JRM drivers want to see their name on the trophy for selfish reasons, the weight of winning a title for Junior isn’t something they take lightly — and it’s something that adds even more motivation to succeed as they get behind the wheel.

    “We definitely want to try and win a championship for him in his last year in the (Monster Energy NASCAR) Cup Series,” Byron told NASCAR.com “Hopefully give him that excitement and thrill of that last weekend at the race track. I think we have a great shot to do that. We have four of us in the playoffs, and that would be really special to him I think.”

    Sadler, the veteran at JRM, has a long history with Earnhardt that goes back to when the men were just teenagers getting their first true taste of driving race cars. He understands his career is coming to the end of a chapter — just like Earnhardt. The two have a deep understanding of each other which helps as Sadler saddles up for an opportunity like the playoffs, where all eyes will be on him to celebrate in Victory Lane.

    “The biggest thing Dale has told me is be yourself and do your thing,” Sadler told NASCAR.com. “You know how to do this, we’ve been leading the points all year. We’ve been getting maximum points at almost every track that we go to. … Just continue doing those things to make it to Homestead to put yourself in position to become a champion. He has really (been) giving me a lot of comfort and support that they are going to do everything they can from their side of the race team to give us every possible tool that we need to become a champion.”

    Earnhardt Jr. is a two-time XFINITY Series champion as a driver, and he also is a championship owner (2014). He knows what it takes to win.

    Now, it’s up to his horsemen to make it to Miami — and it all begins now.

    I Love My Pet: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dogs Love Car Rides as Much as He Does

    (9/22/17) (Pic1, Pic2, Pic3) I’ve had pets in my life since I was a kid – a yellow Lab named Domino, Rocket the Irish setter, a boxer named Killer and several cats – Buddy, Cuz, Dude and Tux. I even owned hamsters, which were named after characters from the Days of Our Lives soap opera.

    Today, my wife Amy and I have two dogs who bring so much personality into our house – Gus, an Irish setter, and Junebug, a Pomeranian. As true members of our family, we take them with us whenever we can and they love it. In fact, they would not have it any other way! As soon as I get out of the shower and start getting dressed, Gus anticipates a trip in the truck is near and will not leave me alone. When I get to the point of putting on my coat, Junebug gets into the act as well. Once I grab the car keys, it’s all over … they beat me to the front door with their noses pressed against it, just waiting for it to crack open for a sprint to the truck and a trip to somewhere, anywhere – they never care – they just want to be with us.

    This weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, I will have a new dog riding with me. For the first time ever, the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS will have an image of a dog on it when I take to the track for Sunday’s race. Marshall, a one-year-old German shorthaired pointer from Stone Mountain, Georgia, was the winner of Nationwide’s Paws and Racing Sweepstakes.

    His image will be featured on the back bumper of my No. 88 race car. I also look forward to meeting his owners at the race and hope to introduce them to both Gus and Junebug. When Nationwide launched the sweepstakes earlier this summer, tens of thousands of pet owners from across the country posted amazing photos of their pets on the Paws and Racing web site. Marshall was selected at random as the winner. I have no doubt he’ll bring me some extra speed and added luck throughout the race.

    If you can’t make it out to the track, be sure to be on the lookout for Marshall on the No. 88 car on NBCSN on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 2 p.m. ET.

    If your dog enjoys riding in the car with you as much as Gus and Junebug do, safety is of utmost importance. My friends at Nationwide®, the first and largest provider of pet health insurance in the U.S., offer these tips to ensure the safest ride with your furry, four-legged friends.

    Based on more than 1.5 million pet insurance claims Nationwide processed last year, the most common medical conditions related to traveling with pets include motion sickness, heat stroke, lacerations and bruises. You can alleviate these medical maladies by taking precautionary measures.

    Never leave your dog unattended inside a parked car for any length of time. Even on a cool day, the temperature inside the car is always higher than outside. Some dogs can start to have a heat stroke at 83 degrees. If you think leaving the car windows rolled down is a good solution, think again. Open windows do not circulate any cool air and it could end in theft of your dog or your car.

    Depending on the length of the trip, refrain from feeding your pet a large meal before starting out, especially if it is their first ride. A few small snacks along the way will be better for their stomach. Bring plenty of water and even some ice cubes for your dog to lick to keep him from becoming thirsty or sick.

    If your pet gets nauseous during car rides, talk to your veterinarian. There are medications that will ease an upset tummy.

    With the busy NASCAR schedule, we love to bring Gus and Junebug to the racetrack, but if we can’t, then there is nothing better than seeing their excitement when we get home from the track. As my travels lessen, Amy and I look forward to spending even more time with Gus and Junebug and keeping them safe and happy wherever our travels may take us.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final race at New Hampshire

    (9/20/17) Race: ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

    Date: Sunday, Sept. 24, 2 p.m. ET (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at New Hampshire: 18th, 25th, fifth, ninth, 10th

    Notable: The ‘Magic Mile’ is a track where Earnhardt has had success, but a Victory Lane celebration has so far been elusive. In 34 career starts, Earnhardt has 15 top-10 finishes at Loudon and eight top-five finishes with the most recent coming in 2015 when he placed fifth after starting 19th. The closest Earnhardt has come to crossing the finish line first here was in Sept. 2004 as he finished third just behind winner Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth. More recently, Earnhardt was one of just six drivers who led the field (for 10 laps) at New Hampshire this past July.

    Memorable: Even without a win, Earnhardt has had a handful of strong performances in New Hampshire, including Sept. 2003 when his then No. 8 team led a race-high 120 laps. Unfortunately, Earnhardt fell back to finish fifth, but it ended up being good enough for his first top five at the track. A year later in the same race, Earnhardt improved his New Hampshire career-best by finishing third.

    Quotable: “We spent several hours in the simulator on Monday trying to figure something out for this week. We aren’t riding this year out or giving up,” Earnhardt said. “We’re going to keep working hard the rest of the season. I’m looking forward to New Hampshire – it’s a fun track. It’s flat and it’s kind of tricky to get around, but it’s fun.”

    ‘Made in Japan’: The time Dale Sr. threw a shoe at Junior

    (9/20/17) (Video) When NASCAR brought its road show to Japan for the first time in the 1990s, it meant transporting everything that makes the sport so great 7,000 miles — including the post-race drama American fans love to see.

    Little did they know the drama would center around the father-son duo of Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. But as Junior explains in this excerpt from “Made in Japan,” which airs tonight at 6 ET as part of FS1’s Race Hub, things got interesting when he felt his father’s shoe whiz past his head after the race.

    Find out what provoked Dale Sr. to do such a thing and what happened afterward, then tune in for the rest of “Made in Japan” to see the other stories that unfolded when NASCAR went to the Far East for a race.

    Dale Jr. shares thoughts on Johnson possibly winning eighth championship

    (9/20/17) Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked about his own and his father’s NASCAR records during the latest version of his Dirty Mo Radio ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast.

    As his final full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season is down to just nine more races, Earnhardt was asked if he’s put much thought into not surpassing Bill Elliott’s Most Popular Driver Award record, which sits at 16. Earnhardt won for the 14th consecutive time in 2016.

    Earnhardt said it wouldn’t be fair if he stuck around a couple more years just to reach that feat.

    “I never thought about it,” Earnhardt noted. “It would be sticking around only for that and that would be wrong.”

    That question segued into a conversation about his thoughts on Jimmie Johnson possibly winning eight championships, which would surpass a record set by both his father, Dale Earnhardt, and Richard Petty.

    “There’s a little sliver of me that doesn’t want Jimmie (Johnson) to win eight,” Earnhardt said. “I like that Jimmie tied him because I see him and my father more as equals. I think Jimmie is definitely in the conversation of the greatest driver that’s ever been in the sport. Now, I’m biased because I think my dad’s awesome.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final season ends without championship

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. received a stamp of approval from fans wanting to write letters to the retiring star, wishing him luck.

    Jennifer Hoger has attended races at Chicagoland Speedway for 15 years and penned similar farewell notes to former NASCAR champions Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart in their retirement seasons. She stopped at the red mailbox with No. 88 on the door to drop off her letter:

    Dear Dale,

    Thank you for all the memories here at Chicagoland Speedway!! Good luck in your future endeavours!!!

    The Hoger Family

    Bridgeview, Illinois

    "It’s just something I really wanted to do for him," she said. "He’s just a regular guy when you see the way he interacts with people on pit road. He’s just a great guy."

    Moments later, a track employee picked up the latest haul from the stuffed mailbox — she estimated 200 letters already had been written by Saturday morning — and promised they would be delivered to Junior by the end of race weekend.

    Randy Dunn had a simple note for NASCAR’s most popular driver:

    Hi Jr.

    Let’s Go Racing

    Randy Dunn

    Dunn wrote his Marion, Illinois, address on the note just in case Junior wanted to write back and maybe spend some time with him.

    "I hope so. I’m a very big fan," Dunn said. "Whatever he wants to do is fine with me."

    Fan enthusiasm hasn’t waned for Junior even as he’s stumbled through a disheartening final season that will end without a NASCAR Cup championship in his 18-year career. Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 champion, has just one top-five finish this season and hasn’t finished better than 12th in his last 10 races in the No. 88 Chevrolet. When NASCAR’s version of the playoffs open Sunday at Chicagoland, Earnhardt starts with a more modest goal of finishing the season inside the top 20 in the standings.

    "We should’ve run well all year and gotten ourselves into the playoffs for all of our fans," he said.

    Earnhardt has been feted at tracks all season, receiving donations in his name and framed photos of great moments. At Chicagoland, he cuddled a puppy as the track announced an $8,800 donation to a Chicago-based animal shelter.

    He strides through the garage hounded by autograph-seekers who know this is their last chance to receive that favoured souvenir on their die cast, hat or poster.

    There are 16 drivers in the NASCAR playoff field.

    There’s only one driver with the stature of Dale Junior.

    Earnhardt has been plagued by concussions the last several years, and he missed half of last season recovering from a head injury. He delayed contract talks on an extension to drive the No. 88 Chevrolet, and the winner of 26 career Cup races decided in the spring to call it quits this season.

    A third-generation racer, Earnhardt turns 43 in October, is newly married and has said he wants to start a family. He has won NASCAR’s most popular driver award a record 14 times.

    He wanted to win a championship for himself, his team and owner Rick Hendrick, but also for the fans who have idolized him because of his aw-shucks charm, candour and deep NASCAR roots. His late Hall of Fame father, Dale, won seven titles and was known as "The Intimidator."

    Earnhardt just could never get it going in a bit of a lacklustre season by Hendrick’s lofty standards.

    Seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson had a quirky season in which his only three top-five finishes were wins. Chase Elliott made the playoffs on points and did not win a race. Kasey Kahne qualified with a Brickyard 400 victory but had otherwise been so inefficient over his Hendrick career that he’ll be dumped at the end of the season with a year left on his contract.

    "The pressure of trying to win the championship is not there, but that is a pressure that you kind of want," Earnhardt said. "Even though you want it, it is not there. There is a concern, I guess, that you could get sort of complacent and go through these races and maybe some of the urgency or importance falls away a little bit because there is no ultimate carrot about there like that championship trophy."

    Earnhardt is 22nd in points and qualified 20th for Sunday’s race. He has one career win at Chicagoland.

    He is the latest — and biggest — star to leave NASCAR over the last three years, a brutal blow for a sport reeling from sagging attendance and sinking TV ratings. Gordon and Stewart won a combined seven championships. Just 10 laps shy of a championship, Carl Edwards abruptly quit at the end of last season. Danica Patrick, once an endorsement darling, saw her sponsorship dry up, lost her ride at Stewart-Haas Racing and likely is finished in stock cars at the end of the season.

    Elliott, Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney are the young playoff drivers expected to somehow carry that popularity torch held for so long by Earnhardt.

    "I thought building a brand, why would I want to do that? It should just build itself," Earnhardt said. "But you can actively build your brand and grow it up. By the time these guys are 28 or 30 years old, they could be bigger than anything we’ve ever seen in this sport."

    Kevin Harvick, the 2014 Cup champion, said NASCAR could still thrive without its stars.

    "Sports in general has a funny way of absorbing everything and moving on," Harvick said. "And whether it’s Dale Junior or Danica or myself, no matter what the case is, things move and they shuffle and people come and they go and you hope that as you look in the pipeline there are young and exciting drivers that are going to develop their own personalities and their own fan base and their own excitement."

    But can any driver truly rival Earnhardt’s following?

    Check the mailbox in 20 years.

    Legacy Series, Part 1: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Presented by John Deere

    (Video) When NASCAR fans think “Dale Earnhardt Jr.,” they think “legacy.”

    Following in the footsteps of his seven-time NASCAR champion father, Dale Earnhardt, Junior burst onto the scene as the calendar turned the page on a new millennium. Nearly two decades later, NASCAR’s most popular driver is riding into the sunset, hanging up the fire suit full-time at season’s end.

    Junior has always looked up to his father, bonding through racing — after all, it’s in his blood. He wanted his respect, his attention and to succeed in the larger-than-life shadow his dad cast, making “The Intimidator” proud in the process.

    NASCAR.com has teamed up with John Deere to bring you the three-part series, Legacy: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Watch Part 1, Born to Race, above, as Senior brings the next generation of Earnhardt to the Cup level, and Junior delivers.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Chicagoland Speedway

    Race: Tales of the Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway

    Date: Sunday, Sept. 17, 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Chicagoland: 12th, 11th, 35th, eighth, third

    Notable: The 1.5-mile Chicagoland oval has been hit or miss for Earnhardt during his career. In his first two visits to the speedway, Earnhardt rolled off two top-11 finishes. However, those were then followed by two finishes outside the top 20. Overall, Earnhardt has three top-five and five top-10 finishes in 15 starts at Chicagoland, including a 2005 victory. And in keeping with the hot or cold theme, Earnhardt has two DNFs at the track in addition to 123 laps led.

    Memorable: In the midst of a rough 2005 season, Earnhardt arrived at Chicagoland in July looking for something to write home about. After starting 25th, crew chief Shane Hmiel, who had taken over the team just six races prior, knew the car handled better with clean air. Hmiel called for two tires on Earnhardt’s final pit stop, putting him in position to take the lead with 11 laps to go. Earnhardt then fended off a challenge from Brian Vickers and pulled away just enough that a charging and a dominant Matt Kenseth – who had four tires – was not able to catch him. “We got us a win! Yaahoo!” was the cry from Earnhardt as he took the checkered flag for the first time that season and at Chicagoland.

    Quotable: “Chicago should be a good track for us. One of our teammates went out there and tested, so we’ve got some information that we can look at,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “[Crew chief] Greg [Ives] is going to be back. T-Mack [Travis Mack, last week’s interim crew chief] is still there as a car chief. I told all my guys at the end of the race last week that this is the team that Greg needs underneath of him to be successful. All of these guys stepped up a little bit and we need to be that way all year long. We should be able to do this going forward, at least that’s what I think we’re capable of, so we’re going to keep working hard for these last 10 races.”

    Dale Jr. on not making the playoffs: ‘It’s on us’

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave it all he could to get to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series postseason in his final full-time season, but ultimately struggles throughout the 2017 season dug too deep a hole for the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team.

    Earnhardt spent much of the night in the top 10 at Richmond Raceway and was out front for 13 laps (his most in a race all year, Laps 335-347) as part of a strategy play to stay out as long as possible and hold the lead. However, that came during the longest green flag run of the night (Laps 263-397) and ultimately, the strategy didn’t play out as hoped.

    “We were having a great night, but we weren’t going to pass those top five guys so we needed that kind of strategy to try and leap frog them on pit road and we needed the yellow to come out leading,” Earnhardt explained after the race.

    “We had everybody trapped down a lap and they would have ended up pitting and getting tires, and the other guys would have gotten the wave around but we would have had that track position finally. We would have come out of pit road after the stop in first or second and that might have set us up good for a run to the finish. We had a car that I think could have won the race if we had that track position.”

    Despite spending much of the night in the top 10, Earnhardt settled for a 13th-place finish under interim crew chief Travis Mack. Greg Ives, the regular crew chief for the No. 88 team, was suspended for one race due to a safety violation for missing lug nuts following a post-race check last weekend at Darlington Raceway.

    The 42-year-old was reflective about his season to this point and what had led the No. 88 team to be in a must-win spot in the Federated Auto Parts 400. Earnhardt sits 22nd in the point standings and has just four top 10s on the season.

    “I’m disappointed,” Earnhardt said about not making the playoffs. “We had some odd luck, but when we didn’t have bad luck, we didn’t capitalize. We had a long summer. We just didn’t capitalize. We didn’t run like we should have. We ran like we should have tonight. If we would have ran like that all year, like we did the last several years, we would have made it, but we didn’t.

    “It’s on us. We can’t really put it on anybody else. We just didn’t do the job. We’ll try these next 10 to keep running well. I’d love to win a race but damn, if we can just run as well as we did tonight in the next several races that would be great for all of these guys. They got another year coming up with Alex (Bowman) and they got to get buckled in and get going again.”

    Brad Paisley honors Dale Jr.’s last ride with JR Nation Appreci88ion Tour concert

    Before drivers battle in the afternoon sun during the Oct. 8 Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, stars will shine the night before at zMAX Dragway when award-winning country music singer, songwriter, guitarist and entertainer Brad Paisley lights up zMAX Dragway with a spectacular pre-race concert.

    Paisley revs up his involvement in America’s most high-octane sport with a rocking salute to race fans with hometown hero Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Nation Appreci88ion Tour.

    While Paisley and Earnhardt are prominent models of success in their chosen fields, fans who attend this year’s Bank of America 500 will win big as well.

    Paisley’s concert is open exclusively to Bank of America 500 ticketholders. As an added incentive, fans who buy two adult tickets to this year’s Bank of America 500 — Earnhardt’s final Charlotte Motor Speedway start as a full-time driver — will receive concert admission and a commemorative Earnhardt bobblehead while supplies last. Tickets are available as a two-pack for $88.

    TICKETS: Kids 13 and under can get into the Bank of America 500 for just $10. As a salute to Earnhardt’s final race, adult tickets are available as a two-pack for $88. For tickets, camping and upgrades, fans can call the ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267) or shop online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

    Earnhardt, Logano facing win or else scenario at Richmond

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he hasn't imagined a fairy tale finish to his last NASCAR regular season.

    Retiring at the end of the season, the sport's most popular driver is one of several racers whose only hope for getting into the 10-race playoffs that begin next weekend is by winning Saturday night at Richmond Raceway.

    But even Earnhardt seems to realize the likelihood of his 27th career victory — and fourth on the 0.75-mile oval — isn't high. It has been 62 races since his last victory, at Phoenix in November 2015, and he said Friday after practice that he has what feels like "a sixth- to 12th-place car."

    He added: "If we could come out of here with a win, it would be quite the surprise, not only for all you guys, but us included."

    Earnhardt's laid-back attitude contrasts greatly with those of other drivers in his same shoes.

    Joey Logano, for example, won the Cup race here in April, but then became the first driver to have a race "encumbered," NASCAR parlance for being allowed to keep the victory, but without the playoff points or the automatic berth in the post-season because of an infraction discovered after the race.

    He has struggled ever since.

    "We are in a do-or-die situation," Logano said. "Anytime you can win a race in that situation, there is no better feeling than that. Also returning here after our win in the spring and obviously the drama that followed, it would be very nice to be able to get back in victory lane and prove a point. I don't see any reason why we can't."

    Logano, who was second to Jimmie Johnson in the final standings last season, also likes the way his team is approaching the challenge.

    "This is a time that shows your true character," he said. "You can be either down on yourself and be beat before you show up to the race track or show up here ready to go and have the right attitude and confidence that we are going to win. That is where the team feels like they are at. I am proud I am with a team like that."

    Other drivers needing to win to qualify for the playoffs include Clint Bowyer and rookies Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez. The three non-winners ahead of them, and thus most vulnerable to being knocked out of the post-season by a first-time winner, are rookie Chase Elliott, Jamie McMuray and 2003 series champion Matt Kenseth.

    "Really I'm still thinking about trying to get that win," Kenseth said when asked how much attention he or his team will pay to where Elliott and McMurray are running in the race. "Yeah, I mean, we want to get in, but if you win, you're in for sure, so I don't think you're going to pay much attention. Maybe at the end of the race you pay a little bit of attention who is leading, where those two guys are, but I think we just run our own race."

    Jones expects to do the same, though he's confident there will be anxiety before the green flag.

    "I've honestly felt just really locked in all week. I've felt like I've just been really excited to get here and get on track and get qualifying done and get the race going," he said. "... I'm sure once the race rolls around here tomorrow night the nerves will be high and we'll be itching to go and get things out of the way."

