“I raised my hand and said I’m available”: Former NASCAR announcer Rick Allen lands new role in Dale Earnhardt Jr.-owned CARS Tour booth 

Former NASCAR announcer Rick Allen is stepping back into the broadcast booth, but this time, not for NASCAR. In a tweet shared by FloRacing and reshared by the CARS Tour on X, Allen was announced as part of the broadcast team for the upcoming CARS Tour race at Dominion Raceway. The race, titled “Mini’s Mission 125,” will be Allen’s return to live race coverage, and it’s happening under the ownership of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The announcement was made on X. FloRacing posted, quoting Allen:

“I’ve been put into this broadcast for a reason. There’s a reason it was this one.”

The CARS Tour account welcomed Allen by tagging him. The tweet caption read:

“Welcome to the zMAX CARS Tour, @RickAllenracing📺.”

In the detailed article, Allen talked about how this opportunity came together. What started as a casual comment on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dale Jr. Download podcast turned into an actual assignment. When Earnhardt Jr. mentioned he needed someone to cover two races, Allen jokingly offered to help.

“I raised my hand and said I’m available,” he said (via Flo Racing).

Just a week later, Earnhardt Jr. reached out again, asking Allen if he was serious. Allen confirmed he was, and now, he’ll be calling the race live from Dominion Raceway on Saturday night.

Rick Allen hasn’t been on-air since his exit from NBC Sports at the end of the 2024 NASCAR season. Long before he was a national voice in NASCAR, Allen got his start at Eagle Raceway in Nebraska, announcing dirt track races. He said the short-track setting and grassroots style of racing are part of what made the CARS Tour event so appealing.

Allen’s appearance fills in for regular CARS Tour announcer Eric Brennan, who is unavailable for the Dominion race. Paired with Blake McCandless for the FloRacing broadcast, Allen is gearing up for a unique challenge. Unlike NASCAR’s upper divisions, the CARS Tour allows duplicate car numbers. That means Allen has to be extra sharp, learning details like who’s driving which version of car #4 or #88.

“I always like to be very prepared,” Allen told FloRacing. “I want to know as much as possible about anybody and everybody that could be part of the broadcast.”

The CARS Tour race at Dominion Raceway starts at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday with qualifying, followed by the 125-lap main event at 7 p.m. Fans can watch live on FloRacing with a subscription.

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“I’m in awe of the men like him that shaped the NASCAR I grew up in” - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. honored former NASCAR crew chief and team owner Travis Carter, who passed away on Tuesday, June 10. In a tweet on X, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote:

“Sad news. Travis (Carter) added a lot to NASCAR. It was really nice to get to talk with him in recent months. I'm in awe of the men like him that shaped the NASCAR I grew up in.”

Travis Carter’s influence on NASCAR was decades long. At just 23 years old, he helped guide Benny Parsons to a Winston Cup Series championship in 1973 as crew chief. Two years later, he was again in victory lane with Parsons at the 1975 Daytona 500. Over the years, Carter teamed up with legends like Bobby Allison at Penske Racing and helped Cale Yarborough win the 1978 title while sharing crew chief duties.

Eventually, Carter stepped into ownership. In 1990, he launched Travis Carter Motorsports and went on to work with several drivers, including Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip, who raced Carter’s #66 Ford in his final NASCAR season in 2000. Carter's team remained active until 2003.