Undoubtedly, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of the most popular names in NASCAR, be it the Earnhardt name’s legacy or the fact that he won the Most Popular Driver award 15 times. And would have probably continued to win it had he not retired. While fans still love to watch him in the ‘Dale Jr Download’ podcast or occasionally in the booth calling races, nothing compares to him in a car. And on top of that, nothing can beat, seeing him in the red and white Budweiser Chevy.

Answering the fans’ prayers, the iconic car is making a comeback with Junior and what could be better than this to uplift a dull offseason? After 17 years of being parked, the car will rev up louder than the roar of the fans at Florence Speedway in the South Carolina 400. Recently, Dale Jr. released a video of the car pacing the track and it has taken fans back to the early 2000s.

Dale Jr. brings back his Cup Series debut partner

It was a time when Dale Sr. was driving for Richard Childress Racing, and the 25-year-old Dale Jr. was all set for his Cup debut, and what better than driving with his legendary father? It was at the Charlotte Motor Speedway where Jr. first took the wheel of the iconic #8 car and drove up to 16th, while Sr finished 6th in the race. Little did many know that the youngster and that car were destined for many wins in the years to come. He drove the car from 199 to 2007, bagging the majority of his Cup wins (17 out of 26) with it.

The car would have gone on longer if Jr.’s stepmother and owner of Dale Earnhardt Inc., Teresa Earnhardt, had not denied the transfer of the #8 trademark when Jr. left for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. Amid the long tussle between Jr. and Teresa, 2024 came, baring goodness. The #8 trademark was up for grabs since Teresa did not renew it. He jumped on the opportunity and called Budweiser to set up a much-awaited comeback. He said to Bud, “Man, if we’re going to do this, we got an opportunity to do something really cool.”

Who doesn’t love a reunion? The beer brand, capitalizing on the opportunity, got the car back as it was recently seen as fast as ever on the Florence Speedway. Even Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared the same through an Instagram video, captioning it, “Bud 8 is back.” It’s more than nostalgia for him, as your firsts are often hard to forget, and the veteran feels he owes the brand for his Cup success. Dale Jr., while announcing the comeback of the car had said, “Budweiser and I had some great memories with that iconic scheme and number. We’ve always supported each other over the years. It’s going to be really special for me to be able to represent that brand on the racetrack again. 

 

It wasn’t long in his first full season in 2000 when Jr. took the Bud car to the victory lane at the Texas Motor Speedway. Among many stories of Jr. and the iconic car, the Martinsville one has to be the most memorable. It was 2006 Dale Jr. was coming from a rather disappointing season in 2005 and was looking for redemption. But he found himself at the back of the pack in the Martinsville race. Yet was convinced that his car, the same one making a comeback now, was the fastest one on the track.

In the race, the No. 8 car sustained significant damage to its right front fender, but this unexpected circumstance proved to be a silver lining. With the fender compromised, the right front tire was able to maintain a slightly cooler temperature, enhancing the car’s grip and making it more manageable for Junior to drive. This newfound advantage propelled him into the top 10 by lap 200. Shortly after, Dale Jr., in another crash, again found himself behind the pack, but the prowess of the #8 Bud car propelled him to a P4 finish. This is just one of the many great moments the fans have seen Jr. have in the car.

Fans are awestruck seeing the #8 car

If you watched NASCAR in the early 2000s, you know how dominant Jr. was, and aiding him in every way was the famed car. The two-time Xfinity champion never bagged a Cup Series title but showed the fans why he was deserving of it in 2004, taking six checkered flags. The season ended in a P5, but Jr. dominating with the red Bud car was the highlight of the season, showing glimpses of the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr. For one fan they were fond memories from his childhood, having him connect at a deeper level as the car makes a comeback. The fan wrote, “Bro is bringing back my childhood.”

Dale Earnhart Jr’s Budweiser car from the early 2000s

While the race is only a day apart, fans are getting restless to see more and more of the car and then it doesn’t matter if the same video goes on in a loop. A fan of this wrote, “This video is about two hours long.” The car has not even raced yet, and fans are already craving to have a piece of the action. One eager fan can’t wait to put this die-cast in his collection. He wrote, “I know they are projected to go out next year, but is there an earlier date for this diecast to come out.” And Jr. teasing the fans further has shown how the die-cast will be looking as Lionel Racing (NASCAR’s die-cast partner) sent him the prototype for first looks.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., in a recent video reviewing the die-cast, said, “Yeah. I’m seeing this die-cast for the first time. Lionel did us a solid and made a special tool just for the late-model car. Not only so I can have cool stuff like this and our fans can have cool stuff like this as well. I think about the entire community, late models, supers anybody who drives cars with these 5-star bodies can now get these diecasts and that’s got to be a lot of fun for people to have that opportunity. So thank you Lionel for making the tool and I’ll have one of these in my collection for sure.” If Jr. loves it, surely the fans would too.

Overall, it’s just a wholesome feeling for everyone to see the car back on the track. A fan expressing his delight, wrote, “Nice to see the 8 back.” Amid the many moments of the Bud car, the Dale Jarrett-Dale Jr. battle for the win in the 2000 All-Star race (then called the Winston) comes to mind. Jr bested the then-defending champion, running him down and taking the checkered flag, truly a star-in-the-making moment. “I honestly never thought I’d see the day,” Like this, no one had imagined we’d get to see this car up and running again.

But it’s true, pinch yourselves if you don’t believe us. In only a short while, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will take the wheel. Are you excited? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.