    Jones' team has been among the most consistent in recent weeks, finishing in the top five in the last three races and in the top 10 in each of the last five.

    He'd had just one top-five in the first 22 races of the year.

    "You know, we just need to keep running the way we've been running, and that win is going to come," he said.

    Dale Jr. tackles final playoff spot with interim crew chief at Richmond

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. seemed calm and collected for a driver about to make his final regular-season start without his regular crew chief atop the pit box. And that good zen, he insists, actually says a lot about his No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet team.

    “I think we’re going to be fine,’’ Earnhardt said Friday at Richmond Raceway, insisting the back-up plan for his team relies on a lot of competent people — some perhaps getting a prime-time opportunity to shine and to step up.

    NASCAR suspended Earnhardt’s regular crew chief Greg Ives for Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400 regular-season finale after Earnhardt’s car was found to have a safety violation (improperly installed lug nuts) after last weekend’s race at Darlington Raceway.

    In Ives’ place is longtime Hendrick employee Travis Mack, 34, Earnhardt’s current car chief and a former XFINITY Series championship crew chief at JR Motorsports while working with Chase Elliott.

    Earnhardt seemed very confident in Mack’s ability to handle the crew chief duties this weekend.

    “I like him a lot,’’ Earnhardt said. “When we got the news about Greg, I said, ‘I think Travis is the guy you put in charge.’”

    Further, Earnhardt said, “I think Travis certainly paid his dues and has a ton of ambition. It’s like you’re pulling the reins on him all the time, saying, ‘Be patient. Your time is coming. You’re going to get these opportunities.’

    “He’s just all the time seeking out what he needs to be doing and who he needs to be talking to. He asks for advice all the time. …I’ve worked with him a long time and he’s always been a very productive employee. He takes care of the company which is important.”

    Despite his calm demeanor, the 42-year old Earnhardt acknowledged this is a crucial weekend for his team. Ranked 22nd in the points standings — well below the 16th-place final playoff spot – and without a playoff-qualifying win so far, Earnhardt will need to hoist some hardware Saturday night to close out his Cup career with a shot at a title.

    He has three wins at Richmond – all in the spring race – and he hasn’t won here since 2006.

    He finished 30th here in May, however finished fourth in his last start in this race in 2015 (he missed last year’s race recovering from a concussion).

    “It’s competitive as hell out there,’’ he said. “You’ve got to push as hard as you can.’’

    Granted, the circumstances the No. 88 team faces this week make that mission more complicated, but perhaps prevailing against the odds is exactly the kind of boost the team could use.

    “There’s nobody that fills that the way Greg does, so in the hauler we’ll feel that void and absence,’’ Earnhardt said. “He has the ability to be that voice of reason and obviously, he’s the leader of the team.

    “With that said, I was watching practice and the teamwork and listening to Travis and our second engineer and the guys — and all of them are much more vocal than (they) usually are any other weekend.

    “And in my opinion, I plan to give them this advice: ‘I think that’s what they need to be doing every week, even when Greg is here. To be more supportive and active.’

    “Everyone on the team has to sort of raise it up a level with the situation we’re in here and I think that’s what we could be doing going forward that will help the whole team.

    “It’s been good to see, but I think if Greg were here in the garage to actually see it, he’d think, ‘This is how the guys need to be every week. This is what we need out of every individual every week. No idea is a bad idea – it’s an all-hands on deck kinda thing.”

    Car chief Travis Mack to serve as interim No. 88 crew chief

    Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal the penalty announced by NASCAR stemming from a post-race lug nut infraction Sunday at Darlington Raceway.

    Travis Mack, 34, will serve as interim crew chief for the No. 88 NASCAR Cup Series team with driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. during this weekend’s event at Richmond Raceway. The Louisville, Kentucky, native has been the team’s car chief since 2015, serving under crew chief Greg Ives.

    “We have a tremendous amount of confidence in Travis and everyone on the team,” said Jeff Andrews, vice president of competition at Hendrick Motorsports. “Our people have done a great job all year with the lug nut rule. We won’t dwell on it (the penalty) and will look forward to having Greg back on the box next week at Chicagoland.”

    After joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2004, Mack worked as a mechanic for the Nos. 24 and 88 Cup Series teams. In 2013, he moved to Hendrick Motorsports affiliate JR Motorsports, where he served as car chief for drivers Regan Smith and Chase Elliott in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Mack earned an XFINITY Series championship in 2014 as a member of Elliott’s team.

    No. 11 Monster Energy Series team handed L1-level penalty post-Darlington

    NASCAR handed the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series an L1-level penalty following the race last weekend at Darlington Raceway for violating sections 20.14.2 (rear suspension) of the NASCAR Rule Book.

    Crew chief Mike Wheeler was fined $50,000 and suspended for two races, the team was assessed with the loss of 25 owner points and 25 driver points, and Denny Hamlin’s first-place finish was ruled encumbered per Section 12.10.

    Also in the Monster Energy Series, the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports team was handed a safety violation for lug nuts not properly installed following Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 22nd-place finish. Crew chief Greg Ives was fined $20,000 and suspended from the next race. Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal the penalty, according to a team statement. Travis Mack will serve as the No. 88’s interim crew chief.

    In the NASCAR XFINITY Series, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team was handed an L1-level penalty for violating sections 20.14.2 (rear suspension). Crew chief Eric Phillips was fined $25,000 and suspended from two races, the team was assessed with the loss of 25 owner points, and Hamlin’s first-place finish was ruled encumbered.

    Also in the XFINITY Series, the No. 22 Team Penske team was given an L1-level penalty for violating sections 20.14.2 (rear suspension). Crew chief Greg Erwin was fined $25,000 and suspended from two races, the team was assessed with the loss of 25 owner points, and Joey Logano’s second-place finish was ruled encumbered.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last race at Richmond

    Race: Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway

    Date: Saturday, Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Richmond: 30th, 13th, fifth, 14th, 12th

    Notable: Richmond Raceway has been very good to Earnhardt over the years. Earnhardt’s first race at the .75-mile Virginia oval was on Sept. 11, 1999, one of five Monster Energy Series races he competed in prior to his full-time rookie season in 2000. Earnhardt started 21st and finished an impressive 10th. In 35 races at Richmond, Earnhardt has three victories, 10 top fives and 14 top-10 finishes with an average finish of 13.7. His last win at the track came in May 2006.

    Memorable: Earnhardt had a night he will never forget at Richmond on May 6, 2000. Just four races after his first career Monster Energy Series victory in April at Texas Motor Speedway, Earnhardt gradually made his way to the front in his iconic No. 8 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet. Earnhardt would pass his father and car owner — the late seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. — for the lead with 31 laps remaining and never looked back.

    Quotable: “Richmond is a track that I’ve had a lot of success at, though not so much recently,” said Earnhardt. “It’s really hard to get a hold of and hard to figure out exactly what line we’re running and where you need to put your car to get it to work. It’s been a bit of a challenge for us over the last couple of trips, but it should still be a fun race.”

    Hendrick drivers give $200,000 to create Harvey relief fund

    Hendrick Motorsports’ four drivers have committed $200,000 to benefit Hurricane Harvey victims, and the drivers hope to raise a total of $500,000.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott launched a disaster relief fund Monday that is accepting tax-deductible donations until Sept. 20. The fund can be found at HendrickRelief.org , and donations will go to Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, which is housed at the Greater Houston Community Foundation, and other qualified charities.

    Seven-time NASCAR champion Johnson is hosting the disaster relief fund at the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. He called the devastation done by Harvey "incomprehensible" and called on NASCAR fans to help with the recovery.

    "NASCAR fans are some of the most generous and giving people on earth," Johnson said.

    Two lug nuts unsecured on No. 88 Chevrolet at Darlington

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 22nd in his final Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver.

    Earnhardt’s night, and the night for his No. 88 team, got worse post-race after NASCAR officials found two lug nuts unsecured on his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet during post-race inspection.

    Two unsecured lug nuts will result in a $20,000 fine and one-race suspension for crew chief Greg Ives, as suggested in the NASCAR Rule Book. That means Ives likely will miss the regular-season finale at Richmond Raceway — Earnhardt’s final chance to win and punch his ticket into the playoffs in his last season.

    “We’ll work through that,” Earnhardt said on his Periscope after the race. “It doesn’t concern me about this team. This team can handle this type of stuff. Greg can handle it. He’s a tough guy. We’ll get through that. It happens.”

    Any official penalties will be announced later in the week.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last Darlington race foretells emotional Miami farewell

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. was feted again Friday at Darlington Raceway, receiving another send-off gift as he embarks on the final 12-race stretch of his career.

    Sunday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM) will inch him another step closer to the last race in his full-time career. Though he’ll remain in the sport with spot duty in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and a new role in the NBC Sports broadcast booth, both he and his family are bracing for that farewell, scheduled Nov. 19 in the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale.

    “I’ve been thinking about it a little bit as we get closer because this will go by pretty quick, these last few races will go by pretty fast, so it’s going to be here before I know it,” Earnhardt said after Friday’s practices at the historic 1.366-mile track. “I haven’t really had any emotions yet and I know I will be sad as well. It’s hard to put so much into something and then have to stop doing it and change directions. No matter why you are retiring or having to change what you are doing. When you put so much into it, it is hard to make that change.

    “And I don’t really know what I’m going to miss. If I knew what I was going to miss it would be more emotional and harder to deal with, but the fact that I’m not quite sure exactly what is going to be the most difficult part about it it’s really not set in yet.”

    Darlington had a number of lasting tributes for Earnhardt and his family on Friday, the opening day of the sport’s annual NASCAR Throwback weekend. Track president Kerry Tharp presented the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 driver with a commemorative print and a program to donate 88 tickets annually to young fans in the region to future Southern 500s.

    Those proclamations came after Friday morning’s dedication of the Turn 3 suites as Earnhardt Towers, a ceremony attended by Earnhardt Jr.’s sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller. Earnhardt Miller said plans are already in motion to celebrate her brother’s final race, bringing those eventualities into sharper focus.

    “I mean, I’m going to cry a lot. I may as well pack mostly tissues in my suitcase,” Earnhardt Miller said. “I just know I’m going to cry because at most events when there’s anything that’s historical or involves my family or something coming to an end or changing, that’s just what I do. I don’t know how it’s going to be. It’s certainly going to be probably surreal in the moment.

    “It’s going to be very busy because my team on the brand side for Dale are going to have our hands full for the weekend coordinating and entertaining sponsors, and so it’s probably going to be one of those things in the moment that you just work through because you’ve got a lot of things to handle and do. Then you’re going to look back on it and realize maybe that you didn’t take in some moments, so I’m probably going to have to be pretty mindful of that as I go through the weekend. But it’s going to be sad.”

    His special paint scheme is already decided and other plans are in development, but Earnhardt Jr. admitted he won’t know how he’ll react to the emotions of the moment. He drew a corollary Friday to the departure of his former crew chief, Steve Letarte, at the end of the 2014 season.

    “I’m not quite sure how that is going to work out,” said Earnhardt, who will be reunited with Letarte next season on the NBC Sports team. “I know that I never really thought about what that would be like until Steve ran his last race with me at Homestead and he was as cool as a cucumber all weekend, at least in front of everybody, in front of me and the guys in the hauler and everything.

    “He was great all the way up until every race would lean in the car, we would shake hands, we would say a few words about ‘have a good day, I’m here with you, we are going to work together,’ all those things that you like a crew chief to say and as soon as he come in there and started talking he just fell out and started crying and bawling like a baby. And I thought, man, and I started crying, too, to be honest with you. It was a difficult moment. So, I imagine that is going to be part of it for me and it’s going to be hard to not have those emotions at that last race.”

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last race at Darlington

    For his final full-time season as a driver, NASCAR.com will offer an analytical preview on Dale Earnhardt Jr. ahead of every remaining Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race.

    Race: Bojangles’ Southern 500

    Date: 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 3 (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Darlington: 8th, 2nd, 9th, 17th, 14th

    Notable: Earnhardt could win at Darlington, even though he hasn’t yet in his career. He’s finished in the top 10 the last three times he competed at the track “Too Tough to Tame,” sitting out the 2016 race with concussion-like symptoms. For the 2017 throwback weekend, he is driving a scheme similar to the AC Delco look that he ran in the XFINITY Series in 1998 and 1999, when Earnhardt won 13 races and back-to-back XFINITY Series championships. That’s a pretty solid good luck charm.

    Memorable: Not your usual highlight, Earnhardt’s test session at Darlington is important, nonetheless. With Charlotte neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty on hand to monitor and test his responses, Junior first stepped into a race car on Dec. 7, 2016 after sitting out the final 18 races of the 2016 season with concussion-like symptoms. The test went well, and Junior was cleared to return to Monster Energy Series racing for the 2017 season.

    Quotable: “I’m a little nervous for how difficult [this] weekend is going to be for us if we don’t have speed,” Earnhardt said on this week’s Dale Jr. Download podcast. “It’s hard enough as it is when the car’s good and you’re running well. I haven’t been to Darlington in a while where we’ve not just struggled, fought all night and ran mediocre.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr: My Uber Rating's Skyrocketing, 'I've Been Tipping Good'

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has found the secret to boosting his Uber rating -- MONEY!

    The NASCAR legend got the Uber blues on Saturday when he learned his rating was a crappy 4.0 on the 5.0 scale. He tweeted about it, "That's complete sh*t."

    Uber immediately reached out to Dale and tried to help him with some quick tips ... and Junior says his rating's been way up ever since.

    "I've been tipping really good and been nice to the driver ... and it's working out! My ratings are up!"

    Earnhardt says he's cool with the company now -- and says it's the best way to go out if you plan on boozing.

    Smart man ... Uber fare is WAYYYY cheaper than a DUI.

    Earnhardt: Additional titles will put Busch in ‘greatest driver’ discussion

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes regardless of whether fans like a certain driver or not, a historic or amazing accomplishment deserves a tip of the cap.

    This week that driver is Kyle Busch, who Earnhardt spoke about on his most recent episode of the Dale Jr. Download. Released Tuesday, Earnhardt called Busch “an excellent racer” after his sweep of Bristol Motor Speedway. Such praise from Busch’s fellow competitors has been aplenty since Saturday night’s race with Earnhardt among the crowd.

    But when Earnhardt was asked what he thought about Kyle Larson’s tweet saying Busch is the most all-around talented driver, he took the compliments even further as heard in the clip above.

    Of the drivers mentioned, Dale Earnhardt Sr. won seven championships and 76 races before his death in 2001. David Pearson captured three championships and 105 race wins. Jimmie Johnson is at seven championships, 83 wins and counting.

    Following Bristol, Busch, who turned 32 in May, now has 40 career wins in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The number puts Busch and his one championship — from 2015 — 17th on the all-time wins list. And just to note, of the 16 drivers on the list ahead of Busch, many of whom are named when talking about the sport’s great, only 12 have won two or more championships.

    Busch will get the chance to contend for his second championship when the playoffs begin next month.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. defends Greg Ives with supportive tweets

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned a 23rd-place finish in his final race at Bristol Motor Speedway as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver. That brings his average finish this season to 21.7.

    But for those who were looking to place blame for this season’s struggles on Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Earnhardt had some strong words to say on Twitter following Saturday night’s race.

    @DaleJr : Yep. Not allowing him to take the fall for this. There are many reasons a team performs poorly. Rarely, is it one persons fault...... https://twitter.com/iron_bennyson/status/899113838863421441 ...

    @DaleJr : He is a talent and when he gets things figured out with Alex in 2018 everyone will have forgotten the struggles of 2017. https://twitter.com/dalejr/status/899114501261414400 …

    Dale Jr. says injury recovery ‘really no excuse’ for performance drop

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Thursday that his recovery from the concussion symptoms that cost him half a season of NASCAR competition last year are not an excuse for this season’s sag in performance.

    Earnhardt made his remarks after first practice for the NASCAR XFINITY Series at Bristol Motor Speedway. The 42-year-old driver, in his final full season of NASCAR racing, is in the field for Friday night’s Food City 300 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), scheduled to make his first XFINITY start of the season.

    Earnhardt missed the final 18 races of last season after crashes left him facing a lengthy recovery from neurological trauma. He reiterated Thursday that he nearly walked away from his racing career during his rehabilitation, saying he had reached a stage where “there was a big chunk of time where I wasn’t coming back.”

    Since making his return to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, his results have slumped. The Hendrick Motorsports driver sits 22nd in the series standings, needing a victory in one of the final three regular-season events to clinch a playoff berth. Still, he hasn’t blamed his injury or a lack of determination for his recent downturn.

    “There are a lot of things that play a role in being competitive,” Earnhardt said. “I think that I’m healthy and I’m happy and thrilled that I’m healthy. I still think I can drive a race car, but there is really no excuse for us not performing well or meeting expectations. There is no excuse for missing a lot of races. Kyle (Busch) missed a lot of races with his injuries (in 2015) and came back and was successful right out of the gate.

    “So, I mean I felt like I was ready. I felt like I could come in and compete. I still feel that way. We’ve just got to get our stuff together as a team.”

    Earnhardt said a large part of reviving his racing career was regaining his sense of instinct and reaction times, qualities that were sharpened during his years of experience only to be lost during his absence and recovery from his injuries last season. Earnhardt said he first worked toward feeling normal before ultimately making the decision to return to the No. 88 Chevrolet.

    Now back on the circuit, his challenge is clearer — finding Victory Lane in a last-ditch effort to claim championship eligibility as the curtain closes on his final full season.

    “There is still some time to make that happen, but we’ve got a long way to go to catch some of those guys,” Earnhardt said. “Some of those guys are so fast, I don’t know where that speed is at, but it’s not at the race track. But, yeah, being out of the car was hard. A lot of hard work to get back, but once I was fresh and charged up and ready to go in February when we got to Daytona and I still feel good today. I don’t feel like that I am missing anything or if I’m not mentally or physically aware.”

    Junior touched by Bristol’s gift of an endowment, recalls childhood at the track

    Of all the gifts presented thus far to Dale Earnhardt Jr. as he winds down his career as a full-time competitor in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Thursday’s announcement by Bristol Motor Speedway officials seemed to truly take the Hendrick Motorsports driver by surprise.

    The speedway, which will host the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR), announced the endowment of the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Scholarship to be presented annually to the Sullivan County (Tenn.) high school student demonstrating outstanding commitment in the field of automotive technology.

    “That’s what I’m talking about,” an obviously excited Earnhardt said after track general manager Jerry Caldwell made the announcement. “That’s awesome. … That is exactly the kind of thing that gets me excited, and I appreciate you guys doing that.”

    Officials said the scholarship is for $2,088, a nod to Earnhardt’s No. 88 car number.

    As a teen, Earnhardt worked at his father’s car dealership. He lists “Retired automotive service mechanic” on his Twitter bio.

    “You have meant so much to this place … we love you, the fans love you here and the Earnhardt name has such a legacy at this place,” Caldwell said. “We felt like it was appropriate for us to be able to honor (Dale) but also be able to honor a bright young student that has an interest in the automotive industry.”

    Earnhardt Jr. is competing in Friday’s Food City 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race as well as Saturday’s MENCS event. It’s an unusual double for NASCAR’s most popular driver.

    While he makes a limited number of XFINITY Series starts each year, Earnhardt last ran an XFINITY Series race at Bristol in 2012. He finished fifth.

    The two-time XFINITY Series champ has swept XFINITY and Cup race weekends three times — including here in 2004. He also swept at Talladega in ’03 and Daytona in ’04.

    But it’s the days spent here as a youngster that seem to resonate more than his efforts on the track.

    “Honestly, when I was a little kid, the night race here was my favorite race in the season,” Earnhardt said. “We didn’t get to go to all the races. Typically, we went a lot in the summer. We begged to go to all the races, but Bristol was my favorite for a lot of different reasons, but as a 12- to 15-year-old kid, this place was just the ultimate playground.”

    His father, seven-time series champion Dale Earnhardt, earned his first NASCAR victory at Bristol in the spring race of 1979. It was the first of nine wins at BMS for the legendary NASCAR Hall of Fame member.

    “Dad won a handful of races here, had those trophies in the house,” the younger Earnhardt recalled. “I remember when he built his log cabin he had them all up on this ledge … and they were all up there to the right of the fireplace.

    “There are a couple of tracks on the schedule that have unique trophies and they haven’t changed, which I’m glad, and this is one of them. For a while that trophy was taller than I was. I’d been lucky enough to go with Dad to victory lane a couple of times. That was a trophy that I wanted; I felt really, really lucky to have gotten one. I don’t have many trophies in the house but that’s one of them I keep in the living room because when you win here, the driver is a big part of it.

