“Trolled all of us";"Thought a JRM x MTJ 500” - NASCAR fans react as JR Motorsports go old school with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s iconic No. 8 font

JR Motorsport uploaded a video from their official X account on Monday (Dec. 9), where they rejuvenated their iconic #8 number for the 2025 Xfinity Series season. The number was used by Dale Earnhardt Jr. during his NASCAR days, and then Martin Truex Jr. carried on the legacy. While this was the paint scheme reveal of their Xfinity Series driver Sammy Smith, a section of fans were baffled by the video as they expected Truex Jr. to be JR Motorsport's #8 Chevrolet driver.

JR Motorsport has a rich history with their #8 car after they acquired the number of B.J. McLeod Motorsports in 2019. Following the inheritance, Zane Smith, Brett Moffitt, Jeb Burton, Ryan Truex, Ryan Preece, Regan Smith and Sheldon Creed all drove the renowned car from 2019 to 2021.

However, the number went to Josh Berry for two years in 2022 and 2023, before it moved to Sammy Smith. Smith has been with JR Motorsport and the #8 car from 2024 and is all set to drive it in 2025. Reflecting on the same, JR Motorsport unveiled the paint scheme on Monday.

However, fans were on the wrong foot as they initially believed the paint scheme was for Martin Truex Jr., who decided to retire from the Cup Series full-time obligation at the end of this season.

They were of the opinion that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was taking his long-time friend, Truex Jr. to JR Motorsport, and put him in the #8 car for the 2025 Xfinity Series season. Here are some reactions taken from the micro-blogging site X:

Reacting to the video, a fan wrote, "I think you just trolled all of us into believing."

Another fan wrote, "Thought this was about to be a JRM x MTJ 500 announcement"

Another fan wrote, reiterating the same, "Bruh y’all really had me thinking truex was gonna race for JRM "

"For half a minute, I thought JRM was putting a car together for MTJ and the Daytona 500," wrote a fan, pointing at Truex Jr.

Another fan wrote, "As the video started I totally thought it was a “Jr Motorsports fielding a cup car for Truex at Daytona” announcement."

"The excitement I felt for the first few seconds thinking this was a JRM MTJ cup car for the Daytona 500," wrote a fan.

Nevertheless, the vintage #8 paint scheme is reserved for Sammy Smith for next season's Xfinity Series.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his feelings known about the return of #8 font

Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his thoughts as his team, JR Motorsport, brought back the famous #8 font to their Xfinity arsenal. Here's how he reacted as per the official press release on the team's website:

"It is awesome to have this number and this font back at JR Motorsports this year, and I can't wait to see it on the car in Daytona," Earnhardt Jr. said. "That's going to be a pretty awesome feeling for me personally."

"Sammy is going to do a great job with it. Excited to have that number out there and I know everybody else is as well. It is an incredible opportunity for me to be able to reunite with Budweiser, and the No. 8."

Nascar Nextel Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet - Source: Imagn

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsport claimed the Xfinity Series crown after Justin Allgaier won the Championship 4 race at Phoenix last month.