“Couldn't believe the car was as good as it was”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. reflects on his return to Budweiser’s iconic #8 car

Saturday's South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway saw the reunion of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the iconic Budweiser #8 car. Earnhardt Jr. almost won the race before retiring with 31 laps remaining. As the former NASCAR driver worked his way up the field, he hailed the #8 Chevrolet as it exceeded his expectations.

The 400-lap race in South Carolina was a sell-out event, as fans joined in to watch Earnhardt Jr. take on the best cars from the CARS Tour. After a poor qualifying performance earlier, Dale Jr. started the race in 40th place in a field of 44. However, it only was a matter of time before he worked his way up the ladder.

As the 50-year-old began to fire his way to the front in a lightning-fast #8 Chevrolet, he could not believe how "good" the car was. Speaking about this to FloRacing's YouTube channel, the former Cup Series driver said:

"I couldn't believe the car was as good as it was, and held on the way it did, and just a great tire and the 45 usually doesn't you know doesn't last 125 laps at a racetrack as abrasive as this but the way my car was handling and the way I could drive it could really keep the tire on it, and make some hard lap times, so was really cool." (1:01 onwards)

"The second set of tires for the last half was, maybe not quite as good but the car still had good quality characteristics, rolling to centre, turning and everything was going in our favor and there for three finish at least, yeah," he added.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was running in second place and pulled up into the pits with 31 laps remaining. Initially, it looked like it was an emergency fuel stop. However, it was later reported that his car's engine had malfunctioned, forcing him to retire.

Treyten Lapcevich, the 2023 NASCAR Canada champion, claimed the South Carolina 400 victory ahead of Doug Barnes Jr.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. reunited with iconic Budweiser paint scheme

For the first time in 17 years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. reunited with the iconic Budweiser paint scheme on his car. He drove the #8 Chevrolet Bud King of Beers car for JR Motorsport, which was synonymous with his NASCAR days, from 1999 to 2007.

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) during the Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

As he reunited with his old partner and reacted to their partnership, the Texas Motorsports Hall of Famer called the occasion "incredible" and "special".

"It is an incredible opportunity for me to be able to reunite with Budweiser, and the No.8,” Earnhardt Jr. said (via JRMRacing.com). “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.”

A recipient of the Bill France Award of Excellence, and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from full-time racing in the Cup Series at the end of the 2017 season.