    “A lot of tracks, bigger tracks, you need a lot of race car to do well and here you need a good driver; I felt lucky and fortunate to have a victory here.”

    In addition to the announcement of the scholarship, Earnhardt was presented with the original Sam Bass painting of the souvenir program cover by the artist.

    “I feel like my life has been too good to be true,” Earnhardt said, “and I just have had so much given to me and I feel like this obligation to turn it around and do something for someone else.

    “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve done more and more of that and I feel the joy from that. So I love to see that happen more and more and love to be a part of that more and more.”

    Darlington Raceway to name Turn 3 suite towers ‘Earnhardt Towers’

    In celebrating the legacy of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and honoring Dale Earnhardt Jr. in his final NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 start, Darlington Raceway is dedicating its Turn 3 suite towers in their names, respectively.

    Earnhardt Towers will feature an assortment of graphics that depict memorable moments of Earnhardt Sr. and Earnhardt Jr., featured on the backside of each tower. The Earnhardt Towers name also will be proudly displayed on the front of the towers facing the track.

    Earnhardt Towers will join a great tradition of historical names that the Lady in Black has given to its facilities, including:

    Brasington Tower Grandstands (Turn 1) – named after Darlington Raceway’s founder and first president Harold Brasington

    Colvin Grandstands (backstretch) – named after Bob Colvin, Darlington Raceway’s president from 1952-67

    Tyler Tower Grandstands – named after W.D. “Red” Tyler, Darlington Raceway’s president from 1982-89

    Jim H. Hunter Media Center – named after Jim Hunter, Darlington Raceway’s president from 1993-01

    Pearson Tower Grandstands – named after David Pearson, NASCAR Hall of Famer and Darlington Raceway’s all-time wins leader (10) in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

    Cale Yarborough Garage – Darlington’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series garage is named after the Timmonsville, S.C., native, who holds five victories in the famed Bojangles’ Southern 500

    “Darlington Raceway is fortunate to have many of the sport’s legends honored throughout our property,” said track president Kerry Tharp. “We felt that it was fitting to honor Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for their positive impact on the sport and on the track Too Tough To Tame. Earnhardt Towers will forever celebrate and recognize their achievements and be a lasting landmark at our tradition-rich facility.”

    As part of the dedication, Darlington Raceway will hold a special ceremony on Friday morning of race weekend (Sept. 1), featuring track president Kerry Tharp and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, co-owner of JR Motorsports and daughter of Earnhardt Sr.

    The towers will be dedicated just before cars hit the track for NASCAR XFINITY Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 and Bojangles’ Southern 500 practice sessions, which are free to the public if fans bring an empty Monster Energy can to the track as part of its Free Can Friday initiative (http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/Articles/2017/08/Monster.aspx).

    Earnhardt Sr. held Darlington Raceway in high regard and always cherished a victory at the track Too Tough To Tame. His nine Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Darlington rank second all-time (David Pearson had 10 wins). He won races at the Lady in Black in 1982, 1986, 1987 (2), 1989, 1990 (2), 1993 and 1994. He also won three NASCAR XFINITY Series races at the track (1986, 1987 and 1991).

    Earnhardt Jr. will be racing in his final Bojangles’ Southern 500 on Sunday, Sept. 3 (6 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM). He has four top-five and 10 top-10 finishes at the track in 21 career starts. He has been a loyal supporter of the track’s throwback campaign, which honors the history and heritage of the sport.

    Darlington Raceway’s award-winning throwback campaign is now The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR featuring the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500® on Sunday, Sept. 3. The NASCAR XFINITY Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 will race on Saturday, Sept. 2. Tickets are on sale now by calling 866-459-7223 or visiting DarlingtonRaceway.com. Children 12 and under can get in free to Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

    Rick Hendrick: Earnhardt Jr. has ‘been an ambassador’

    If Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final full NASCAR season ends without a playoff-clinching win, team owner Rick Hendrick says it won’t sour what has been an impressive body of work in stock-car racing.

    Hendrick’s remarks came Thursday at Chevrolet’s unveiling of the Camaro ZL1,which the automaker will field in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Earnhardt, 42, has driven for Hendrick Motorsports since 2008 and has 26 career wins, the most recent coming in November 2015; he announced in April that this season will be his last.

    Earnhardt sits 23rd in the series standings and in need of a victory in the remaining four regular-season races to secure a playoff berth. Hendrick said he would cherish a storybook send-off with one final trip to Victory Lane, but that Earnhardt’s legacy in the sport is secure regardless.

    “It won’t matter a bit,” Hendrick said. “To me, you’ll look at the championships that he won in XFINITY, you’ll look at his contribution, what he’s done to mentor young drivers, what he’s done to give people an opportunity, the way he’s conducted himself with the fans and the kids. I mean, his contribution … being a genuine, real person. If you’re a champion and you win a lot of races, that’s great, but I think you’ve got to look at what contribution did you make to the sport that wasn’t just for you, it was for a lot of other people.”

    The backdrop for Hendrick’s statements was Earnhardt taking selfies and chatting with General Motor employees attending Thursday afternoon’s Camaro reveal. It’s part of what has made Earnhardt the series’ most popular driver for 14 years running.

    “Of course, we’d love to see him win and get in the (playoffs) and how great it would be if he won the championship,” Hendrick said. “I think that would be great, but I think all the good things that he’s done, all the people he’s helped, and he has been a champion and he has won. When you see people like today just gravitating toward him, he’s been an ambassador.

    “He’s done a lot for a lot of people, me included. He told me he was going to make me popular,” Hendrick said through laughs, “so I appreciate that.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Kevin Harvick's comments 'hurtful'

    (sports.yahoo.com) Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Thursday that he found Kevin Harvick’s theory about Junior’s popularity and NASCAR’s success “hurtful.”

    Harvick wondered on his SiriusXM show Tuesday if NASCAR had been “stunted” by Junior’s lack of success. Earnhardt Jr., the sport’s most popular driver who is retiring at the end of the season, has won 26 races in his Cup Series career but hasn’t won a championship.

    Harvick mentioned football and basketball, where the sports’ most recognizable and popular athletes are those who have won championships. When asked about Harvick’s comments Thursday, Junior reflected back on the previous business relationship he had with Harvick. After Harvick shut his Xfinity Series team down and before Stewart-Haas Racing moved to Ford, Harvick drove Xfinity Series races for Earnhardt Jr.’s team.

    After mentioning the positives of the relationship he had with Harvick, Junior said he hated that Harvick felt the way he did.

    “I have an incredible amount of respect for him and I found some of his comments hurtful,” Junior told reporters at the unveiling of Chevrolet’s 2018 Cup Series car (via ESPN). “But I still respect him as a champion and ambassador for the sport and that’s just the way it is I guess. I hate that’s how he feels.”

    While Harvick is wondering if NASCAR’s current state of popularity is intertwined with Junior’s, we’re wondering just what brought his comments on. Harvick is one of the most calculating drivers in the Cup Series; it’s hard to think that he hadn’t given his idea about the sport and Junior much thought.

    Junior’s sister and co-owner in Junior Motorsports, Kelley Earnhardt, tweeted her support for her brother Thursday afternoon.

    @EarnhardtKelley : Extremely proud of this guy. He was hurt by those comments & rightfully so. Yet still...he is complimentary & respectful. Not many like him https://twitter.com/bobpockrass/status/895707980699586561 …

    Kelley Earnhardt is right. Junior could have taken a swipe at Harvick if he wanted to, but he took the high road. That’s the right move. Had Junior muddied it up with Harvick it would have created an odd and unnecessary storyline to the final season of his Cup Series career.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Michigan

    Race: Pure Michigan 400

    Date: Sunday, Aug. 13, 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Michigan: ninth, 39th, 10th, second, fifth

    Notable: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had a fair amount of success at Michigan International Speedway, where he has an average finish of 15.6. Overall, he has two wins, two poles, eight top fives and 15 top 10s in 35 starts at the track.

    Memorable: One of the most memorable wins of Earnhardt Jr.’s career came at Michigan in 2012 when he broke a 143-race winless streak by crossing the start/finish line a hefty 5.393 seconds ahead of Tony Stewart. Earnhardt Jr.’s last win before the drought also came at Michigan International Speedway — on June 15, 2008. The drought between races won was the sixth-longest streak in Cup series history.

    Quotable: “It’s been a struggle, but we have faced worse seasons,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a release. “We can’t wait to be back to work at Michigan. It’s typically a really good track for us.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has early exit in final road-course race

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. endured an early setback in the final road-course race of his full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career, retiring after the end of the first stage at Watkins Glen International.

    Earnhardt’s Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet fell off the pace near the end of the first 20-lap stage. The 42-year-old driver took his car — hampered by valvetrain issues — behind the pit wall and to the garage after 22 laps.

    Just 10 laps later, Earnhardt was officially declared out, scored last in the 37-car field.

    “We can’t fix it, but it’s just been a really difficult week,” Earnhardt told NBCSN. “We’ve been way down on speed and we had a pretty good car for Sonoma, so I was kind of looking forward to coming here. The guys worked really hard. We changed this car inside and out twice this weekend, and we had made it better. We were kind of hanging in there and think we had a shot at maybe a top 20 at best. When we showed up, we were about four seconds off.”

    Earnhardt started a disappointing 28th in the I LOVE NEW YORK 355, and was outside the top 25 in both pre-race practices.

    “I don’t know. Kind of a little frustrated this weekend, and this doesn’t make it much better,” Earnhardt said after the 17th start of his career at the 2.45-mile road course, “but sure have enjoyed racing here. Really appreciate the fans here, the track, the staff. They’ve treated us so good every time we’ve been here.”

    Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 crew ‘going to work hard all the way to the very end’

    In 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won four races and recorded 12 top fives. The following season, he made three trips to Victory Lane, posting a career-best 16 top-five finishes.

    This season’s statistical spreadsheet looks very different for the No. 88 Chevrolet driver in his final full-time season; one top-five finish, four top 10s and six DNFs 21 races into the season is certainly not the way Earnhardt Jr. would have liked his record to look heading into August’s race weekend at Watkins Glen International.

    “We have just not run good this year at the majority of the races,” Earnhardt acknowledged on Saturday at Watkins Glen. “… You have good years and you have bad years. We just didn’t draw the right cards. Just a lot of circumstances have led to the performance of our car this year that you can’t really put on one thing.

    “… The No. 42 (Kyle Larson) has been really strong all year,” he pointed out. “The No. 78 (Martin Truex, Jr.), they are really strong, they are in a different world, man. We want to go out and win races … it is easy to say that, but damn; we have a lot of speed to find. It isn’t like we are going to show up and drive around those (cars). We have some work to do before the end of the year if we want to feel like we can legitimately contend for a win.”

    Junior Nation has seen glimmers of hope; the No. 88 driver nabbed a strong top-five finish at Texas and seemed energized for the rest of the season. At Daytona, he started on the pole and battled back after an early wreck — only to be involved in a final accident that saddled him with a 32nd-place result.

    For Earnhardt, these moments are glimmers of “potential.” Glimmers that he saw turn into success in 2014 and 2015. So, he takes slight solace in the fact that they’ve seen speed at times this year — because it means there’s something there.

    “I’ve had seasons where we’ve had no speed,” Earnhardt said. “We ran bad and I finished bad. But at least at times this year there’s been some glimpse of potential.”

    It’s for this reason that Earnhardt doesn’t look at the team’s expectations being too high at the start of the year; he knows what they’re capable of accomplishing.

    “You look at 2013, 14, 15 … that is our potential,” he said. “We have been progressing as a team for years all through that period. I expect us to be able to maintain that type of performance, and we haven’t been able to do it. I think that is what we are capable of, but for a lot of reasons we haven’t been able to put it together and have the speed we need in the cars.”

    Despite the struggles on track, Earnhardt remains focused, determined to finish out his final season on a high note.

    “I still see a very competitive and hungry guy,” Earnhardt’s teammate Jimmie Johnson said of Earnhardt on Saturday. “He’s always done a very nice job in articulating his feelings and he’s certainly been open about his experiences this year. But inside the walls of Hendrick Motorsports, it’s business as usual. We’re not happy with where we are. We want to be dominating every race as a group.

    “…He wants to win and (crew chief) Greg (Ives) wants to win,” Earnhardt added. “That team is preparing each and every week regardless of who was in it last year, to win. … Inside of Hendrick Motorsports it’s just been let’s go win races. Nothing has changed there.”

    A long-awaited trip to Victory Lane could turn the No. 88 season around — even if it comes too-little-too-late, after the playoffs begin.

    For instance, remember Earnhardt Jr.’s win at Martinsville in 2014? That win, which was Earnhardt’s first at a track that holds importance to both him and Hendrick Motorsports, came right after the No. 88 team was eliminated from the playoffs at Talladega Superspeedway. It didn’t help his championship chances, nor did it change what happened the week prior. But the team celebrated in Victory Lane like it was a last-chance win that locked him to the next round — because it meant something to them.

    And a win, even if it doesn’t come in the playoffs this year, does wonders to affirm a team — especially one that has spent countless hours working to make Earnhardt Jr.’s scrutinized final season a memorable one.

    “We have to go into every race like this is going to be the week that we get it done,” Earnhardt said. “I think that’s the only attitude you can have if you expect to take advantage of an opportunity because one might fall in your lap and we just might find what we’re looking for before the season is over. Certainly if we miss the playoffs, we’re still going to try to win a race. We’re still going to show up and try to give it everything we’ve got.

    “There’s nothing worse than leaving the race track feeling like you didn’t try your best or didn’t give everything you had,” Earnhardt added. “And I certainly ain’t going to finish my last season like that and carry that with me the rest of my life. So, we’re going to work hard all the way to the very end and hopefully we have something to smile about at some point before it’s over with.”

    After all the twists and turns, Junior turns corner on road courses

    As Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career winds down and he looks back on the highlights, there are two tracks likely to be left off the reel.

    Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International.

    The pair of road courses on NASCAR’s premier series circuit have yielded a goose egg for Junior in his 34 combined starts on them throughout the years, with an unimpressive average finish of 18.2 at Sonoma ranking as the better of the two (he’s averaged a finish of 21.7 at WGI.)

    But things have taken a turn for the better — both left and right — for Earnhardt at road courses over the past few seasons.

    Why the sudden uptick in performance?

    “Well, we just quit testing,” Earnhardt laughed Saturday at Pocono Raceway. “That was really why we started running better because we stopped trying so hard. We’d go to Road Atlanta and just run ourselves into the ground for two days trying to figure out how to become great at road course races.

    “And finally, I told (former crew chief Steve) Letarte and I said ‘Let’s just quit testing’ because it ain’t getting us anywhere but wore out. And it’s two days of the week when it’s making the guys tired because we’re cramming it in between races and we’re not really getting anywhere. So, we just quit trying and we’d just show up. And we started running great.”

    Less is more. Interesting strategy.

    Hard to argue with the results, however. Since 2012, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has averaged a finish of 7.8 at Sonoma with a best finish of third, and for each of his past two races at Watkins Glen, he’s started seventh and finished 11th at The Glen.

    Junior also credits cars that “have been really quick,” as well, but a fast car can only be taken so far by a middling driver.

    Earnhardt needs to be ready to admit that maybe, somehow, miraculously — he’s finally developed into a competent road racer.

    It’d make sense, since he got a boatload of advice from the best out there.

    “I went to school with Ron (Fellows, road course ace) a bunch. We went to Bondurant and we ran Corvettes and tested Corvettes together,” he continued. “He drove for (Dale Earnhardt Incorporated) and we would go over set-ups and notes and we just did a lot.

    “We spent a lot of time talking to Boris (Said) as well and tested with him and shared information. Boris was an open book. I would be struggling at Sonoma and I’d go over to Boris and say ‘What do I need to do? I just can’t figure it out.’ And he would give me the set-up. He’d say here’s my set-up. And we’d put it in. I’d put it in there and pick-up four-tenths. I’m like, ‘All right!’ That’s how good and nice those guys are. Andy Pilgrim was another guy I spent a lot of time with. So, I leaned on a lot of guys that I thought gave me great information and wanted to help me.”

    With the end of his final full-time season quickly approaching, does The Glen — as strange as it feels to say this — offer one of the better chance we have of seeing NASCAR’s reigning Most Popular driver land in Victory Lane one last time?

    The answer is “maybe,” but we can at least expect him to be competitive.

    “When the cars are there and the cars are superb, I can do a good job with it,” he said. “So, I think we can go into the Glen and be top 10. We should be top 10 without a problem.

    “If we’re not, I think that’s falling short of my expectations for us.”

    Earnhardt Jr. goes back in time with final paint scheme for Miami

    The final paint scheme of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career will look very similar to his first paint scheme, which debuted in 1999 when he made his debut in the sport’s top series.

    Sponsor Axalta will adorn the rear quarter panels of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and be featured across the hood. But the color scheme, which features a red body, black roof and posts and black stripes down both sides of the car, is clearly modeled after his former No. 8 Budweiser-sponsored entry fielded by his father’s Dale Earnhardt Inc.-owned organization.

    The paint scheme will be run in the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 19. Earnhardt unveiled the car Wednesday night during a one-hour Dale Earnhardt Jr. Appreci88ion Tour special on QVC. (Photo)

    After missing the last half of the 2016 season due to injury, Earnhardt, 42, announced earlier this year that he will retire from full-time competition in the Monster Energy Series at season’s end. He currently is scheduled to compete in at least two NASCAR XFINITY Series races in 2018.

    The son of seven-time NASCAR champion and inaugural Hall of Fame member Dale Earnhardt, the younger Earnhardt has won 26 times in 616 starts at NASCAR’s highest level. He has 149 top-five and 256 top-10 finishes as well as 14 Coors Light Pole Awards.

    Earnhardt also is a two-time champion in the XFINITY Series (1998-99), where he has 24 career victories.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. on new beginnings, kind of broadcaster he’ll be

    For the past decade-and-a-half-plus, the majority of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s weekends have been rote.

    He’d fly into a race track, hop in a race car, sign some autographs and head home a few days later. There’d be a brief stop in Victory Lane on occasion – 26 times, to be exact – but for the most part, the final dish didn’t stray too far from the tried-and-true recipe.

    That’s all about to change.

    The Hendrick Motorsports driver is set to hang up the fire suit at the end of the season – from full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition, at least – and strap into, well, a suit. He’s signed a broadcasting deal to call races for NBC Sports in 2018 and beyond, a venture mostly unfamiliar to him and certainly out of his realm of comfort.

    “It’s been real easy to drive a race car and hang out in the garage,” Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday at Pocono Raceway, site of Sunday’s Overton’s 400 (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). “I know all these people and I’m comfortable there. I’m going to get out of that area and go places I’ve never been before, do things with folks I’ve never met before and try to broaden my horizons a little bit. I’m a little nervous to try something new. Hopefully it all goes pretty smooth and I don’t stumble out of the gate a little bit.”

    It’s not completely uncharted territory for the 14-time Most Popular Driver, however. He has a few races under his belt from the booth already, calling an XFINITY Series event for FOX last year and sitting in for portions of a pair of Monster Energy Series races while sitting out with concussion-related symptoms at the tail-end of 2016.

    The brief stints offered a taste of Analyst Dale, and the limited sample size points to that version being refreshingly similar to the genuine quality Driver Dale provides (along with Bossman Dale and Water Cooler Dale, thankfully.)

    It’s something that Earnhardt aims to continue once that gig becomes full-time.

    “I hope that I’m able to be comfortable being honest. You can cross the line and I’ve done it before, you just have to know when you’ve crossed it and admit it,” he said. “I think that people, my peers included, are OK (with criticism) as long as you own it. I hope that I’m being brought into the booth because of who I am and how I am and how I act and my honesty and candid conversation.

    “I want to be that same person I am in the booth. I don’t want to change or be molded into something different or polished up. I mean, I definitely want to get better and I want to be great at it. I want to work at it and do what I need to do, but I also want that freedom to be honest and be candid. But if you’re going to do that, you’re obviously going to step on a toe or two, and you’re also going to be wrong sometimes. And when you’re wrong, it’s best — and I’ve always felt like I did a good job of this — is owning it and moving on.”

    NBC snagged Earnhardt for that authenticity, for sure, and it’s largely why fans flock to the genial driver – even more so than his famous last name.

    There’s little chance the unfiltered — but fair — Earnhardt suddenly becomes a buttoned-up, corporate mouthpiece once he picks up the microphone. It’s not why he was hired.

