The return of the CARS Tour to Anderson Motor Speedway was already a major attraction, but Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s presence made it a throwback night fans will remember.The NASCAR Hall of Famer strapped back into his famous No. 8 Budweiser 'baseball car' - a replica of the scheme he drove to one of his most emotional wins in 2001. Among those taking notice was fellow Hall of Famer Mark Martin, who reposted an image of the car on X:"Race Car 🔥"The No. 8 Budweiser car's history remains etched into NASCAR lore. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 2001 Pepsi 400 at Daytona, just months after his father died in a crash at the Daytona 500. It remains one of the most emotional wins in the sport's history.More than two decades later, the scheme's return drew fresh nostalgia to the grassroots CARS Tour. For Dale Earnhardt Jr., climbing back in the seat has become a semi-regular tradition, using his name value to give the series exposure while scratching his own competitive itch.Earlier this year, he participated in a Late Model Stock Car event at Hickory, but finished 21st after a crash. Saturday’s race at Anderson marked his second CARS Tour outing of 2025, once again bridging his dual roles as both a team owner and a broadcaster with NBC.Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishes top-10 in Cars Tour returnDale Earnhardt Jr. before the 2023 LMSC CARS Tour race at North Wilkesboro. Source: GettyDale Earnhardt Jr.'s night at Anderson began with challenges. His bad run in qualifying continued, as he started 22nd in the 28-car field. The veteran driver explained that the setup went tight during practice, and despite adjustments, they couldn't quite unlock the speed for qualifying. But once the race began, his race craft came through.The No. 8 JR Motorsports Budweiser car steadily picked up pace, and despite an early spin off Turn 4 with 73 laps to go, Earnhardt Jr. regrouped. He climbed as high as ninth before ultimately settling for 10th at the checkered flag. Reflecting afterward, he kept the focus on the event itself rather than the result."Yeah, that was pretty fun, man. I wish the car had a little more speed… We weren't quite as good as we needed to be, but had enough speed to pass a few guys. Got tire marks all up and down the right side, so I can't complain too much. Great crowd, great night for the CARS Tour. No real setbacks, no trouble or drama, just a good night of racing for these folks. I hope they enjoyed it," he told (via Frontstretch).The twin features capped off a strong night for the series, with Luke Baldwin winning the Pro Late Model event and Landen Lewis claiming the 125-lap Late Model Stock Car main. For Dale Earnhardt Jr., though, the satisfaction came from being part of a show that brought thousands to the South Carolina short track.He co-owns the CARS Tour alongside Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton and has invested heavily in the series. Under their leadership, it has become a launching pad for multiple drivers like Josh Berry, Kaden Honeycutt, and Brendan “Butterbean” Queen.