Dale Earnhardt Jr. is set to experience a wave of nostalgia at Florence Motor Speedway next month. The track, where he cut his teeth racing Late Models during his teens and early twenties in the 1990s, has also seen him race most frequently since 2021. This time, however, he’ll be behind the wheel of a car decked out in the No. 8 paint scheme that he made famous from 1999 to 2007.
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In a wistful reunion, Dale Jr. will partner with Budweiser to revive the iconic “Bud King of Beers” paint scheme on the #8 Chevrolet for a select series of Late Model Stock Car Races in 2024 and 2025. His debut race with this throwback livery will be at the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway in Timmonsville, South Carolina.
Discussing the revival in a recorded video, the Hall of Famer expressed his excitement, “Great to finally get the news out about the Bud car we have really been excited about that. I knew a lot of y’all would too. And so just thanks for all the feedback. Hopefully, you’ll… If you’re not coming out to the racing floor before Thanksgiving, you’ll watch on flow. 250 laps will be a good show and hopefully, we can run well.”
Fans are also excited to witness him back in the classic. One enthusiast voiced their excitement, saying, “Can’t wait to see that car finally on track.” Echoing this sentiment, another fan exclaimed, “We’re so fucking back man .” Yet another chimed in, “This day was epic. Gonna dig out my 8 gear tonight and order some new stuff too. Thank you @DaleJr .”
One fan took a moment to reflect on Dale Jr.’s journey with different cars over the years, remarking, “It’s really cool that you’ve raced the 3 and 88 since “retirement” and now the true 8. I know it has to be extra special for you as well.”
Wrapping up the day here at @JRMotorsports @DirtyMoMedia 🍻 pic.twitter.com/ZKmDP5fO7o
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) October 22, 2024
It’s been 17 years since Dale Jr. raced his iconic red car but now will gear up to take it for a spin again on November 23, 2024. Anheuser-Busch, with its brands Budweiser, Busch, and Busch Light, has been backing NASCAR stalwarts and rising stars for quite some time now.
The roster features Earnhardt Jr., who was backed by the brand for nine seasons. Following that, a 13-year collaboration with Kevin Harvick took place, and most recently, Busch Light began sponsoring Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain—a partnership that was unveiled in 2023.
How can fans catch Dale Jr.’s Late Model Stock Car race in November?
Forget traditional TV; the South Carolina 400 on November 23 will be streaming exclusively on FloRacing. The two-day extravaganza will start on Friday and wrap up on Saturday night with the Late Model Stock main event, where drivers compete for a $10,000 prize.
The event will showcase a range of classes including Late Model Stocks, Limited Late Models, Super Trucks, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Legends, and Bandoleros.
For those eager to see Junior maneuver the #8 car live, tickets are available on the South Carolina 400’s landing page.
Earnhardt Jr. reignited his passion for grassroots racing at the event back in 2022. He’s confessed to being drawn to the Florence Motor Speedway particularly for its abrasive surface, which leads to extreme tire wear and tear, making a tire-saving strategy crucial to success.