    “I think that Sam (Flood, NBC Sports Executive Producer) has told me that he hired me to be me. I’m hoping that the ‘me’ he is talking about is the guy that you guys (the media) know and the person I am on social media and Twitter, because that’s what I enjoy and that’s what I want when I get into the booth; to be that candid and be that honest,” Earnhardt said. “I’m not going to attack anybody. I didn’t like getting attacked when I was a race car driver and I certainly wouldn’t want to do that to any of my peers. I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys.”

    Following Sunday’s race — likely one of his best remaining shots at win No. 27 and the playoff berth that would come along with it — a mere 15 races will remain in one of the sport’s prolific, even if not the most decorated, careers of all time. But it could be the dawn of another great one. It’s too soon to tell.

    There’s a little uneasiness that comes along with that, naturally, not just for the throngs of Junior Nation, but for Junior, himself.

    But it’s dissipating as the weeks tick by.

    “As I get closer to the end of the season and what comes next, it starts to get clearer, what I’m going to be doing. And I’m more comfortable and I’m starting to learn that I’m not going to be put in any compromising situations. I don’t have to do anything that I don’t feel comfortable with,” he said. “As we accept and decline opportunities, we’re going to have ultimate control over what we get ourselves into. The anxiety is coming down a little bit and the excitement level is rising a little bit as it gets a little more clear as to what I’m going to be doing.

    “When you make such a big change in your life, there’s a lot of unknowns and you’re a little nervous and scared at first.

    “But all that stuff is starting to kind of clear up.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. set to unveil final paint scheme for Homestead on QVC

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., set to step away from full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition at the end of the 2017 season, will reveal his final paint scheme for Homestead-Miami Speedway on QVC next week.

    The Hendrick Motorsports driver will appear on the home shopping network on Wednesday, August 2 as part of his #Appreci88ion tour.

    The scheme, which will have Axalta as the primary sponsor, will be revealed at 7 p.m. ET and will also be live-streamed on Earnhardt’s Facebook page.

    The show will also provide an exclusive opportunity to purchase die-casts of the ride in addition to special apparel.

    Earnhardt has an average finish of 21.5 at the Florida track, but finished third in 2013.

    Earnhardt Jr. headlines Fan Fest schedule for Pocono Raceway

    See your favorite drivers at this weekend’s Pocono Fan Fest. From 5:30-8:30 p.m. ET on Friday at Pocono Raceway, these drivers will participate in activities on the Infield Block Party Stage with the Infield Block Party to follow.

    It’s all part of NASCAR’s enhanced race weekend schedule at Pocono Raceway.

    –Landon Cassill, Martin Truex Jr.: 5:30 – 6 p.m. “Never Have I Ever”
    –Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Blaney: 6 – 6:45 p.m. “Hungry Fan Throwdown”
    –Kurt Busch: 7-7:30 p.m. “NASCAR Champion Story Time”
    –Kyle Larson and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 7:30 – 8 p.m. “Name That Tune”
    –Michael McDowell and Daniel Suarez: 8 – 8:30 p.m. “Lip Sync Battle”

    Preview: Dale Jr. back at Pocono

    Race: Overton’s 400 at Pocono Raceway

    Date: Sunday, July 30, 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Pocono: 38th, 2nd, 4th, 11th, 1st

    Notable: It’s been just over a month since Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last visit to the Tricky Triangle. Before that race (Axalta Presents the Pocono 400), Earnhardt had an average finish of 14.4 at Pocono. But after his 38th-place finish due to engine failure, his average finish now sits at 15.1. However, in seven of his last 10 races at Pocono, Earnhardt has managed to finish in the top 10 — all but one of those in the top five.

    Memorable: Some of Earnhardt’s memorable highlights came during the 2014 season when he swept Pocono. In the first race (Pocono 400), he started from the eighth-place position, only led for 11 laps compared to Brad Keselowski’s 95, but still snagged the checkered flag. Then, at the GoBowling.com 400, Earnhardt made it to Victory Lane again at the ‘Tricky Triangle,’ and by a margin of less than half a second ahead of Kevin Harvick.

    Quotable: “I feel bad for all the fans because they’ve been really supporting us and this has been a difficult season for them to see us not compete like we should or like we have in the past,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “I’m hoping that I can turn that around for all our sakes really soon. We’ll go to the next race – Pocono – and keep digging. This is not the worst season by any stretch of the imagination – at least the cars have speed in them, we’ve just had some really bad luck. We’ve got a busy week coming up, but I’m so ready for Pocono. We’ve got Fan Fest Friday, then it’s back behind the wheel Saturday.”

    Earnhardt defends crew chief Ives in shaky final season

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has long reigned as NASCAR’s most popular driver. But he thinks too many of his fans have started airing in 140-character bursts a most unpopular opinion — that crew chief Greg Ives should take the blame for the No. 88’s struggles this season.

    Not so fast.

    "We’ve had a difficult year and there’s just been a little rumbling in the background from fans," Earnhardt said Tuesday. "They just love to target the crew chief. Our struggles are no one individual’s responsibility. I think me and my crew chief, we have such a very passionate fan base, very large fan base, it’s a challenging position for anybody. I’ve seen that, with all the guys that I’ve worked with. They’ve all had to deal with criticism."

    Ives, in his third season with Earnhardt, was criticized during the Brickyard 400 for his decision to send the No. 88 to the pits even though it was good on fuel before the end of the second stage. Had Earnhardt stayed out, he would have come off a restart inside the top five. Instead, he was 24th and soon wrecked out of the race when he connected with Trevor Bayne. Earnhardt’s crew also struggled with lug nuts on one pit stop that cost him several spots in the field.

    Earnhardt, who is retiring after the season, shut down criticism of the team on Twitter, where he has 2.1 million followers, writing, "He never gave up on me. We’re a tight group and will finish together."

    "Maybe Twitter ain’t the place to be drawing attention to things like that," Earnhardt said. "You just hear enough chatter over the course of a long period of time. It wasn’t something that just happened that particular weekend. Sometimes you feel like you’ve got to stand up for your guys. At least let Greg know, it’s not OK I guess, to be a fan, then dog the crew."

    Earnhardt’s final season at Hendrick Motorsports has been more dud than dominant, and Indy was the fifth time this season he has crashed out of a race. Earnhardt has just four top-10 finishes and is 22nd in the standings — his worst full-season performance since 2009. He’ll need to win one of the next six races to end his Cup career with any shot at racing in NASCAR’s post-season and winning his first championship.

    Earnhardt says he’s healthy and isn’t focused on his shift into the NBC Sports broadcast booth next season. Earnhardt said negotiations began after he decided to leave racing and continued for several months before the two sides agreed to the deal in the past few days.

    "I think that’s what they hired me for, was to be myself and give my point of view," he said.

    And his point of view this week? Fans — and the media — need to pump the breaks on pointing fingers in Earnhardt’s woeful season.

    "We’ve had some pretty difficult results and had a lot of opportunity to be frustrated and miserable," he said. "But I don’t want this season to be remembered by my crew chief, myself and my guys as a miserable, miserable time. The fans have an influence on that. They can definitely ease up a bit on Greg and realize that he’s extremely talented. He’s in that position for a reason."

    Earnhardt, who spoke at a Goodyear tire test at Dover International Speedway, is off this weekend to Pocono Raceway, where he swept two races in 2014. There’s little time to worry about the Brickyard.

    "I’ve had a lot of bad finishes in my career," he said. "But I can’t remember anything about those and I probably won’t remember much about this season, a couple years down the road. What happened in Indy will be long forgotten. I try not to dwell on it too much like I used to. I used to let it eat me alive until we got back to the track."

    Earnhardt, 42, is excited about his future at NBC. The agreement with NBCUniversal announced Monday will allow Earnhardt to pursue "a wide range of opportunities in the company’s media businesses, including movies, television, podcasts, and other areas" including football and perhaps even the Olympics.

    Earnhardt said he might pattern part of his new job after broadcasters he admired, including greats Barney Hall, Ken Squier and Benny Parsons.

    "I’m green as heck ," Earnhardt said.

    He will watch next season with a headset as Ives tries to steer replacement Alex Bowman to better days in the 88. Asked if he had any second thoughts about retirement, Earnhardt was quick to say no.

    "It’s easy to focus on the race. It’s hard to focus on the distractions," he said. "There are responsibilities outside the car. There’s a lot more this year. It seems like they’ve always kind of escalated each year. It’s harder to focus on that stuff. That stuff does deserve some time and energy. It’s a little harder to do that and do it right because you want to make sure the racing is getting everything it needs."

    DALE EARNHARDT JR. TO JOIN NBC SPORTS GROUP’S NASCAR TEAM IN 2018

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., the motorsports icon voted by fans as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for an unprecedented 14 consecutive years (2003-16), will join NBC Sports Group’s NASCAR coverage beginning in 2018, it was announced today. Chairman of NBC Broadcasting and Sports Mark Lazarus, and NBC Sports Executive Producer and President of Production Sam Flood, will introduce Earnhardt, in a media conference call today, Monday, July 24 at 3 p.m. ET. An advisory with specific information regarding the conference call will be distributed later this morning.

    Earnhardt will be utilized in a number of capacities on NBC’s NASCAR coverage, with specifics to be announced in the coming months. In addition, the agreement with NBCUniversal allows Earnhardt a wide range of opportunities in the company’s media businesses, including movies, television, podcasts, and other areas.

    “We are excited to welcome Dale Jr. to our team – both on and off the track,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Broadcasting and Sports. “As a company, NBCUniversal allows for talent to stretch themselves across not just their field of expertise, but across other areas of their interests in the media world.”

    “Dale Jr. brings credibility, personality, and popularity to our already winning NASCAR team,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer and President of Production, NBC Sports. “Giving him a chance to spread further within other NBC Sports Group properties and throughout the company is an added bonus.”

    “It is a tremendous honor not only to join NBC Sports next year but to begin a new career alongside people who love NASCAR as much as I do,” said Earnhardt. “To be reunited with Steve Letarte, to be able to call legends like Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty teammates rather than just friends, to be able to continue going to the track and connecting with race fans, it’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. I will devote my heart and soul to this broadcast team and pledge my very best to the millions who watch it.”

    NBC is also partnering with Earnhardt on some of his other businesses, including Dirty Mo Media and Hammerhead Entertainment.

    Earnhardt is a third-generation driver in a family forever connected to the sport of stock-car racing. The native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, has amassed 26 career victories, including the 2004 and 2014 Daytona 500. His 26 victories tie him for 29th on NASCAR’s all-time race winners list. His father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., won seven Cup titles and 76 Cup races in his storied career.

    Earnhardt Jr. among those to test at Dover in free event for fans

    Drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth and Landon Cassill will participate in a Goodyear Tire test Tuesday at Dover International Speedway in advance of NASCAR’s upcoming fall playoff race there.

    This will be an important test for teams before the triple-header race weekend on Sept. 29-Oct. 1 — the third race and first elimination stage of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

    Admission is free and Dover’s Allison Grandstand will be open to fans from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET for the session.

    “We’re looking forward to opening our grandstands so fans can see Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series cars on the track prior to the fall race weekend,” said Mike Tatoian, Dover International Speedway’s president and CEO. “I’m excited to be able to meet some of our loyal guests and hope to see lots of families at the testing session.”

    Only one more Goodyear Tire test is currently scheduled for the season — Sept. 26 at Bristol Motor Speedway — and it’s set for 2018 tire development.

    Earnhardt backs wife, blames himself for ‘Clash’ debate

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his own statement Saturday.

    He defended his wife’s Twitter post — and blamed himself for putting her in a position where she felt she had to speak out.

    Five days after Amy Earnhardt wrote it wouldn’t be "worth the risk" to see her husband compete in next year’s Clash at Daytona, the 42-year-old driver explained outsiders don’t understand what the family endured as he recovered from concussion-related symptoms last year.

    "She’s been there for everything," Earnhardt Jr. said. "A lot of folks that may have a different opinion about it weren’t there through the whole process. If anyone knows how difficult it was beside me, it would be her. It wasn’t a lot of fun for her."

    Earnhardt spoke about six hours before making his final Brickyard 400 qualifying run at Indianapolis.

    The series’ most popular driver announced in April he would retire after this season, in part because of his injury history. Two big crashes last summer forced him out of the final 18 races, and he missed two races during the 2012 playoffs also because of concussion-related symptoms.

    But Earnhardt appeared to reopen the possibility of returning to Daytona after winning the pole there three weeks ago, his first since September 2013. To be eligible, drivers must win at least one pole during the previous season, be a previous Clash winner or be a former Daytona 500 pole-winner who still competes full-time on the Cup series.

    On a recent podcast, Earnhardt said he told team owner Rick Hendrick that competing in the Clash would be something his wife "needed to warm up to."

    She hasn’t so far.

    "I’ve received many comments on Dale Jr running the 2018 Clash based on whether or not I give my blessing," she wrote Tuesday night. "Considering his struggles last fall with his injury, we are very blessed that he is now healthy, happy and able to enjoy his final season…and hopefully many years beyond racing. So my answer is simple. It’s not worth the risk to his health."

    While some Earnhardt fans were upset with the response, Junior said his wife felt she needed to take her opinion to the public.

    He also suggested his immediate reaction following the pole-winning run left his wife in a tough spot.

    "It sounds like a great idea right off the bat, but maybe it’s not worth it," Earnhardt said, explaining the Clash has a higher crash rate than other NASCAR races. "I feel much more in control of my own fate in the remainder of this season and anything I do beyond that, than I do being out there in the Clash, to be honest with you. But if it’s something she feels strongly about, we have to sit down and I have to hear her out."

    Even if he doesn’t compete in the 2018 season-opening race, Earnhardt intends to compete in two Xfinity Series races next season and plans to be involved in the sport in other ways.

    And his visibility may not be limited only to NASCAR tracks.

    One thing on Earnhardt’s Bucket List: Attending his first Indianapolis 500.

    "What happened here is a little bit bigger as far as what’s happened here in the last 100 years. It’s a little bit bigger than all of us. It never gets old coming here because of that," he said after receiving a parting gift from speedway President Doug Boles — a framed No. 8 from Indy’s old scoring pylon. "I’d like to be able to come here after I retire, especially for the Indy (500)."

    Boles has found creative ways to keep popular drivers in the mix at the track he runs.

    Two years ago, for instance, Jeff Gordon drove the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 as part of his farewell tour. The only five-time Brickyard winner also is driving the pace car for Sunday’s race.

    That may be a safer way to get Earnhardt back into racing.

    But first, Earnhardt wants to give his family another way to celebrate his farewell tour — joining Al Unser and Al Unser Jr. as the only father-son tandems to ever win at Indy.

    "It would be awesome to win one of the big, key races," he said. "It’s a race I think all of the drivers think is important to the series, and it’s right up there with the Daytona 500 in terms of importance."

    Hendrick tabs Bowman as Earnhardt replacement in No. 88 car

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. got the replacement he wanted. Alex Bowman got his dream job.

    Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday that the 24-year-old Bowman will replace one of the series’ biggest stars in the No. 88 car next season after Earnhardt retires.

    Bowman has big shoes to fill. Earnhardt was named NASCAR’s most popular driver each of the last 14 seasons and fans of his late father often tracked Junior’s results following Dale Earnhardt’s fatal crash in the 2001 season opener at Daytona.

    "Ever since I was a kid, racing is all I’ve wanted to do," Bowman said. "I’ve had so many people believe in me along the way. My family has sacrificed a lot and always been behind me. I would never have this chance without the support of Dale and everyone involved with the No. 88 team. To be part of Hendrick Motorsports and for Mr. Hendrick to have this confidence in me, it’s just amazing."

    Bowman already has some experience in this job. When the 42-year-old Earnhardt missed 18 races because of a concussion last season, Bowman started 10 of them in the No. 88, winning the first Cup pole of his career and finishing in the top 10 three times.

    That was enough to get Earnhardt’s attention and eventually an endorsement in May.

    "Alex Bowman to the 88 next year — is that what you guys want?" Junior asked during a livestream on Periscope following the series’ All-Star race. "That would be pretty awesome to see Alex in that car. That’s the plan, I hope. . Yeah, Alex in the 88. That sounds good to me. That kid earned it last year. He ran good."

    The 24-year-old Bowman performed well enough to get several full-time offers to drive in the Cup series this year.

    Instead, he stayed patient. Bowman said he turned down each offer as he continued searching for the right situation. The Tucson, Arizona, native wound up with no full-time ride in 2017.

    But with Earnhardt’s concussion history, Bowman likely knew it wouldn’t be long until he stepped away. Rick Hendrick’s team contemplated its options for months before finally deciding bring back Bowman.

    In 81 career Cup starts and 50 career starts in the Xfinity Series, Bowman has never won a race. But he had 13 top-finishes and won three poles on the Xfinity circuit before blossoming in Earnhardt’s car last season.

    He joins a series that is clearly in transition.

    With television ratings and attendance sagging and three major stars — Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Earnhardt — retiring since 2015, Bowman will become yet another prominent fresh face in a series that currently has five drivers who are in their 20s in the top 15.

    The announcement comes two days Earnhardt attempts to qualify for his final Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis. The race is scheduled to be run Sunday.

    Amy Earnhardt on Dale Jr. running 2018 Clash: ‘Not worth the risk’

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., despite plans to step away from the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after the season, is eligible for the 2018 Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway.

    Many have speculated that the 42-year-old could suit up in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series one more time before he officially hangs up the premier series fire suit, but wife Amy put any possibility to rest on Tuesday evening.

    @AmyEarnhardt: (Read Statement Here)

    Earnhardt missed nearly half of the 2016 season after suffering concussion-related symptoms.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s throwback paint scheme a nod to his XFINITY Series past

    (Pic) During a recent post-race Periscope video, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said his throwback paint scheme for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway would be personal. Earnhardt and sponsor Nationwide revealed just how personal Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    On Sept. 3, the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will mimic the paint scheme Earnhardt ran in 1998 and 1999 with ACDelco in what is now the XFINITY Series. Junior was in that primarily blue car with white trim and lettering for two consecutive XFINITY Series titles, a span in which he also won 13 times.

    Earnhardt also won back-to-back XFINITY Series championships in the car.

    As for Darlington, in his four XFINITY starts at ‘The Lady in Black’ with the ACDelco car, Earnhardt grabbed a career-best finish of second in the September 1998 race.

    Earnhardt’s final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Darlington comes during the track’s annual throwback weekend. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is still seeking his first win at the track, but does have 10 top-10 finishes in 21 starts. Earnhardt’s career-best finish at Darlington is a second-place effort in 2014.

    This will be the third consecutive year Darlington Raceway has hosted throwback weekend. The suggested time period being celebrated is 1985-89.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at New Hampshire

    Race: Overton’s 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

    Date: Sunday, July 16, 3 p.m. ET (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at New Hampshire: 25th, 5th, 9th, 10th, 6th

    Notable: Although he’s winless at New Hampshire, Earnhardt has performed well at the ‘Magic Mile’ in recent years. Among active drivers, Earnhardt is tied for the fifth-best average finish (10.8) over the course of the last 10 New Hampshire races. And that’s with the driver of the No. 88 having missed both races in 2016 because of a concussion. Earnhardt has also led 368 laps in his 33 New Hampshire starts with 15 top-10 finishes.

    Memorable: While it wasn’t a career-best result for Earnhardt at New Hampshire, the fall race of 2003 has been to date his career-best performance. Earnhardt started sixth and led a race-high 120 of 300 laps. However, he faded to a fifth-place finish over the course of a 101-lap green-flag run to the finish. A year later, Earnhardt did grab his career-best result when he finished third. It is one of eight top-five finishes Earnhardt has at New Hampshire.

    Quotable: “I’m looking forward to New Hampshire. It’s a fun little racetrack,” Earnhardt said. “Obviously, it’s flat, and it’s kind of tricky to get around, but it’s fun. We haven’t been as good as I want to be there. I’ve seen some guys on the last couple of trips there do some things that I want to be doing, and we’ve got to figure out how to get our car to work that way. It should be a pretty fun race for us. I heard they’ve been working on the track surface, so it will be interesting to go there and see exactly how the track is.”

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Kentucky

    Race: Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway

    Date: Saturday, July 8, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Kentucky: 13th, 21st, 5th, 12th, 4th

    Notable: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has not yet won at Kentucky Speedway, which has only seen six Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races. Of his six starts there, Earnhardt has two top fives and a pole that came in 2013. He’s led a total of 10 laps in Kentucky and has an average finish of 14.2.

    Memorable moment: Last season during the Quaker State 400, Earnhardt expressed frustrations behind-the-wheel from a combination of conservative tires, a lower downforce package, and the track repave. On top of that, he ran out of gas on the final lap. Still, Earnhardt managed to snag a top-15 finish (13th), a placing not even he thought was feasible.

