When former NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees attend this prestigious event, nostalgia is bound to hit them hard. And Dale Earnhardt Jr. was no exception. However, recently, the two-time Xfinity Series champion revealed the real reason why attending these ceremonies is so special to him.
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Junior started by stating how this year, he got the opportunity to sit beside NASCAR stalwarts like Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, 7X Cup champ Jimmie Johnson, and President of NASCAR Steve Phelps and have dinner with them. However, as said earlier, that is not the biggest motivation for him to visit this gala event.
“You don’t see a lot of these people often,” explained Dale Jr. “So these moments when we go to those ceremonies, taking every minute to catch up, ask them what they’ve been up to, what they’re working on, what are they piddling with.”
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Furthermore, Earnhardt Jr. was happy to be able to talk to former racer and NASCAR veteran, Bobby Labonte.
He even laughed as he said, “I was giving Bobby Labonte a hard time because he announced that he’s going to run a few less modified races this year and so I was like, you’re cutting back; you can’t cut back!”
New inductees in this year’s NASCAR Hall of Fame
Jimmie Johnson spent almost two decades driving in the NASCAR Cup Series. And during his illustrious career, he amassed 83 wins that tied him for sixth on all-time wins next to Cale Yarborough. Moreover, he is the only speedster to have lifted the Cup for five years straight and he is one of the three legendary drivers to have won the coveted title seven times, alongside Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.
Needless to say, his spot in the NASCAR Hall of Fame was guaranteed.
Welcome to the Hall of Honor, Jimmie Johnson. #NASCARHall #ForeverLegends pic.twitter.com/OU4Ki0YT2w
— NASCAR Hall of Fame (@NASCARHall) January 20, 2024
Next, Donnie Allison of the infamous ‘Alabama Gang’, who has been an ambassador of the sport for over half a century, also was inducted into the esteemed room.
Last, but not least, Johnson’s longtime crew chief and the current Vice President of Competition for Hendrick Motorsports, Chad Knaus was also honored with the reputable title. Many say this man is the reason behind 81 of Johnson’s 83 total Cup wins.
Besides that, former driver Janet Guthrie was awarded the 2024 recipient of the Landmark Award for his extraordinary contributions to the sport.
