Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s splendid career saw him win the Busch Series championship twice and reach Victory Lane 26 times in the NASCAR Cup Series. He raced embodying true racing spirit, which made him one of the most loved icons in the sport. And, needless to say, he lived up to his legendary surname and earned his way into the sport’s Hall of Fame. Yet, he has a regret.
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Speaking to Kevin Harvick and Will Buxton in the recent episode of SPEED, Dale Jr. said that he wished he had taken the opportunities he got to participate in the IndyCar Series back in the day.
Indy is as prestigious as NASCAR. The Indianapolis 500, its flagship event, is one of the crown jewels of world motorsports, with even F1 drivers from Europe keeping it on their to-do list. Dale Jr. missed the chance.
“I always kind of wondered what that would feel like, and just saying that now I’m probably going to get another couple offers, but that ship has sailed,” said Junior.
“I wish I would have done that,” he continued. “I wish I would have done that, really, because when I was younger in my 30s, I had some opportunities just to go feel it. Not really go race and do the things that [Kyle] Larson does. I don’t need to go race, but I just really would love to know what that car feels like going around such a historic racetrack.”
A lot of drivers in the past have crossed over from NASCAR to IndyCar. Some have come from open-wheel to stock car racing, too. Drivers like Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson have even had their fair share of success in Indy. Dale Jr. racing in the series would have been an iconic moment and a great personal milestone for him.
A glimpse of Dale Jr. in the IndyCar Series
Dale Jr.’s hypothetical success in Indy will forever remain just that: Hypothetical. But then, virtually, he has been there and done it.
If we take a short trip down memory lane, back to 2020, when, in an open-wheel simulation event, he finished 3rd in the Chevrolet 275 for the IndyCar iRacing challenge. The race was staged at a virtual Michigan International Speedway.
Notably, he finished behind Simon Pagenaud (2019 Indianapolis 500 champion) and Scott McLaughlin (Three-time Supercars champion).
Dale Jr. started 18th in his No. 3 Chevrolet and drove to the front in 85 laps using methodical racing strategies. His performance was a key indicator of how well he could have driven in a real IndyCar Series race.