    Quotable: “The bumps were extremely bad at Kentucky – it was rough. The corners were great, and I think a lot of drivers would have liked to keep the corners ‘as is,’ just because they were aged and slick, and provided a lot of opportunity and different lines to run,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “But as the track ages, it should be incredible.”

    Earnhardt hits wall in potential final Cup start at Daytona

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. scraped the wall in a race billed as his final Cup Series start at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night.

    NASCAR's most popular driver had a flat right rear tire as he entered a turn, started to slow and then brushed the wall and flattened the right front tire.

    He made his way to pit row, but lost two laps while getting repairs. The damage likely will end Earnhardt's chances of picking up his 18th career victory at the famed speedway.

    Earnhardt was the pole-sitter and overwhelming favourite to win the race. He clearly had one of the fastest cars in the field and spent much of the first two stages up front.

    Several other top contenders found trouble, too.

    Points leader Kyle Larson and second-place Martin Truex Jr. were involved in a 10-car accident on Lap 72 that knocked out Truex and Joey Logano. Jamie McMurray, Austin Dillon, Danica Patrick, Kyle Busch, Paul Menard, Kurt Busch and Michael McDowell also were involved in the wreck that Kyle Busch started when he got sideways and started to spin in tight pack racing.

    "Wrong place at the wrong time again for us," Logano said. "It's superspeedway racing. Sometimes you're on the good side of it, sometimes you're on the wrong side of it. That was the bad one."

    Earnhardt's troubles earlier seemingly silenced the stadium.

    Earnhardt announced in April that this would be his final full-time season in NASCAR's top series. He plans to drive a handful of races in the second-tier Xfinity Series, but has not committed to running at Daytona again.

    So the track billed this race as his Daytona finale , even painting a No. 88 logo on the infield grass and dubbing the entire weekend "Daletona." Track officials also presented Junior with a painting featuring three of his most memorable wins at the superspeedway: His July 2001 victory that came 4 1/2 months after his father's fatal crash in the Daytona 500; his July 2010 win in the second-tier series in which he drove a No. 3 Chevrolet with a throwback paint scheme; and his February 2014 win in "The Great American Race."

    Earnhardt told NBC broadcasters he was a little overwhelmed with all the attention on pit road before the race.

    Fans crowded around his Chevrolet, snapping pictures and screaming well wishes to NASCAR's favourite son.

    Earnhardt acknowledged earlier in the week that winning at Daytona, a venue that has delivered personal tragedy and professional triumph, was his best last chance to make the playoffs. He is winless this season and ranks 22nd in points, well out of the post-season picture.

    "We are running out of time, and I am aware of that," Earnhardt said. "Yeah, this is probably our best shot to win, but we can win at other race tracks. We've got that ability to do that. It's been a very frustrating, tough year statistically."

    With fans’ hearts and pole won, Junior eyes Daytona next

    It was hard to tell who was happiest after Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 Chevrolet was atop the scoring pylon following Friday’s final qualifying round for the Coke Zero 400 (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). It might have been Junior, or it might have been anyone else at Daytona International Speedway.

    Fans high-fived and screamed loudly enough to hear over the sound of Junior’s car making its way back around the track for a cool-down lap.

    “Dale Yeah! D-a-l-e yeah,” yelled an especially enthusiastic Earnhardt fan, jumping into the air on pit road and holding his Earnhardt-autographed hat up high off his head like a trophy.

    Other race teams, still standing on pit road, smiled knowingly and walked away realizing they had better prepare for some big-time “Little E” competition.

    For NASCAR’s reigning 14-time Most Popular Driver, it marks the first pole position he’s earned in four years and positions him for the fondest of farewells in his final full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season at the one venue most associated with his legendary racing name.

    “I just heard him on the radio say he might come back for the Clash,” his teammate, and fellow front-row qualifier Chase Elliott said with a laugh about the annual Daytona Speedweeks exhibition race featuring the previous year’s pole winners. “Did you all hear him? I’m just going to start that rumor right now!”

    The two will line up next to each other in an event Earnhardt has won twice and is considered a favorite for Saturday.

    “I think I will look at it as just a great opportunity to go out there and get a win,” Earnhardt, 42, said. “There are a lot of things that you have to do before you see the checkered flag. But I don’t know if I am feeling any more pressure than we typically feel when we come do Daytona.

    “We always seem to be in the conversation when we show up and one of the guys that is the favorite or a contender, and that has always been the case when we come here. So we have always had a little bit of that to deal with, so I don’t think it makes me feel any different about it this weekend.”

    Earnhardt had spoken to the media earlier Friday to discuss his final Daytona start. He was heartfelt and open. And coming into the media center again late Friday afternoon after winning the pole position, he was energetic and reflective. He didn’t answer questions as much as share stories.

    And what a story Daytona has been for him. He has 19 top-10 finishes in 35 starts, 13 top fives and four victories that includes the 2004 and 2014 Daytona 500.

    One Earnhardt “fan family” came to Daytona Beach from Hot Springs, Arkansas, just to see him perform here. It was 9-year-old Andrew Grisham’s first plane ride — all just to see his favorite driver’s potential final Daytona Monster Energy Series start.

    Dressed in an Earnhardt T-shirt, wearing an Earnhardt hat and sipping water out of an Earnhardt cup, he and his uncle, Matt Milks, 30, stood outside Earnhardt’s garage window in Daytona’s “Fan Zone” for six hours waiting for a chance to interact with the two-time Daytona 500 champion.

    They left with autographed dollar bills, hats, jackets, drink koozies, even their tickets for Saturday’s race.

    “I love my mom and dad and Dale Jr.,” Grisham said with a huge smile. His grandmother leaned in and explained with another grin, “This has been passed down through generations.”

    And Earnhardt gets that and appreciates it. He hears the crowd’s cheers. He feels the crowd surround him wherever he walks.

    Sure, it happens everywhere, but there is a special “feel” here where his legendary father Dale Earnhardt also collected 34 top 10s before being killed in the 2001 Daytona 500.

    Earnhardt Jr. has 17 race wins here, including XFINITY Series and non-points events, and knows this is a logical — and emotional — place to score his first Cup win of 2017.

    “We haven’t had a lot to be happy about on the race track this year, we haven’t had a whole lot to celebrate,” Earnhardt acknowledged. “As a driver and I think as a team, you feel responsible to deliver. The fans have expectations. You have expectations of yourself and what you should be able to accomplish on the race track and you feel that responsibility to deliver.

    “They come to the race track to see you lead. And when you don’t, you can feel the frustration coming through Twitter and social media after the races where you’re not a factor. They want it. They want you to be up there.

    “It’s a responsibility. I’m supposed to get up there and do it. They think I can do it. I think I can do it. It feels good to give ’em something to cheer about. Hopefully that gets them excited for (Saturday) and hopefully … we’re a part of the celebration at the end and part of the excitement at the finish.”

    Asked repeatedly about his expectations at Daytona this weekend, Earnhardt insisted his fate depends as much on the car as his great talent behind the wheel. Even if his fans would beg to differ.

    “We have had some really, really good cars here,” Earnhardt said of his success at Daytona. “When I get the car that I need or when I’ve had the cars that I have had that were so good here, you could just do whatever you wanted with them.”

    Pressed about whether it was the cars or his own talent behind the wheel, Earnhardt paused.

    “I think I know what I’m doing out there,” he said, carefully considering his answer. “But I don’t know how you rate one guy versus the next because we are all in kind of different cars every time we come back here.

    “Sometimes Denny’s [Hamlin] car gets the job done and he whoops us; sometimes we get the job done and sometimes it is somebody else. I watched Dad. I didn’t know what I was seeing when I was watching him. But once I got out on the track and I started doing things with my car, I realized what I was seeing all of those years, and why things were happening the way they were. I started to understand why.

    “How does a side draft feel if you have never been out there? Why do they do that? Why do they side draft and sling away? Why is it happening? You don’t know that until you get out there in the car.”

    So far, Earnhardt’s time in the car at Daytona couldn’t be more encouraging. Even he had to smile sizing up his chances.

    “If I’m behind the No. 88 I’m probably going to let him win; hell yeah,” he said laughing. “I’m a little different than the other drivers. I won’t pass him.”

    Pole winner Dale Jr. plays it coy on returning for the ‘Clash’

    Dale Earnhardt Jr., in his final full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, is eligible to run in the “Clash” preseason race at Daytona by virtue of being a previous event winner. Earnhardt, though, said earlier this year he would rather earn his way in by winning a Coors Light Pole Award.

    Well, Earnhardt earned it. He’ll start first in Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) after winning the Coors Light Pole Award on Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

    In the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Earnhardt Jr. was the final driver to take a lap in the second and final round of group qualifying. His speed of 190.973 mph topped teammate Chase Elliott’s mark of 190.795 mph for his first pole since 2013.

    So, how about the “Clash,” Junior?

    “I’ll talk to the boss (Rick Hendrick) and see what he’s got in the shed,” Earnhardt Jr. said with a wry smile.

    In other words, stay tuned.

    Earnhardt lands pole for what could be Cup finale at Daytona

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s retirement tour is making an emotional stop at NASCAR’s most famous track.

    Earnhardt won his first pole Friday since Sept. 29, 2013, and will lead the field to the green flag in what could be his final Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

    Earnhardt reached 190.973 mph during his fast lap, putting his No. 88 Chevrolet in the top spot for the Saturday night race. The pole also earned Earnhardt an automatic spot in the exhibition Clash at Daytona in 2018, giving him an opportunity to cut his impending retirement short and get back behind the wheel at the famed track for Speedweeks.

    "I’ll talk to my boss and see what he has in the shed," Earnhardt quipped.

    Earnhardt was the final driver to qualify and bumped Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott to second. The front row is a reverse from the Daytona 500, when Elliott landed the pole and Earnhardt started on the outside of the front row. It was a strong day overall for Hendrick, with Kasey Kahne qualifying fourth. Wedged between the top Hendrick cars was Brad Keselowski, who qualified third for Team Penske.

    Kevin Harvick was fifth, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano.

    All the attention, though, was on Earnhardt. No surprise for NASCAR’s favourite son, especially this weekend.

    Although Earnhardt hasn’t ruled out racing at Daytona in the future, especially in the second-tier Xfinity Series, his trip to NASCAR’s birthplace is being treated like a career finale.

    The track developed a "Daletona" mosaic in the stadium’s Axalta Injector that allows fans to create a piece of artwork to commemorate what could be Earnhardt’s final Cup Series start at Daytona. Officials also presented Junior with a painting featuring three of his most memorable wins at the superspeedway: His July 2001 victory that came 4 1/2 months after his father’s fatal crash in the Daytona 500; his July 2010 win in the second-tier series in which he drove a No. 3 Chevrolet with a throwback paint scheme; and his February 2014 win in "The Great American Race."

    "A lot of great things have happened here," he said. "A lot of drivers have made their careers here. It is something to be proud of if you are in the industry. It is a pretty fun race track."

    He admittedly got teary-eyed watching a replay of his 2004 Daytona 500 victory Thursday night.

    "When I see those kinds of highlights or something like that, it kind of brings some emotion around," he said.

    Little else has affected him so far, but he expects the weight of walking away — he is retiring from full-time racing at the end of the season — to hit him during the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    "I’m not having any anxiety about the end coming," he said. "I feel pretty good about that. I feel pretty good about my decision. I haven’t had any second guesses or regrets about that. So, I don’t’ believe I will have any anxiety as it starts to get closer to Homestead. I just don’t want to miss anything. I don’t want to miss a moment that I should take in. I don’t want to miss opportunity to let people know how much they mean to me, everybody in the industry means to me."

    So he’s welcoming the weekly tributes from track officials and fans. He’s also trying to balance saying goodbye and doing his job as best as possible.

    There’s no question Junior is the sentimental choice to win the race. He’s winless this season and ranks 22nd in points, well out of the playoff picture. Making it to victory lane at one of his best tracks would change all that.

    "We are running out of time, and I am aware of that," he said. "Yeah, this is probably our best shot to win, but we can win at other race tracks. We’ve got that ability to do that. It’s been a very frustrating, tough year statistically."

    Even his fellow drivers know this could be Earnhardt’s best chance to turn around his season.

    "I guarantee he’s going to be elbows up, sleeves up, and he will be the car to beat this weekend," defending Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch said.

    Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch: Junior ‘the car to beat this weekend’

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. is Daytona’s favorite son, with a record at the 2.5-mile track to match it — four wins, including two Daytona 500 victories and two more in the annual summer race, the most among active drivers.

    Earnhardt, in his final year of full-time competition, was leading the Daytona 500 earlier this year before getting clipped and wrecked, yielding a 37th-place finish.

    His 2017 results haven’t recovered. Still, history precedes him. That’s not lost on Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kurt Busch, who has identified the No. 88 Chevrolet as the favorite for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    “This could possibly be Dale’s last time in a top Monster Energy Series car at Daytona,” Busch said Thursday. “It’s going to be a good battle. I guarantee he’s going to be elbows out, sleeves rolled out, going hard. He will be the car to beat this weekend.”

    It’s high praise from the reigning Daytona 500 winner, especially in the midst of one of Earnhardt’s toughest season’s to date.

    Earnhardt is 22nd in the points standings through 16 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races. Ten races remain until the 16-driver playoffs field is set. The 42-year-old likely needs a win to make the postseason field — what better, more appropriate place than Daytona?

    Dale Jr. rises atop Daytona speed chart in final practice

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. shot to the top of the leaderboard Thursday in final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Daytona International Speedway.

    An aerodynamic pull in a six-car pack carried Earnhardt to a lap of 193.328 mph in the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet. Earnhardt, in his final full season of competition, is a four-time winner at the 2.5-mile track.

    Earnhardt led a clean sweep of the top five by Chevrolet drivers, who benefited from the aero boost of racing in a close-quarters pack. Michael McDowell was second-fastest at 193.249 mph in the Leavine Family Racing No. 95 Chevy during final prep for Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    Seven-time series champ Jimmie Johnson (193.228 mph), XFINITY Series regular Brendan Gaughan (193.224 mph) and Kasey Kahne (193.220 mph) completed the top five, all separated by .001 seconds. Stewart-Haas Racing’s Clint Bowyer, the lone Ford driver in the six-car group, was another .001 second back in sixth.

    Only 19 cars participated in the final 55-minute session. Coors Light Pole Qualifying is scheduled Friday at 2:10 p.m. ET (NBCSN).

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Daytona

    Race: Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway

    Date: Saturday, July 1, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Daytona: 37th, 21st, 36th, 1st, 3rd

    Notable: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has four wins at Daytona International Speedway, with two coming in his last seven starts — one at the Daytona 500 (2014) and one at the Coke Zero 400 (2015). Junior has 13 top-five finishes at Daytona and an average finish of 14.3. Two of his last three starts at Daytona have ended with wrecks.

    Memorable moment: Probably the most iconic win of Dale Jr.’s career came at Daytona in July 2001. With NASCAR still reeling from the death of his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., on the last lap of the Daytona 500, his namesake son led 116 laps and captured his first win at the track in just his fourth start there.

    Quotable: “I have great memories at all of these tracks, Daytona included,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a team release. “I am going to be coming back to these tracks whether I’m driving or not, and I want to continue to be part of the sport. It’s hard for me to put into words what it being my last Cup race at Daytona might feel like because I don’t know what that is going to feel like, and you never say never. Our whole idea on finishing up the season is to try to show our appreciation and express that to our fans and everyone in the industry on making this an incredibly enjoyable ride.”

    Appreciation for fans, memories — and even practice — prevalent in Junior’s final season

    The buzz around Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s impending retirement follows the No. 88 driver wherever he goes. With the constant questions, conversation and commentary, the sport’s most popular driver can hardly forget this season will be his final full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series run.

    Not to say it has changed his weekends much; during the race, he’s the same ole Dale Jr., wheeling the No. 88 Chevrolet to the cheers of Junior Nation and chatting with his team on the radio.

    But pre-race, the sights, sounds and routine actions that he’s experienced for 19 years and 611 Monster Energy Series races sometimes feel a little different for the 42-year-old this season.

    There’s a sense of appreciation, he says.

    “There’s a couple times during pre-race, either during the national anthem or just right before you get into the car,” Earnhardt told NASCAR.com. “That’s kind of where you get the most emotional, I think – I don’t know why, but in those moments, that’s where it kind of sinks in, the weight of the situation and the circumstances.”

    That appreciation carries over to his fans, which he is paying tribute to with his applicably named #Appreci88ion Tour. Designed to share memories at race tracks, celebrate his storied career, and identify, interact and thank his fans, the tour stretches over Earnhardt’s final five months as a full-time driver beginning at Daytona.

    In his 19 years behind the wheel, Earnhardt hopes he’s done his fans proud.

    “I hope they think we represented the sport well and represented our sponsors well,” Earnhardt said. “You know, we always try to be ourselves and be relatable and approachable and I hope that we succeeded in doing that.”

    As the season rolls on and Earnhardt makes his last stop at several tracks on the circuit, he has begun to value simply being at the race track as a driver. Like the last day of a vacation, he takes in the sights, the sounds, the feelings, and holds onto them for the day that he will no longer stand on pit road in a No. 88 fire suit.

    “I think you do start to get a little more emotionally and personally invested in the remaining races because you know that as the races click off, there’s less opportunity to enjoy being behind the wheel,” Earnhardt mused. “There’s parts of driving the car and being around the garage and being part of a team. There’s parts of those things that I’m really, really, really going to miss. You start to maybe absorb more of that and not speed through everything.

    “We’re always taught to kind of hustle through everything and get the most out of every moment and do it quickly,” he continued. “And as the season goes, there might be some dialing that back and wanting to kind of take in the moment and enjoy what you’re doing, knowing that you’re not going to be out there too much longer.”

    Even practice – which Earnhardt says he’s never looked forward to – doesn’t seem so bad.

    “I used to not really like practice all that much – it was kind of like a necessary pain-in-the-butt to get through the weekend to get to the race,” Earnhardt said. “This year, I look forward to working on the car and talking and communicating and working with the team, and on Friday and Saturday during practice is when we have the most communication during those times as we do all week … Little things like that that you don’t even think about start to become more important to you.”

    Little moments are a little bigger, little tasks take on a bit more meaning. But his last-season agenda isn’t long; he’s content, both with himself and how his storied career has unfolded.

    Other than, maybe, another trip to Victory Lane.

    “(We want to) try to get another win and just be able to celebrate one last time in Victory Lane, no matter where that is, is the only thing I’ve thought about as far as what I want to accomplish in this season,” Earnhardt said. “The list is very short as far as bucket-list items for me.

    “I’m pretty fulfilled and pretty satisfied – there’s not a whole lot of holes in my career for me.”

    Burton, Letarte, NBC weigh in on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s broadcasting prospects

    As NBC Sports prepares to take over the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race broadcasts for the second half of the season, NBC executive Sam Flood fully conceded Tuesday that the possibility of having Dale Earnhardt Jr., set to step out of the No. 88 Chevrolet at year’s end, in the sport’s broadcast booth in 2018 wasn’t a bad idea.

    “I think he’d be an excellent broadcaster,’’ Flood said. “Obviously, we need to see what he decides to do. I think it’s up to him where he wants to be in the future.

    “He’s a talented guy and I think he’d be quite an addition to any broadcast because he’s curious, asks good questions and cares deeply about the sport.”

    Earnhardt hasn’t revealed all his plans for 2018 beyond acknowledging he will compete in a handful of XFINITY Series races. He’s been vigilantly open-minded about his future and NASCAR’s reigning 14-time Most Popular Driver will undoubtedly have broadcast opportunities as well as racing opportunities.

    He worked in the broadcast booth earlier this season during the non-points“The Clash” race at Daytona International Speedway and has also been on the television team for a handful of XFINITY races.

    “I think the thing about Dale is his love for the sport,’’ said Earnhardt’s former crew chief Steve Letarte, now an analyst for NBC Sports. “He by no means takes for granted his situation and the legacy he is trying to continue on with his father’s success and his success.

    “I think anything Dale does to continue to be a part of the NASCAR group, whether as team owner or racing a partial schedule or in the TV booth, any of that would be good for NASCAR because of how much he cares about the sport.

    “From all the quotes I’ve heard, it sounds like to me he hasn’t closed any doors (on broadcasting.) What I’ve learned from Dale is you never know what you can expect.”

    One of Letarte’s partner’s in the television booth, Jeff Burton agreed that it wouldn’t surprise him to see Earnhardt holding a microphone and calling races.

