Between 2008 and 2017, Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave NASCAR fans an entertaining racing spectacle in his No. 88 car. Seven years after the popular driver retired from full-time racing, the No. 88 will arrive on concrete and asphalt again. This time, with a different pilot.
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Trackhouse Racing announced at Daytona this weekend that Shane van Gisbergen will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro beginning in 2025. The Australian Supercars Champion is currently setting benchmarks in the Xfinity Series driving for Kaulig Racing. His promotion comes as a pending move following his heroics at the 2023 Chicago Street Course, where he secured his maiden Cup Series victory.
When team owner Justin Marks decided to expand Trackhouse to a three-car team and add the No. 88 to his roster, he undoubtedly had to get the blessing of Dale Jr. When approached, the icon was only too pleased to have such a deserving name take over his number. He greenlit the transition and humbly noted that the number did not belong to him and that he just added to its legacy.
Marks revealed, “(Had) a great, great exchange with Dale Jr. saying, like, ‘Look, it’s not my number. I mean, I added to the legacy of it. It was important to me personally.’ But he was proud to see it in good hands, and that’s just something that’s super, super important to me and this company.” Dale Jr. relayed his wishes through a tweet on his X handle as well.
Dale Jr. believes that the No. 88 will have a good home at Trackhouse
He made 340 starts in the No. 88 car for Hendrick Motorsports and won nine races. His historical performances are why the number is so closely associated with him. He wrote on X, “I was lucky to run a few numbers with so much rich history. Excited to see @shanevg97 and @TeamTrackhouse add a new chapter to it. 88 will have a good home there.”
Many notable drivers piloted the No. 88 car before he did. Pepper Cunningham was the first to have the number on his hood in 1949. Dale Jr.’s grandfather, Ralph, drove the car in 1957 at Martinsville. Buddy Baker and Darrell Waltrip both had over 100 starts in it. Others included Geoff Bodine, Rusty Wallace, and Dale Jarrett.
Joining this long line of legends means that Shane van Gisbergen will have a lot of high expectations to fulfill next season. There is little doubt that he would do so considering the natural ability he appears to have in NASCAR. He has already secured three wins this season and will look to challenge for the Xfinity Series title.
