Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares his emotions about reunion with $138B partner and its deeper meaning as a tribute to Dale Sr.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 8 Budweiser/MLB All-Star Game-inspired paint scheme once again, 24 years after winning his first-ever Daytona 500 with it. This is to promote and celebrate the CARS Tour Speedway Classic scheduled for August 16 at Anderson Speedway.

Furthermore, the iconic paint job will be up for display during the MLB Speedway Classic on August 2. It is an emotional affair for Dale Earnhardt Jr. given that his maiden Daytona 500 triumph came only months after the tragic passing of his father, the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr.

During a recent interview (via JRM Racing), Dale Jr. reflected on his partnership with the $138 billion-worth (according to Bloomberg) beverage company, saying,

“It is an incredible opportunity to reunite with Budweiser and Major League Baseball. I’ve watched that July 2001 race at Daytona so many times. It’s such a great memory for me.”

“I am excited that we have this chance to collaborate with Bud and MLB to bring that scheme back again because of what it means to me and so many others,” he added.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. brought his No. 8 Budweiser Chevy back to life by driving it in the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway on November 23, 2024, marking its first track appearance in 17 years. Per reports, the Mooresville native won 17 races in the NASCAR Cup Series while driving the car between 1999 and 2007.

Besides enjoying the dual racing action at the MLB Speedway Classic and Anderson Motor Speedway, fans can collect limited edition Dale Jr. merchandise to commemorate the return of the one-of-a-kind paint scheme.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. thinks he can win a Formula 1 race, but with a catch

Dale Earnhardt Jr. with Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing before the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 04, 2025- Source: Getty

NASCAR has been known to accommodate Formula One stars like Kimi Räikkönen and Kamui Kobayashi in the past, so having it the other way round is probably not that far-fetched. Notably, if Formula 1 ever hosts a race on one of NASCAR’s ovals, Dale Earnhardt Jr., a two-time Xfinity Series champion, believes he can win.

“If F1 raced on ovals, I could have won an F1 race, absolutely!” Dale Jr. explained while speaking with Hard Rock Bet. “I grew up racing on ovals, that’s really like a completely different, unique discipline.”

“The way you drive an oval versus the way you drive a road course is so different. So, I think if they ever ran them on ovals I’d have a shot, for sure,” he added.

Besides Räikkönen and Kobayashi, several others like Jenson Button, Daniil Kvyat, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Jacques Villeneuve have tried their hands at NASCAR before.

Having said that, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will join Amazon Prime Video as an on-air commentator for its Cup Series coverage in 2025. Their five-race stint begins with the 66th running of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 25.