    “It allows you to, quite honestly, talk about something you’d be watching anyway,’’ Burton said. “Junior’s no different. It’s been a great transition (for me) and I think it would be for Junior as well.’’

    For now, Earnhardt is focused on kicking off his “Appreci88ion” farewell tour as he visits the Cup tracks in the second half of the season. And he is particularly excited to race on the Daytona high banks where he is a four-time winner — twice each in the Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400.

    Winless on the season, a victory in Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 would likely be his ticket to a playoff berth in his final run at his first Monster Energy Series title; the happy ending he and his devoted fans would love to see.

    “From everything we’ve talked about this year, this race is important to Dale and to his team and his sponsors,’’ Letarte said. “The year probably hasn’t gone exactly like they hoped, but arguably from here to Chicago, this is the race I have circled. It is without a doubt the best chance for the 88 to make the playoffs.”

    BLAKE SHELTON AND 20 NASCAR DRIVERS STAR IN SHOW OPEN FOR NBC SPORTS GROUP’S COVERAGE OF 2017 NASCAR SEASON

    Country music superstar, and coach on NBC’s Emmy Award-winning series The Voice, Blake Shelton returns to perform NBC Sports Group’s 2017 NASCAR on NBC opening theme. The refreshed show open, set to Shelton’s song “Bringing Back the Sunshine,” will make its on-air debut this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, during NBC’s coverage of the Coke Zero 400, from Daytona International Speedway.

    This year’s NASCAR on NBC show open kicks off NBC Sports Group’s third season of NASCAR coverage, and includes all-new scenes with more than 20 current NASCAR Cup Series drivers. The high-energy production, set within the infield of two NASCAR racing venues, features drivers connecting with fans throughout the track, and on stage with Shelton as he performs a pre-race concert for driver introductions.

    In addition, the open also includes members of the U.S. military from both Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., and NOSC Bessemer in Bessemer, Ala., interacting with two-time Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. An advanced look at the show open, prior to its debut Saturday night, is available on NASCAR on NBC’s Facebook page and NBC Sports Group’s YouTube page.

    “We are excited Blake is back this season to kick off our 2017 NASCAR coverage. He resonates well with both the avid NASCAR fan and casual viewer,” said Tripp Dixon VP and Creative Director at NBC Sports Group. “This year’s show open focuses on the drivers that make this sport shine, and highlights moments with them interacting with their families, crews, and fans.”

    Like a fine wine, Junior improves in final Sonoma race

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. closed the book on his Sonoma Raceway career, from a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standpoint, with a sixth-place finish and a somewhat different perspective of the winding 1.99-mile road course.

    “It’s like the wine out here, I think you get better with age getting around this place,” Earnhardt said out on pit road following Sunday’s Toyota / Save Mart 350.

    It’s no secret that Earnhardt, who will retire from full-time competition at the end of this 2017 season, has never quite taken to competing on the series’ two road course tracks, Sonoma and Watkins Glen. But the popular driver has shown marked improvement at both venues in recent years.

    Sunday’s result was his third top-10 in his last four starts at the 1.99-mile Sonoma facility.

    “I know all the drivers say this when they run good but I can’t do it without a good car and I’ve had some great, great cars the last several trips here,” Earnhardt said. “We stuck with what we know and it’s working.”

    Incidents early in the 110-lap race threatened to take the Hendrick Motorsports driver out of contention almost before it started. On Lap 15 he locked up the brakes on his No. 88 Chevrolet, slid into Turn 11 and was hit by Danica Patrick.

    Barely 15 or so laps later, he and Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) again were involved in an incident, along with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Roush Fenway Racing Ford).

    “Wrong place, wrong time,” was how Earnhardt described the initial incident.

    “Danica was trying to protect her position going into (Turn) 11 and I went in even lower than we normally go and … just locked up the rear tires,” he said. “I hate that I hit the 42 (of Kyle Larson) and Danica there.

    “Then down in (Turn) 4 I don’t think Danica knew that the 42 had gone to the inside and we just kind of all sandwiched together.”

    “After all that we settled in, ran our own race, Greg (Ives, crew chief) and the guys had good strategy and the car had real good speed,” Earnhardt continued.

    Sunday’s top-10 finish was just the third overall for Earnhardt in 18 starts at Sonoma. He led a total of nine laps here, all coming in 2004.

    Dale Jr. a three-time Daytona 500 winner? Don’t count it out

    As he retires from full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has two Daytona 500 victories to credit.

    But that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t ever have a third.

    True, next week Earnhardt will compete for the last time at Daytona as the driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. But that doesn’t mean it’s the last time he’ll compete at Daytona.

    “Well, you never say never,” Earnhardt said. “I’m just retiring from full-time racing. I’m going to run some XFINITY races next year. I don’t know that I won’t ever run the Daytona 500 again, if the right deal comes along. All these tracks you have memories at, all of them, Daytona included.

    To some degree, Earnhardt can draw on the experience of his former crew chief, Steve Letarte, who left the pit box for a perch in the NBC Sports television booth.

    “When he wasn’t working a race he had a hard time being there,” Earnhardt said. “He had a hard time watching it and not wanting to be a part of it. … It will be interesting I guess when we get to the 500 next year and see how that all feels emotionally.”

    Earnhardt also addressed reports that he, too, might be under consideration for a broadcasting role.

    “We are certainly open to discussing the possibility of seeing what options I have,” Earnhardt said. “Who wanted us, what kind of job they want me for, and we are sort of in the middle of understanding that, and that just goes along the lines of doing due diligence on everything. I’m not retiring from work. I want to keep seeking out opportunities to make a living and make money and be relevant and be a value to my partners.

    “I want to continue to be a part of the sport, and not just as an owner in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. I want to be a valuable asset to the growth of the sport and continue to help raise the bar and raise the awareness of the sport and promote the sport as much as I can. So we were just kind of looking at what opportunities there are out there for me.”

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Sonoma

    Race: Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway

    Date: June 25, 3 p.m. ET (FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Sonoma: 11th, 7th, 3rd, 12th, 23rd

    Notable: In his last three starts at Sonoma, Earnhardt has earned three consecutive top-11 finishes, including a career-best third place in 2014. That finish was also his first top-five at the road course. In 17 career Sonoma starts, Earnhardt has just one DNF and nine laps led in addition to having completed 95.3 percent of the laps run.

    Memorable moment: Although Earnhardt is winless at Sonoma, he admitted his 2014 result of third felt like a victory without the trophy. Not only was it a career-best result, things finally fell into place to earn a finish he and his team were deserving of as it was Earnhardt’s first top 10 at the track in 15 tries. It was also one of Earnhardt’s more skillful driving exhibitions on the 12-turn course as he worked his way up the leaderboard from a 17th starting position to contend with the frontrunners.

    Quotable: “We’ve had great race cars at the road courses the last few years, which has helped me a lot,” Earnhardt said this week in a team release. “Sonoma is the most challenging track that I race at. We’ve just got to take care of our car and make it through to the end.”

    Complex Networks team up with Film 45, Markay Media and Hendrick Motorsports for ‘Road to Race Day’

    Complex Networks, Film 45, Markay Media, and NASCAR champions Hendrick Motorsports have teamed up on an original, eight-part documentary series that journeys deep inside the teamwork, sophistication and heart that makes stock car racing an American institution.

    Road to Race Day goes behind the scenes with Hendrick Motorsports during the 2016 season, delivering unprecedented access to witness the passion, determination, and talent that propels its superstar drivers — Kasey Kahne, Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. — and crew to be the winningest team in professional stock car racing. Directed by Cynthia Hill (A Chef’s Life, Private Violence) and executive produced by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Patriot’s Day), Road to Race Day premieres on Complex Networks’ Rated Red available on go90 on Wednesday, July 19.

    “At the heart of the series is a team of people who share an incredible passion for and dedication to stock car racing and a drive to win. Hendrick Motorsports believed in us and gave us unparalleled access to share their story, and we’re grateful to them for inviting us into their family,” Berg said. “Road to Race Day adds a personal dimension to the sport, and it spotlights the passionate individuals who make Hendrick Motorsports one of the most successful racing teams of all time.”

    Hill added, “Stock car racing is an essential part of the American fabric. My team and I wanted to demystify the sport and its unique culture while celebrating the rich personalities whose lives intersect on race day.”

    “Cynthia Hill, Film 45 and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports have delivered riveting storytelling that humanizes the sport and brings to life all that’s involved in getting to the finish line,” said Rich Antoniello, chief executive officer of Complex Networks. “The series goes deep into the culture of racing to show the emotion and excitement of the sport, and we’re thrilled to be working with Film 45 again and honored that Hendrick Motorsports entrusted us with sharing their story with audiences.”

    Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has earned nearly 250 points-paying race victories and an all-time record 12 championships in the premier NASCAR Cup Series. The organization fields four teams on the circuit with star drivers Kahne, Elliott, Earnhardt and 2016 champion Johnson.

    Each weekly episode showcases the energy of racing through the stories of four superstars of the sport and their colorful teams. Strategy, preparation, and focus for each race are propelled by intensity and emotion as Road to Race Day crisscrosses the country to capture each dramatic moment as it unfolds.

    In 2016, Elliott, heir to the car formerly driven by racing legend Jeff Gordon, began his rookie-of-the-year campaign, while veteran Earnhardt faced one of the most challenging seasons of his storied career. Johnson continued to chase his record-tying seventh championship, as Kahne fought to get back to Victory Lane. From North Carolina to Northern California, Road to Race Day follows these merchants of speed, their crew chiefs and teams as they confront ever-changing rules and unrivaled competition at more than 200 mph.

    Complex Networks and Film 45 have previously teamed on the critically-acclaimed series QB1: Beyond the Lights for go90, which has been renewed for a second and third season. Road to Race Day is the latest Complex Networks original series in a growing lineup of high profile shows that also includes: Thanksgiving created by Dan Powell and Bethany Hall and starring Chris Elliott and Amy Sedaris; Embeds from Megyn Kelly and Michael DeLuca; Top Grier starring Hayes Grier; and Drive Share created by and starring Paul Scheer and Rob Huebell.

    Follow Road to Race Day on Twitter, Facebook or join the Fan Club and get exclusive content, behind the scenes access and unique offers.

    Trailer: https://youtu.be/lNQqigkKN3I.

    NBCSN CELEBRATES DALE EARNHARDT JR’S FINAL RACE AT DAYTONA WITH #NASCARTHROWBACK SPECIAL, THURS., JUNE 29TH AT 7 P.M. ET

    NBCSN will celebrate Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final time racing at Daytona International Speedway, as a NASCAR Cup Series driver, with a #NASCARThrowback social media special, Thursday, June 29 at 7 p.m. ET. Through real time on-air integrations, fans will have the ability to re-live Dale Jr.’s 2004 Daytona 500 win, and interact with current NASCAR drivers, NASCAR on NBC on-air personalities, and race teams.

    Viewers are encouraged to join in the social media conversation by using #NASCARThrowback, to share their thoughts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Hall of Fame driver Dale Jarrett (@DaleJarrett), and NASCAR on NBC analyst Parker Kligerman (@Pkligerman) host the show, live from Daytona International Speedway’s race broadcast booth in Daytona Beach, Fla. Carolyn Manno (@Carolynmanno) will contribute from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcasting Center in Stamford, Conn.

    Unlike traditional television replays of classic events, NBCSN’s #NASCARThrowback allows those involved in the original event to contribute their memories and perspectives in real-time during the two-hour, cut-down version of the race.

    NBCSN’s first #NASCARThrowback viewing party, in July 2016, drew a highly engaged audience of fans, race teams and drivers, including Dale Jr. himself. The first-of-its-kind television event reached the No. 1 U.S. Trending Topic on Twitter within an hour.

    NBC Sports Group's production team is just 10 days away from its 2017 debut of live NASCAR Cup and XFINITY Series racing. On Friday, June 30, at 7 p.m. ET, NBCSN kicks off its coverage of the 2017 XFINITY Series, live from Daytona International Speedway. On Saturday, July 1, at 7 p.m. ET, NBC presents its first NASCAR Cup Series race of 2017, and the first of 20 final races to determine the 2017 Series Champion.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Michigan

    Race: FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway

    Date: June 18, 3 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Michigan: 39th, 10th, 2nd, 5th, 7th

    Notable: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has two wins at Michigan, the latest victory on June 17, 2012. In that race, Earnhardt started 17th and led for 95 laps. He has the fifth-highest driver rating (96.0) at the 2-mile track with an average finish of 13.2 since 2005.

    Memorable: Earnhardt said, according to a 2014 tweet, he had one of his favorite races in the Irish Hills. It was a 1999 IROC (International Race of Champions) race, where he battled neck-and-neck against a high-profile driver: his father. Earnhardt Jr., though, came in second by inches to his dad. The race wasn’t a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event, but father and son displayed a fierce, albeit friendly, competition and an enduring familial tie to the sport.

    Quotable: “Michigan is a great track,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “I look forward to it aging and widening out. As that happens, the track loses grip. Before they paved it, we were running down next to the apron and against the wall. That is all you can ask for when you’re talking racetracks and what drivers like about them.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Pocono race ends early after blown transmission

    History repeated itself this weekend for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as an engine issue brought on by a bad shift ended his day in the Axalta presents the Pocono 400 and resulted in a 38th-place finish.

    A two-time winner at Pocono, Earnhardt entered this race with six top-five finishes in his last seven starts at the 2.5-mile track. However, the weekend started off rocky when the No. 88 team had to change engines on Friday.

    After missing a shift Sunday on Lap 57, Dale Jr. said over the radio: “I don’t know what it is about the shifter this week, but it’s not natural to me.”

    This race marked the second DNF for Earnhardt in 34 starts at Pocono.

    “It’s going in the wrong gear,” a dejected Earnhardt Jr. told FS1 on the race broadcast. “I wish I could blame it on something else, because it’s awful. It feels awful.

    “It’s just my fault. I wish I could say that the shifter is different and something’s out of line. This really concerns me. … I don’t really have an answer other than me having to pay more attention.”

    Crew chief Greg Ives came over the radio to offer encouragement as the team will move on to Michigan, a place where Junior has two wins.

    “We’re going to go to Michigan. We will be fine,” Ives said.

    Engine issue will send Earnhardt Jr. to rear of field for Sunday’s race

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start at the rear of the field in Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway due to an engine change in opening practice.

    Earnhardt’s Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet lost power and coasted to pit road after eight practice laps in the early stages of the 85-minute session. TV replays from his on-board camera showed his car over-revving when shifting, shortly after exiting the 2.5-mile track’s third turn.

    @DaleJr : Update on practice: I blew the motor up. Went into 2nd gear (was aiming for 4th) and grenaded it. Will have to start last Sunday.

    Earnhardt’s crew rushed to swap out the engine. The unapproved adjustment will relegate his No. 88 to the rear of the 39-car field for Sunday’s Axalta presents the Pocono 400 (3 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Earnhardt has two career wins at Pocono, both coming in a 2014 sweep.

    Coors Light Pole Qualifying is scheduled Friday at 4:15 p.m. ET (FS1). Earnhardt tweeted that though his starting spot is predetermined by the unapproved adjustment, competition officials prefer the team make a qualifying attempt. Earnhardt indicated he would make one lap using the race setup to gather information for Sunday’s event.

    Preview: Dale Jr. at the Tricky Triangle

    Race: Axalta presents the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway

    Date: June 11, 3 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Pocono: 2nd, 4th, 11th, 1st, 1st

    Notable: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s career average finish at Pocono equals 14.4 – but his average finish in the last five races is 3.8. He swept the track with a pair of wins in 2014 and most recently nabbed a runner-up victory in last year’s June races won by Kurt Busch. Junior has also seen consistency in recent years at the Tricky Triangle; he has only finished one race outside the top 11 in his past 11 races.

    Memorable moment: Clever pit strategy by then-crew chief Steve Letarte played into Earnhardt Jr.’s win at Pocono in August 2014 that gave him a season sweep of the Tricky Triangle. With 39 laps to go, Letarte instructed the crew to put four fresh tires on the No. 88 before taking a splash of fuel — rather than a full tank — 10 laps later to put him ahead of the field. Junior held off a fast-charging Kevin Harvick for the remainder of the race to win the GoBowling.com 400 by .228 seconds. It marked Earnhardt’s second sweep of his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career (the first at Talladega in 2006).

    Quotable: “Pocono is a good track for us,” Earnhardt said in a team release. “I like both Pocono and Michigan, so we have some solid tracks coming up for the No. 88 gang. We were in the simulator this week working on Pocono. We’ve been working really, really hard the last three weeks. It’s been going great – the cars have gotten better in practice and we’re seeing some good improvements, so we’re going to keep grinding. We’re going in the right direction.”

    Dale Jr.’s top 10 drivers to root for after he leaves — plus, a dark horse pick

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s legacy in NASCAR is unlike that of anyone else in the garage. His name, his talent, his personality and his avid fan base with Junior Nation are rare and special in sports.

    So, his departure from full-time racing after the 2017 season begs the question: Who will Junior Nation root for after Earnhardt’s gone?

    But as Junior points out, there are plenty of drivers to cheer on when he hangs up his fire suit — and he gives us a top-10 list.

    “This is a talented list. When you’re talking about these drivers … no one stands apart in talent,” Earnhardt Jr. said on his Dirty Mo Radio podcast on Tuesday afternoon.

    So, here you go, Junior Nation: In no particular order of greatness, Earnhardt Jr.’s top picks (with commentary from Junior) to root for:

    Ryan Blaney: “If you’re a fan of social media, you follow racing through social media, Ryan Blaney’s going to be your guy. He’s going to give you the most content, he’s going to run good … he’s going to go on the late shows, he’s going to be a guy that says ‘yes’ to all those things. So, if you like seeing your driver here and there doing things and him being interactive, social, that’s your guy.”

    Austin Dillon: “He drives the No. 3 car. Bit of a goofball, good, outgoing attitude, outdoorsman, bit of a cowboy. He has a reputation that I think maybe appeals to some of the core NASCAR fans or some of the older NASCAR fans. He obviously drives for a really established old team with a great reputation … if you like the fact of a healthy Richard Childress Racing, he’s going to be part of that.”

    Chase Elliott: “He has the last name, he has the talent. Very similar situation (to me) carrying on the legacy. I think his popularity — it’s already pretty big and I think it’s just going to continue to get bigger, especially when he starts clicking off some wins. He’s with HMS and a great team.”

    Erik Jones: “Super fast, raw speed — he’s got it. Great talent … He’s wearing this mullet so he kind of knows how to pick on himself and doesn’t take himself too seriously. I think he has a great personality — I would encourage him to show that more. But when I’m around him at the race track, you do see a very, very focused, game-face kind of guy. But there is a side of him that’s kind of the opposite that I think he could probably show the fans more to give them an opportunity to get to know him. But I think there’s going to be great things for Erik Jones in his future.”

    Kyle Larson: “He is dominating the series … he’s the modern-day A.J. Foyt, Tony Stewart … Kyle Larson is another incredibly skilled driver. Another guy with a great personality, really funny, family man. Squeaky clean, doesn’t get in trouble, races hard … there’s a little bit of chatter in the media of whether he’s aggressive enough, he’s finishing second a lot and why is he not winning more races … trust me, Kyle Larson has no problem putting the chrome horn to you. That guy there is one I personally would be inclined to consider to pull for.”

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: “Fun guy, good friend, great personality. He’s a hard racer. When he’s on the race track, he doesn’t race aggressive or silly or over his head, but he’ll run you hard. And now he’s in a pretty good situation where his cars have pretty good speed and now he’s having his best year to date in the series. He’d be a good guy that I think’s going to be around for a while and going to continue to get better.”

    Daniel Suarez: “There’s one thing I like about Daniel Suarez being part of the series and being good and talented — NASCAR’s kind of always been an American sport with American drivers. We’ve had a couple guys come in (Juan Pablo) that are international talents. But we haven’t really broken through that barrier and became a global sport … And I think that’s the logical progression for NASCAR. At some point, you want it to become a sport that goes and races in Mexico, Brazil, Canada, even overseas. … So, having drivers that are born outside of America I think increases our ability to be an appealing sport globally. And Daniel is a great guy, I’ve had a lot of interaction with him trying to get to know him and he’s super nice, man. Really cool. He’s a guy that I personally pull for.”

