NBC Sports formally took over broadcasting duties from Fox Sports in the 17th race of the 2024 Cup Series season. While the team of Steve Letarte, Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, and others returned to the booth as usual, one key person was missing on the front line: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Though the racing icon is no longer a part of NASCAR on NBC, there is the chance that he could return in the future.
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He admitted the same on a recent episode of his podcast and underlined that he does not hold in heart any feelings of regret watching his friends continue the job without him. Joking that he’d texted them saying that they lacked energy, he continued, “I miss it, man. It’s cool, man. They’re great guys and there is zero frustration or anything like that. I don’t want anybody thinking that.”
Was it weird for Dale to watch the NBC Broadcast now that he is out of the booth? pic.twitter.com/MVxD7hS5Lf
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) June 19, 2024
“And, there’s some good chances that if I stay in broadcasting long-term, I may likely work with them again.” Currently, on a one-year hiatus from the job, Dale Jr. will join the team at Amazon and TNT next season. He has already begun drafting strategies with his new employers on what the broadcasts in 2025 will look like. For now, the excitement of the immediate future keeps him away from any regret.
What are Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s plans for the rest of 2024?
Dale Jr. held the analyst job at NBC for around seven years before quitting at the end of the 2023 season. The long stint certainly required a well-deserved break. He revealed in an interview with Bob Pockrass that he’d taken a vacation to Europe along with Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Casey Mears earlier this year. He hopes to do so once again in the coming months.
On the business front of things, he continues to be involved in the operations of JR Motorsports, Dirty Mo Media, and his vodka brand High Rock. As far as his new job with Amazon and TNT is concerned, he participates in regular meetings to shape things for next year. “We haven’t finished building the booth yet,” he said.
“As soon as we get the booth built, we’re going to start doing some mock runs, basically get in a room and pretend to broadcast the actual race that maybe NBC or FOX is doing.” He also expressed anxiousness about finding good chemistry with whoever joins him in the new booth. Sure, they might not live up to the characters of his former colleagues, but he is more than welcome to give it a shot.
