Tennessee / Bristol When Dale Earnhardt Jr. hopped out of his NASCAR Xfinity Series car at Bristol Motor Speedway the last time, he was stranded late in the race due to a mechanical issue with flames biting at his ankles.
In the Bristol media center on Friday, Earnhardt stated, “Well, I’m not intending on racing next year.” I don’t know enough to say I’ll never run again, so that would be dumb of me. I’ll probably miss it the following year, but I’d be more than happy to sign up if it would help JR Motorsports in any way. Because this race is very beneficial to JR Motorsports, I must remind the fans and those who follow us that I run it and have been running it for the past few years. As part of a package arrangement, Justin’s [Allgaier] automobile now features the emblems of Hellmann’s and Unilever, which has helped him customize the vehicle. Furthermore, I’m not required to run again the following year, so I might decide not to. I regret not racing, and I will really miss it. I’m hoping to find a place to compete in the Xfinity Series again in 2026. However, I don’t have any plans as of now.
With 24 victories, 71 top fives, and 95 top tens over 146 starts, Earnhardt is a two-time series champion. He was elected into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2021. In 2023, the 49-year-old made two starts. Since 2001, he has participated in at least one Xfinity race annually, taking home crowns in 1998 and 1999 with a total of 13 wins in those two seasons. In addition, he has won 26 races in the NASCAR Cup Series and has been the most popular driver in the sport for 15 years.
Last year, Earnhardt had two noteworthy starts: one at Homestead-Miami Speedway and one at Bristol. Before a technical problem ended his night, the seasoned driver particularly excelled on the high banks of Bristol, leading 47 laps and averaging an 8.3 running position, spending a considerable amount of time inside the top five. After putting in that effort, he finished fifth around the 1.5-mile Homestead oval.
For followers of Dale Jr., even better news: just one week ago, the No. 88 Chevrolet made a visit to Victory Lane thanks to Connor Zilisch’s outstanding performance in a debut victory at Watkins Glen International.
“Last year, I had an amazing automobile. Extremely fantastic vehicle,” declared Earnhardt. “It’s hardly surprising that the 88 has demonstrated exceptional speed at the racetrack, regardless of the driver this year. Thus, I’m relieved that the car is functioning properly once more. The vehicle was driven the year before. After they carried it home, disassembled and reassembled it, no one has driven it since. I’m hoping it will drive just as well as it did the year before.
“Plus, there’s no pressure to qualify. When we arrived here the year before, we were among the eight or so drivers who might not make it to the race if something went wrong during qualifying. As a result, we can focus on getting through qualifying and being prepared for the race instead of worrying about it and simply getting in the car to practice and see where we need to be on the racetrack.
But after Friday’s 300-lap race, his one-off outings might be coming to an end, possibly terminating a career that began in 1996. After seven Xfinity appearances, he has finished in the top five four times, seemingly without losing a step.
Earnhardt Jr. remarked, “I’m just going to see how severely I miss it and see.” “I mean, I think I just have a few more years to be in a pretty competitive field, but I’ll be alright.”
Earnhardt has, however, returned to the driver’s seat of a race vehicle more often in 2024, making several starts in Pro Stock Late Model races for JR Motorsports in the No. 3 Chevrolet.
Driving that late-model stock car, to be honest with you, is what I love to do,” Earnhardt remarked. “Well, the things I’ll enjoy on Friday are also there. I can go to a local racetrack, have a great day, and still indulge in my passion for driving automobiles. That’s what I’m going to do again the following year.
In Friday’s Xfinity Series practice, Earnhardt placed 17th overall on single-lap speeds, but among the 16 drivers who completed runs of at least 20 consecutive laps, he was third fastest in 20-lap averages.