    Jimmie Johnson: “A veteran driver, obviously you’re going to be able to get a guy that’s winning races now — and championships. If you’ve become an admirer of what he’s accomplished — tying Cale Yarborough in wins; seven-time champion, tying my dad and Richard Petty. He’s all-American, great personality, family man, not afraid to get his hands dirty — just an all-around cool guy. So he’s an obvious choice for the good guy. And then …”

    Kyle Busch: “He wears the black hat. He wins a lot of races, he creates a little controversy here and there. Not liked by everyone, but he does have an avid, core fan base. He does drive the candy car — a lot of young fans like Kyle Busch just because he drives the candy car. And I do like M&Ms myself. Kyle is going to keep it interesting, you’re going to be entertained.”

    Martin Truex Jr.: “Martin Truex Jr. is a neat choice because it’s unorthodox; they are a team up in Denver, Colorado. For the longest time, if you weren’t in Charlotte you were an outsider … it was almost impressive that RCR was as good as they were way up in Welcome, North Carolina … No one ever took that team seriously, the Furniture Row team. Now, they’re one of the best teams in the sport, doing it all the way up there in Colorado … Martin Truex Jr. is an outdoorsman, avid hunter – a lot of race fans connect to that – incredible charitable work outside the race car. He is a ‘Jr.’ – came from a family of racers, great story there.”

    Leave it to Junior to be unpredictable; he also includes a “dark horse” pick — as well as someone who No. 88 fans might naturally be drawn toward.

    “If you want to start with a guy that’s not really established just yet — we’ve named a lot of people that are in pretty good position with teams and so forth,” Earnhardt said. “If you want to pick a guy that I think is just as talented as these guys but you want to work your way up with him — Chris Buescher. I think that Chris did an amazing job in the XFINITY Series — outran our cars with the Roush stuff, which nothing against the Roush cars, but I thought he did an amazing job. I think he really does a good job in the car he’s in now, it’s a brand new team, it’s not one of the more higher-funded operations and I think he gets quite a bit out of that race car … what I’m trying to do here is set you up with a guy that I think’s going to make it and you can go on that ride with him.

    “And then there’s one driver that we haven’t mentioned — whoever drives the 88 car next year. You could pull for whoever gets in that car. I can’t wait — I’m excited for them to figure all that out … you can take these 10 drivers or whatever’s behind Door No. 3.”

    Or, in this case, No. 88.

    Chef Gordon Ramsay roasts banana-mayo sandwich

    Chef Gordon Ramsay has made a name for himself over the years reviewing other culinary adventurers’ creations, often harshly.

    NASCAR.com tasked Sunday’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism grand marshal with perhaps his most challenging review yet – the Dale Earnhardt Jr. banana-mayonnaise sandwich.

    He, uh, didn’t hold back.

    “Wow. That would give me (a not-too-pleasant gastrointestinal situation) for three weeks,” the ‘F-Word’ star said at Dover International Speedway. “Throw it away and start again. I would not be eating (expletive) banana and mayonnaise, no. Whatever Muppet put those two together needs to clean their core. Dale Jr. needs to call me.”

    That seemed to be the general consensus when the Hendrick Motorsports driver shocked the world and created a phenomenon of grandi-gross proportions in April 2016 by tweeting a picture of the Dalewich, albeit with less profanity.

    Ramsay, who is a self-proclaimed “car nut” who races in his spare time and loves the “electric” atmosphere at the “Monster Mile,” did have some suggestions to spice the sandwich up.

    “Mayonnaise? Crème fresh. Way better,” he said.

    “Mashed banana, crème fresh, little touch of vanilla. I’d take that thing to the Premier League.”

    Junior beginning to see simulator work pay dividends

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has always been a “gamer.” He was one of the pioneers of iRacing, often spending hours online racing against armchair drivers across the globe.

    Now Earnhardt is making full use of technology to up his game on the asphalt.

    “We went to the simulator, which is something we’ve been trying to infuse into our process a little bit more,” Earnhardt said after qualifying 11th on Friday at Dover International Speedway. “It’s been bearing some fruit and helping us out and making us feel more confident going into the race weekends.

    “We first really experienced that in Kansas and had a great practice the first day. Same thing here, we went to the simulator, picked a few things we liked, threw out some stuff that didn’t work.”

    That’s one of the main efficiencies of simulator work – eliminating ideas that won’t work before the car gets to the track.

    “We come to the race track and we unload, and there is obviously going to be some comments about the car that we want to fix,” Earnhardt said. “We know what not to mess with that is going to waste a lot of practice time, and we can just hit the things that we thought we liked in the sim.

    “They correlated really well today (in Friday’s practice). We got the car better in race trim. We only made one change and then swapped over really quick (to qualifying trim). Then for qualifying, we improved the car each run … I’m really happy. We’ve been working, trying to get better.”

    Earnhardt forced to scrap Philadelphia Eagles car at Pocono

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s ride in a Philadelphia Eagles car has been benched.

    Earnhardt was scheduled to race next week at Pocono Raceway in the No. 88 Chevrolet wrapped in team colours and with the Eagles logo. Hendrick Motorsports and the Eagles say the sponsorship is off because the NFL doesn’t allow team designs accompanying the promotion or presentation of another sport.

    Earnhardt will drive the NASCAR Cup race with the Axalta paint scheme at Pocono.

    The Eagles had agreed to team with Axalta as part of the All-Pro Teachers program, which recognizes outstanding sixth through 12th grade teachers concentrating on STEM education in the Delaware Valley.

    Earnhardt is a Washington Redskins fan and had joked he hoped the team would not disown NASCAR's most popular driver.

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the ‘Monster Mile’

    Race: AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover International Speedway

    Date: June 4, 1 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results at Dover: 32nd, 3rd, 14th, 17th, 9th

    Notable: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has seven top-five finishes at Dover. Up until last fall’s Citizen Soldier 400, Earnhardt had raced in every Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at the Monster Mile since joining the series full time in 2000. However, that came to an end last year when Earnhardt missed the second half of the season — including the Dover race — due to a concussion. Junior has an average finish of 16.2 at Dover, but perhaps he can bring back the magic from 2001 to the concrete track this weekend.

    Memorable moment: Junior has one victory at Dover International Speedway, but it was a meaningful victory for the sport. On Sept. 23, 2001, he took the checkered flag at the MBNA Cal Ripken, Jr. 400, the first NASCAR event following the tragic Sept. 11 attacks. With American pride at a peak in the grandstands, Junior led nearly half the race — 193 of the 400 laps run to win and later circled the track in celebratory fashion in his then No. 8 stock car, hoisting the American flag.

    Quotable: “This sport cycles around and I never lose faith that Hendrick Motorsports will find the speed we need. I’m ready for Dover.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. improving, but still not satisfied after final Coca-Cola 600

    As badly as he wanted to win the Coca-Cola 600 before stepping away from full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competition, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 10th-place finish in the sport’s longest race offered a little gratification.

    Earnhardt, who has not won a Monster Energy Series points race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 34 tries, kept digging through the 400-lap, 600-mile event and jumped into the top 10 at the end of Stage 3. From there, he withstood a fuel-mileage frenzy at the finish of the race to score his second top 10 of the 2017 season — his first since last month at Texas.

    The result was a strong turnaround from last week’s result in the Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte where Junior came in 18th out of the 20 cars in the event.

    “We think we should be running in the top five every week as a team, so that is still not really good enough, but compared to last week it’s a huge improvement,” Earnhardt said.

    Entering the race weekend, Earnhardt said the team “totally eighty-sixed all that stuff we ran last week.” Instead, the team turned to a setup used by Jimmie Johnson, a Hendrick Motorsports teammate of Junior’s and an eight-time winner at Charlotte. Earnhardt was very appreciative of the time the seven-time champion spent with him.

    “We’ve got to thank Jimmie (Johnson) and the No. 48 guys, Jimmie especially,” Earnhardt said. “He was communicating with me all week, calling me, talking on the phone. He would come across the garage and get in my window even during practice. Get out of his car and come talk to me. What a great teammate. I hated to see him run out of gas.”

    Johnson was one of several drivers to gamble on a fuel mileage strategy late that ultimately paid off for Austin Dillon, who led the final two laps for his first win in the Monster Energy Series. Was that play something the No. 88 team considered?

    “Right now, we need to get finishes under our belt and we weren’t really in a position to gamble with the fuel mileage we were getting,” crew chief Greg Ives told NASCAR.com. “Being four laps short is really a hard place to be. When you’re looking at 3 or 2 (laps) … I’ve calculated fuel mileage for a lot of years and when you’re trying to save four laps of fuel it is not an easy thing to do. If we are in a position with maybe three laps (short), I think we could have been able to do that.”

    Earnhardt will now turn his attention to Dover, where he has one career win in the sport’s top series and will go into Sunday’s AAA 400 Drive for Autism (1 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) 23rd in the points standings.

    Junior aims to emulate teammate Johnson’s success in final shot at Coca-Cola 600

    With the majority of teams based in North Carolina, drivers often consider the races at Charlotte Motor Speedway “home” races.

    But Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of the few drivers left in the sport who can truly call the 1.5-mile speedway his “home track.” Hailing from Kannapolis, North Carolina — which sits approximately 14 miles northeast of the track — Earnhardt recalls attending the Charlotte races early in his life.

    “Some of the first memories of being at a 1.5-mile race track (are) here at Charlotte,” Earnhardt said Thursday in Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Media Center. “I used to go to the dirt tracks with Dad when I was very small, but the first memories of actually being at a Cup event were here. The Eurys and the Earnhardt family would park up on the hill of the road course, about the tallest peak of elevation there.”

    The hill of the road course is where he used to race his plastic cars of Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough. The asphalt oval is where he used to watch his father Dale Earnhardt race — and where “The Intimidator” won five times in NASCAR’s premier series.

    But Charlotte has eluded its hometown son for nearly 18 years, who has yet to earn a points-paying victory in 33 races.

    Junior would love to change that during this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600, the race that he named as the one he’d most like to win before he hangs up his fire suit after the 2017 season.

    “I thought, considering we’ve had some decent success in the sport, I would have guessed I’d have got a win here in a points race at some point, but it just hasn’t happened,” Earnhardt said. “We’ve had some close ones … but since the repave, for whatever reason it’s really been tough for me. We just really haven’t been able to hit on how to get around here. Either how to set the car up or what I’m looking for or what I need to be doing with the car driving it.”

    His 18th-place result in last week’s exhibition Monster Energy Series All-Star Race at Charlotte didn’t bestow much confidence, and left Earnhardt disappointed. The No. 88 team needed to try something different if they didn’t want Sunday night’s 600-mile marathon race to feel even longer.

    Enter Earnhardt’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, who certainly has a grasp on Charlotte. The all-time track winner with eight victories, Johnson has led nearly 2,000 laps in 31 races and is the most recent winner at the speedway (2016 Bank of America 500).

    The fact that Johnson’s No. 48 team shares a race shop with Earnhardt’s No. 88 camp has been especially helpful this week.

    “We totally eighty-sixed all that stuff we ran last week and we put in Jimmie’s set-up, we’re just like him,” Earnhardt said. “I was just asking Greg (Ives, crew chief), ‘How are we just like him if he ran a flat and we ran a 30 in practice?’ Greg and Chad (Knaus, No. 48 crew chief) got real close this week and me and Jimmie have been in communication and Jimmie has come by the car a couple of times in practice already looking at notes and printing out our driver traces and trying to figure out whatever we can do to help me.

    “ … He comes over with these print outs and says this is what I’m doing with the gas and this is what you are doing and this is where the time is getting lost and maybe try this and that and the other, he is a super teammate. I’m lucky to be able to work in the same shop with him. He has certainly been an influence on my success and my enjoyment in the sport.”

    Earnhardt ran 22nd in opening practice, while Johnson ran second. But Earnhardt expected that, given his team’s struggles last week and the VHT resin laid on the track prior to this weekend.

    “If we get it right, we can get in the top 15. That’s a start. That ain’t good enough, still,” Earnhardt said. “But that’s progress compared to last week. And I’m really looking forward to getting in race trim. We’ve got some practice time. We really ran short last week on practice time, so I’m anxious to get in there and practice and see what we can do.

    “We’ve got a completely different set-up. So, hopefully it doesn’t go like it did last week.

    “It shouldn’t. And let’s hope it doesn’t.”

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Coca-Cola 600

    Race: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

    Date: May 28, 6 p.m. ET (FOX, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results: 14th (2016), 3rd, 19th, 39th, 6th

    Notable: In Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final full-time season as a driver, he was asked which race he’d most like to win. The answer? The Coca-Cola 600. This is one of NASCAR’s most iconic races, and Junior grew up at the track and watching races. This is his backyard — and he has yet to win a points-paying race at the 1.5-mile Charlotte facility.

    Memorable moment: Plenty of memorable moments exist, but the one we’re thinking of led to some heartbreak in Junior Nation. Earnhardt was out front when the white flag fell in 2011, seeking to end a winless skid that dated back to 2008 and win his first Coca-Cola 600. He was fast, he was clear … and then he was out of gas. His No. 88 Chevrolet went dry on the backstretch, allowing Kevin Harvick to speed around him for the victory.

    Quotable: “NASCAR has always had a close relationship with the military of our country, and always has service men and women out to the track as guests. That’s always been an important addition to the weekend. I like that we ramp it up for this particular weekend.”

    Dale Jr. endorses Bowman for the No. 88 in 2018

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. answered a bevy of fan questions Saturday night after the Monster Energy All-Star Race in what is a now-weekly tradition, including a handful of inquiries on if Alex Bowman will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet next year.

    Bowman, 24, served as a substitute driver for 10 races last year when Earnhardt was sidelined with a concussion. The 14-time Most Popular Driver will retire from full-time racing following the 2017 season, opening a primo seat with Hendrick Motorsports.

    “Alex Bowman to the 88 next year — is that what you guys want?” Earnhardt Jr. asked the fans who were following his Periscope live stream. “That would be pretty awesome to see Alex in that car. That’s the plan, I hope. … Yeah, Alex in the 88. That sounds good to me. That kid earned it last year. He ran good.”

    Earnhardt Jr. has previously said he’d like to give input into the driver who replaces him, but also noted that ultimately was team owner Rick Hendrick’s decision.

    Junior’s words on Bowman were his strongest yet as the team’s search for a replacement.

    One driver Junior Nation shouldn’t expect to see in the car next year, though? Earnhardt’s neighbor Ryan Blaney.

    “Blaney is working for (Roger) Penske,” Earnhardt said. “He’s not going anywhere. Penske’s not going to let Blaney go anywhere, and neither would I.”

    Dale Jr. makes new addition to car yard — Danica’s No. 10 car from Kansas

    (Pic) Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a collector of wrecked race cars. He keeps them in the woods of his property around Dirty Mo Acres.

    On Sunday morning, Earnhardt tweeted about his latest addition — the No. 10 Ford driven by Danica Patrick at Kansas in the Go Bowling 400. Patrick was involved in a three-car wreck on Lap 199 that involved Joey Logano and Aric Almirola in last weekend’s race.

    The incident left Almirola sidelined for at least the next two months with a fracture of of his T5 vertebrae suffered in the accident.

    On why he collects wrecked race cars, Earnhardt told ESPN’s “SportsCenter” in 2014 that “when we would build a car, you’d put so much into that one vehicle. Then when you would destroy it, or it was beyond repair, I just couldn’t bring myself to throw it away because we had spent so much money on it. So I started throwing them in the woods out behind the house, and we’ve got around probably 25 to 30 cars out there just from JR Motorsports alone.

    “I started getting other cars like the Juan (Pablo) Montoya car that was in the Daytona (500 in 2012) accident with the jet dryer, stuff like that. Cars that have some sort of neat story behind them so we started getting those cars as well. I don’t pay for them or anything. I just call up the owner and see if they’re willing to give them up.”

    Earnhardt offers insight into Almirola’s mindset, safety protocols

    The impact that lifted the rear of Aric Almirola’s car off the ground last week at Kansas Speedway resulted in the loss of both rear springs, increasing the severity of the impact when the back of the car hit the racing surface, according to Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Following a sponsorship announcement with Maaco for this weekend’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Earnhardt said he had spoken with the Richard Petty Motorsport driver Wednesday evening about the three-car crash that occurred during the Go Bowling 400.

    “I talked to Aric last night and he said when his car went up in the air both rear springs fell out of the car, so the car came back down and hit the frame,” Earnhardt said. “He said it was the highest-recorded g-force vertically that they’d ever seen. And I can imagine that if the car slams down on the chassis.”

    Almirola, 33, suffered a fracture of the T5 vertebra following the incident. How long he will be out of the car has not been announced. Richard Petty Motorsports officials have announced that former series driver Regan Smith will pilot the team’s No. 43 Ford in this weekend’s Monster Energy Open qualifying race.

    “They can look at why that happens and how to fix that so that when the car lands it doesn’t land directly on the frame,” Earnhardt said of NASCAR’s post-race safety evaluation. “Because there’s no breakaway or cushion at that point to the driver. He’s bolted to the frame.

    “They’ll look at all the things that happened in the series of events that happened during that accident to find ways to help guys that are in that situation again.”

    Almirola, RPM CEO Brian Moffitt and Bill Heisel, director of OrthoCarolina Motorsports, are scheduled to meet with the media Friday to discuss Almirola’s injury, rehabilitation and the team’s plans moving forward. The press conference will be streamed live on NASCAR.com. You can watch that here.

    The wreck occurred on Lap 199 of the 267-lap race and began when Joey Logano (Team Penske Ford) made contact with Danica Patrick (Stewart-Haas Racing Ford) in Turn 1. Patrick’s car slammed nose-first into the wall and caught fire; Logano’s Ford also hit the wall hard and the two were still sliding up against the wall when Almirola’s car piled into the left front of Logano.

    Both Logano and Patrick were visibly shaken, but neither was injured. Almirola, however, had to be removed from his car by rescue personnel after safety workers cut away the roof of his car.

    The race was stopped for nearly 28 minutes while rescue personnel attended to the drivers and workers cleared the track of debris.

    “That was an incredibly terrible accident,” Earnhardt said. “Danica was extremely lucky as were the other two drivers.”

    Earnhardt, NASCAR’s most popular driver, will step away from competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series after this season. He missed the final half of 2016 due to a concussion. He also missed two races in 2012 for a similar injury. The Hendrick Motorsports driver is well-versed in NASCAR’s safety protocol.

    “Having talked to NASCAR a lot over the last couple of years I really feel good about how proactive they are; they have specific individuals that that’s their job every day, to science this stuff out and be looking at ways to improve,” he said. “We never used to have that. It used to be more what the teams could do and what the drivers wanted to do and you did most of that safety advancing behind the closed doors of the shop. Now we have people within the industry that they have on payroll that that’s their job. So that makes me feel very comfortable.”

    As for what the future holds for his fellow driver, Earnhardt said he offered no words of advice. Almirola competed for Earnhardt’s JR Motorsports team in 2010-11 in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.

    “Aric’s really sharp. He knows he needs to take care of himself,” Earnhardt said. “The doctors told him how lucky he was, how easily that could have went the other way … had he gotten some spinal cord damage, how easily that could have happened for him. He’s well aware and he won’t be rushing back to put himself in any kind of danger going forward.

    “But it’s a tough situation for him. He certainly doesn’t want to give up his opportunity and lose his place in the sport as a driver and I can understand. I’m certain he has concerns in the back of his mind even though he knows he needs to take care of himself. But he loves driving; he wants that opportunity when he gets well.”

    Preview: Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the All-Star Race

    Race: Monster Energy All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway

    Date: May 20, 8 p.m. ET (FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)

    Previous five results: Third, 10th, fourth, seventh, fifth

    Notable: Since 2005, Earnhardt Jr. ranks first among all drivers in the Monster Energy All-Star Race in green-flag passes, with 434. … Over the past five All-Star events, Earnhardt Jr. has finished in the top 10 in every instance. No other driver can match that feat; Denny Hamlin is closest with four consecutive top-10 finishes.

    Memorable moment: It was pure jubilation in 2000 — hard to believe it was 17 years ago — when Junior was victorious in his first-ever All-Star event. Nabbing the lead from Dale Jarrett, passing his smoking car just before the white flag fell … being the first rookie to win the race … that unforgettable quote: “We didn’t come here to run third! We came here to take all the money!” … that iconic bear hug from Dale Earnhardt Sr. This wasn’t just Junior’s most memorable All-Star Race moment, it is one of the most indelible moments of his entire career.

    Quotable: “The All-Star Race to me has always been very important. As a kid watching that race and watching my father run it, hearing him talk about it and explain how important it was to him, what it meant to him and how hard he tried to win it, that really cemented in my mind what it means to the sport. It certainly stands alone and has a special meaning.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s favorite All-Star Race memories

    Heading into the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared some of his most vivid memories of the race on his “Dale Jr. Download” weekly show on Dirty Mo Radio.

    As a kid, he recalled watching the race from the condominiums at the track, which opened in 1984. But it wasn’t until he was older that he really appreciated what he saw in 1987, when Dale Earnhardt won The Winston with the inaccurately-named but infamous “Pass in the Grass.”

    At the time, he was worried NASCAR was mad at his dad and the drivers were upset with each other.

    “I was scared. I thought dad was in trouble and they were all fighting,” he said of the beating and banging and post-race scuffling between Earnhardt, Geoff Bodine and Bill Elliott.

    Now Junior recalls that race as one of the greatest things he’s ever seen. “Dad really brought his A game,” he said in Tuesday’s radio show.

    Of his own experiences in NASCAR’s All-Star Race, Junior said 2000 and 2002 stand out.

    In 2000, he had a strong car, but it got stronger after hitting the wall. Something today the teams understand as skew and rear toe, then was mostly good luck.

    But the finish was all strategy. In the final 10-lap segment, Junior said crew chief Tony Eury Jr. used some qualifying strategy to run fast in the final 10-lap segment and win the big payday: putting a minimal amount of fuel in the car.

    “Tony Jr. doesn’t fill the car all the way up. … That put a lot of nose weight in the car, which is something you do in qualifying to really improve the stability and speed of the car. It’s something we had done a couple days before that in practice, but he didn’t tell me these things.

    “We go out there and haul tail,” Junior said. “I’m sure other teams were smart enough to do that, but that was one thing we would do to give our car an incredible amount of speed for a short time. We had a lighter car, sticker tires and a little more nose weight so we could haul butt.”

    A couple years later, Junior didn’t get the win, but he gave it his best — and worst. Known as a clean racer, Junior confessed to trying and failing to play rough against fellow young guy Ryan Newman in 2002.

    “I caught Newman on the last lap, hit him and he saved it,” Junior said, summing up the scenario. “It knocked him sideways, but I kinda lifted because I thought he was gonna wreck. It was the All-Star Race! If there’s one race where you can wreck a guy, this is it. It’s a lot of money, probably half a million at this time.

    “He saved it. No way he ever lifted. … We should have won that one, it was a fast car.”

    As for the 2017 race (8 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), Junior’s ready to go in the No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet — his last All-Star Race as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver.

    Dale Jr.’s patriotic Coca-Cola 600 paint scheme unveiled

    (Video) Nationwide unveiled Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Coca-Cola 600 paint scheme on Monday night with a video of the car being wrapped via Twitter.

    In honor of Memorial Day (May 29) the day after the race, the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet paint scheme is patriotic themed, with red stripes and a blue 88 on the side.

    The 2017 Coca-Cola 600 at will mark Junior’s 34th start at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his home track, and his last scheduled Coca-Cola 600 with his retirement from full-time racing coming at the end of the 2017 NASCAR season. He finished a career-best third in NASCAR’s longest endurance race in 2015.

    NASCAR Champ Dale Earnhardt Jr. To Topline Home-Renovation Series For DIY

    DIY Network has greenlighted a new home-renovation series featuring NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife Amy Earnhardt for premiere in early 2018.

    The series will follow the couple as they transform a dilapidated historic home into a gorgeous modern retreat in the Old Town historic district of Key West, FL. The four half-hour episodes will combine Dale’s love of home improvement with Amy’s interior design expertise. The couple will tackle renovation challenges that often come with older homes, including structural damage, faulty plumbing and ancient wiring.

    “We’ve seen how Dale Jr. races a car, so we’re confident that with Amy’s help he will easily navigate the typical trials and tribulations of a home renovation,” said John Feld, SVP Original Programming and Production at HGTV, DIY Network and Great American Country. “Fasten your seat belts because this one is sure to be a thrilling, unpredictable ride.”

    Loose wheel saddles Dale Jr. with 22nd at Talladega

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. lined up third for a restart on Lap 174 of Sunday's GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, after a massive 18-car wreck on the backstretch thinned the field.

    The anticipation in the air was palpable, as Earnhardt rolled through the tri-oval toward the start/finish line, but what happened next had fans in the front grandstands ripping the radio headphones off their heads and throwing them to the ground.

    As the field came up to speed, Earnhardt pulled out of line and moved to the top of the track, coming perilously close to the outside wall. As the pack sped away, Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet slowed and rolled gingerly to pit road.

    "Oh, I had a wheel come off," Earnhardt said after the race. "The guys said it was real similar to the issue we had at Atlanta, but it was pretty bad. We were about to wreck. And we were lucky to get to pit road and get it changed. The left-rear tire come loose. We didn't change it on the last stop but the glue build-up on the stud didn't allow them to get the tire tight, and it just kind of worked its way loose.

    "We only had one nut tight when we come down pit road. It was real close to coming off. I hated it, because we were right there in good position to get a great finish -- if not win the race -- and I had to bail out. That was a hard decision to make. But, knowing what I know now when we come down pit road and they saw the tire, I'm glad I did, because it wouldn't have made it another lap or two."

    Earnhardt lost a lap because of the unscheduled stop but got it back as the highest-scored lapped car when NASCAR called the seventh caution on Lap 179. But over the final few circuits, which included a two-lap overtime, Earnhardt couldn't make progress and finished 22nd.

    "Yeah, it was very disappointing," Earnhardt said. "But the wheel was coming off, and I felt something in the caution. I thought I had a flat tire. But, (Jamie) McMurray said the tires were fine. Something just wasn't right. And, I'm glad I got out of there when I did because we only had one lug left on it and it was going to come off in the race.

    "It wouldn't have made it to the end, and that would have been pretty catastrophic. So it was a good choice to come down (to pit road). I was hoping we were going to be able to rebound and gain a couple of spots, but we just didn't get in the right lane, and our car wasn't very good in the pack."

    Having announced his retirement from Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series racing at the end of the year, Earnhardt will have one more shot at a seventh Talladega victory when the series returns during the playoffs on Oct. 15.

    Dale Jr. hints at 'Clash' run ... if he wins 2017 pole

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn't scheduled to compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2018, but hold that thought.

    The Hendrick Motorsports driver nearly won his first Coors Light Pole Award in four years Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, and said afterward that a No. 1 qualifying spot, which would make him eligible for next year's "The Clash" at Daytona International Speedway, might put him back behind the wheel.

    "I got a 'Get-in-the-Clash free' card from this year; I got a credit," the 42-year-old Earnhardt Jr. said after speeding to the No. 2 starting spot with his lap of 190.780 mph. "If I get a pole, I'll talk to (team owner) Rick (Hendrick) and see if I can't line something up."

    "The Clash," a non-points event, is contested at Daytona. Among the criteria for entry is winning a pole the previous season.

    "'The Clash' isn't really an official race," Earnhardt said. "It'd be fun to talk about it."

    Earnhardt announced earlier this season that he will no longer compete full time in the Monster Energy Series following the 2017 season.

    His No. 88 Chevrolet was the next-to-last car on the track during the final round of qualifying for Sunday's GEICO 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) and quickly sped to the top of the scoreboard.

    But Roush Fenway Racing driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., fastest in the opening round, knocked Earnhardt off the top spot and to second in the lineup with his lap of 191.547 mph.

    Earnhardt, the sport's 14-time Most Popular Driver, has 13 career poles but hasn't qualified No. 1 since the fall race at Dover in 2013.

    "Really impressive run by Stenhouse and his guys," he said. "We came close. We seem to come close at Daytona and Talladega quite a bit, second or whatever, but can't seem to get the pole. Hopefully we can get one before the season's out. That would be nice to get one my last year knowing that I don't really qualify all that well … especially since we went to this two, three rounds. I don't think I've gotten a pole since. So it would be nice to get one before the end of the season."

    The current qualifying format consists of multiple rounds with the field trimmed after each round.

    Sunday's front-row starting spot will be his first at Talladega, a track where he has six career victories -- making him the winningest active driver here.

    Earnhardt just misses pole in final Talladega qualifying

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s farewell tour has officially started.

    All eyes are on NASCAR’s favourite son as he races Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, a place where he’s adored by the fans and expected to win every time he gets in his Chevrolet.

    The crowd roared Saturday in qualifying when he shot to the top of the board, but it was short-lived. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the last driver to qualify, immediately bumped Earnhardt to second. Stenhouse turned a lap at 191.547 mph to put the Roush Fenway Ford on the pole.

    Earnhardt leads all active drivers at Talladega with six wins, but has never started from the pole. His lap was 190.780 mph in a Chevrolet.

    "I'm pretty happy," Earnhardt said. "Great lap by Stenhouse and the Roush crew. Would have liked that pole."

    Stenhouse didn't mind spoiling the Talladega party with his first pole in four years.

    "It will be nice to lead the field to the green here," Stenhouse said. "It's a cool way to start the weekend."

    Earnhardt announced last week he's retiring at the end of the season, and this first of two stops at Talladega has him nostalgic for one of his favourite race tracks.

    "Thrilled with our car, good speed," said Earnhardt, who didn't seem to be joking when he noted a pole would make him eligible to run the preseason "Clash" at Daytona.

    "Probably could have sat down and talked to Rick (Hendrick) about running the Clash or something, but let's see if we can't try to get another one later on this year."

    There's some notion that Sunday is a must-win race for Earnhardt, because the start to his final season has not been great. He's also won only one race at a track other than Daytona or Talladega since 2014. So with his playoff chances dwindling, a victory would be a big boost to this goodbye tour.

    "We have had a dry spell, haven't won a lot of races," Earnhardt admitted. "I think if I go in thinking this is a must-win, then I'm probably going to get in there and make a few mistakes."

    Earnhardt is 24th in the standings behind five finishes of 30th or worse this season. But he's got a strong mindset for Sunday, in which he knows he needs to be strongest and smartest in the third and final segment.

    "Every move and decision, every slight turn of the wheel has to be the right decision," he said.

    Earnhardt used his 2014 victory in the Daytona 500 as the example for how he needs to race at Talladega. In that event, he had an aggressive late battle for position with Greg Biffle to earn the victory.

    "The only way I could keep myself from sliding backward was to run like one inch off the door and squeeze him against the wall," Earnhardt said of his . "It really kind of killed both of our cars. But at least he wasn't passing me. It was a bit outside of character for me to drive so much like a jerk, I guess, but that's what you're got to do. You've got to keep on cracking the whip, keep telling yourself, 'This is what has to happen, this is how I have to do this to make this work if I want to win."'

    Junior looks for more Talladega magic

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a simple explanation for the fan reaction at Talladega Superspeedway, site of Sunday's GEICO 500 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR).

    "If you go to a race at Talladega, your driver can literally, possibly take the lead at any moment in the race," Earnhardt Jr., a six-time winner at the 2.66-mile track, said Friday. "You can't say that anywhere else.

    "So, with that comes a responsibility, I think, as a driver to try to make that happen because when you come off Turn 4 you can see a big difference in arms in the air and people excited about what just happened when you take the lead. … You can't create that anywhere else.

    "And they want you to keep doing that all day long because they just want to celebrate all day. They want to have fun. When you get up there and mix it up it gives them what they want. So, I think that is why I like running here and definitely makes it a unique experience as opposed to any other track we go to."

    When it comes to lead changes, Talladega is the hands-down, foot-to-the-floor leader in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. In the spring race of 2010 and again in '11, there were an amazing 88 lead changes. In the fall race of '10 the lead changed hands 87 times. In fact, nine of the top 10 races for most lead changes took place here.

    Some of that can be traced to the rules packages of the day, but it's worth noting that the '73 race, held in the heat of the summer, featured 64 lead changes.

    Dale Earnhardt was one of the sport's best when it came to the 200 mph game of chance known as restrictor-plate racing, winning 10 times at Talladega and three times at Daytona. Maybe he couldn't really "see" the air as some thought, but the seven-time champion understood the nuances of drafting probably better than anyone.

    And Earnhardt Jr. has enjoyed similar success. Six of his 26 career victories have come at Talladega, where the Hendrick Motorsports driver is scheduled to make only two more starts.

    Only 17 races remain in the series' regular season, and 10 more after that, the playoffs that will determine this year's champion. Earnhardt Jr. has spent nearly two decades trying to reach the pinnacle of the sport and now just one final opportunity remains.

    Twenty-fourth in points, winless thus far this season and with only a single top-10 finish, it's been a rocky start for the series' most popular driver.

    Three plate races provide three more opportunities, but no more than the others that have yet to be run elsewhere. If some feel this is a "must-win" race for Earnhardt Jr., he's not buying it.

    "That mindset might actually work and produce results for some guys," he said. "I don't know if that's probably the best way for me to go about it. But I definitely need to go in there and be aggressive and I know when I've won races here what approach I took that day that helped me get there. And I know I need to be a certain way mentally … to have success.

    "I don't buy the notion that we can't win anywhere but Talladega and Daytona; we have had a dry spell, I haven't won a lot of races, but we have won at other tracks in the past. But I think if I go in thinking this is a must-win, I'm probably going to make mistakes ...

    "I just know what I need to do, I'm going to go out there and try to do it. I've said it in the past, you've got to run the last 50 laps mistake-free. The guy that does that will win the race. …

    "Every move and decision and turn of the wheel has to be the right decision."

    There's concern, but trust too, he said. Trust in his team and crew chief Greg Ives and the Hendrick Motorsports organization for whom he has spent the last dozen years.

    "We've got a good set-up under the car and we are doing the best thing we can for ourselves to be competitive whether we are in the playoffs, whether it's the second race of the year or the last race of the year," Earnhardt Jr. said. "We take the best car we can and give it our best effort.

    "We just need to put together some races here. We've got to get a good handful of races under our belt that are finishes that we can be proud of and see where that nets us on the points deal, but it would be nice if we could just go ahead and get a win out of the way and get on with it."

    No matter the results, he said, "It's going to be a fun year."

    "I do think we can win some races," he said. "I really do."

    Earnhardt has seen the fans standing, arms raised in unison as he charged out of Turn 4 with the lead and the race on the line here at Talladega on numerous occasions in the past.

    Sunday, he hopes to see it once again.

    Dale Jr. paint scheme to benefit Nationwide Children's Hospital

    (Pic) Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed the special paint scheme for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet he'll drive at Kentucky Speedway, a design that is helping to make a difference for the Nationwide Children's Hospital.

    Nationwide -- Earnhardt's sponsor and the namesake of the pediatric center in Columbus, Ohio -- helped debut the paint scheme Tuesday over Twitter with the help of three patients at the hospital. The design incorporates Earnhardt's favorite color -- orange -- and the hospital's trademark butterflies.

    The scheme is designed to help raise awareness for the hospital's cause, but also to help raise funds with the opportunity for fans to put their names on the hood. For a $250 donation, fans will have their names listed on the hood of the No. 88 Chevy that Earnhardt will drive in the Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts in the Bluegrass State on July 8 (7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    Only 315 spots are available, and that donation also reserves a limited-run 1/24-scale diecast of the car. More information is available at nationwidechildrens.org/dalejr.

    Jimmie, Dale clear the air over the air on Dale Jr. Download

    Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. unintentionally collided at Richmond International Raceway in Sunday's Toyota Owners 400, saddling the latter with his fifth finish of 30th or worse of the season.

    While the incident was clearly a mistake acknowledged by both drivers, the seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion decided to call into Junior's "Dale Jr. Download" podcast on Tuesday to ... clear the air.

    Johnson explained that his water bottle got dislodged from its holster inside the car and caused him to miss the call from spotter Earl Barban that Earnhardt was close behind him exiting the corner.

    "I think we were both pretty shocked ... I clearly came out to the wall with all intentions to have the entire race track to myself," said Johnson, who explained that he truly did not see the No. 88 Chevrolet. "... Is your mom OK with me?"

    Johnson was referring to the backlash of Junior Nation, with Earnhardt's mom Brenda even chiming in via text to Junior.

    "Yeah, she's a trip. She texts me after every race and usually they're pretty funny. She doesn't mean to be funny, but she's new to social media ... she's new to texting, to be honest with you, as you can tell by her shorthand," Earnhardt said. "It's funny to share with folks what she says, sometimes. She's old school and been around racing a long time.

    "She's fine and (you and I are) all good. Fans think that whenever we have a run-in that we're going to get mad at each other, but teammates don't get mad at each other too often."

    Earnhardt went on to say, "As wild as it was, I knew it was a mistake. I knew it wasn't like he just wasn't giving me room. I knew how hard we hit, and I was like, 'he didn't even know I was there.' "

    Earnhardt also mentioned a time at Bristol Motor Speedway when he and former teammate Jeff Gordon got into each other ... but that was a bit of a different result.

    "Me and Jeff ran into each other at Bristol ... well, I ran into him and cut his left rear tire," Earnhardt said. "Now, that, he was mad. So, that's understandable. But I knew when we hit, Jimmie had no clue that I was even there."

    Dale Jr. opens up at Richmond after retirement announcement

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he had some concerns about how the bombshell news he dropped on the NASCAR world this week would be received, worried that it would be upsetting, met with a mix of emotions. He seemed relieved by the generally positive feedback and strong outpouring of support after making his decision to retire from full-time driving at season's end.

    With that part behind him, Earnhardt turns his attention to getting "back to my routine" this weekend at Richmond International Raceway, site of Sunday's Toyota Owners 400 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM Radio) for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. But his at-track habits might take on a more freewheeling approach, with little to lose in the 28 points-paying races left in his career.

    "The team, the guys, they all and myself we would love to win some races," Earnhardt said Friday after opening practice at the .75-mile track, where he is a three-time premier-series winner. "I'm going to say 'a race,' but 'some races' would be great going out in your last season to get some victories. We just want to go to Victory Lane one more time, just to get that experience one more time would be awesome for me and I think the guys would love it, for sure.

    "But, I certainly did feel a lot more relaxed now. I don't know whether it's because I finally got to tell everybody and let everybody know what we are doing, get that over with, but I certainly felt real relaxed today in the garage during practice. I felt like there was less pressure from somewhere and a large amount, a lot different."

    Earnhardt, 42, announced Tuesday that 2017 would be his final year driving the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Sunday's race will mark the unofficial start of his farewell tour, which is sure to come with a heaping helping of tributes and parting gifts.

    Earnhardt sits 24th in the series standings with just one top-five finish in the eight races so far this year, leaving him in need of a victory or momentous rally in the points to assure a playoff berth. Reaching the postseason by either method might require some risk-taking, something Earnhardt said is a ripe possibility.

    Earnhardt related the tale of his former crew chief Steve Letarte, now an analyst with NBC Sports' broadcast team. Letarte had announced before the 2014 season that he would mount one final campaign with the No. 88 group before making the transition to the television booth the following year.

    With his plans in place and a firm sense of direction, Letarte and Earnhardt picked their spots for well-calculated gambles and combined for their most successful year together -- four victories, including the driver's second Daytona 500 win, his first grandfather clock trophy from Martinsville Speedway and a season sweep of both Pocono Raceway events.

    "He called that whole season completely different," Earnhardt said. "He was more aggressive and I think it was because he had the freedom to be that way. He was like, 'What if it doesn't work?' And a lot of times it ended up working out. We won both of those Pocono races on pit calls that he made. We didn't just outrun everybody. There are things he did in the middle of the race that we might not have done had he not had his mind made up what he was doing and 'Hey, this is my last hurrah, we are going to go for it' kind of attitude.

    "I noticed that whole year he was a much easier going, approachable. I mean he's pretty damn likable, but he was much more likable and easier to be around. Everything rolled off his back, we didn't get frustrated as easily and I am anticipating that being similar for me."

    Also in the no-pressure department: The search for Earnhardt's replacement in the No. 88 Chevrolet. Tuesday's announcement included a note that Hendrick Motorsports would reach that decision at a later date. XFINITY Series rookie William Byron, a top Hendrick prospect, demurred earlier Friday when asked about the organization's soon-approaching driver vacancy, saying only that he was eager to get his chance to race in NASCAR's top division.

    For Earnhardt, he remains an interested party invested in the team's success, now and after his departure. He said he wouldn't demand to be included in the discussions to find his successor, but said he'd value the opportunity to offer his input.

    "I can't read their minds, but I'm sure they all have a direction that they want to go and they have ideas," Earnhardt said of Hendrick Motorsports' management team. "There are just things about the company that I'm not quite as in touch with that they are that will help them make that decision. They probably have everybody in the world telling them what they ought to do and they don't need me, but if they ask for it I'm certainly wanting to be involved in that.

    "I want the team to have more success. I want it to be … I said this every offseason: Every offseason is a chance to be better than you were the year before. It's an opportunity to make those personnel changes and those hard decisions. It's a chance to do it, the things you can't do in the middle of the river, in the middle of the season."

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