Back in June 2012, Dale Earnhardt Jr. snapped a 143-race winless drought at Michigan International Speedway and he did it in style. For the last four years, the then-speedster had not visited Victory Lane even once and his breakthrough did look like “The Dark Knight” rising. But why the Batman reference? Because Junior was driving a Batman-themed Chevy.
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An ardent fan of the Caped Crusader, Dale Junior, said, “I used to watch the original TV series when I was little and I’d seen the first movie that they made with Michael Keaton, and every one after that.”
“Being a car guy, I can get into that part of the movie and understand the Batmobile as an icon of film,” he added. However, the two-time Xfinity Series champion did not have the fastest car during the Quicken Loans 400. He started the race 17th and fell back to 25th at one point.
However, just 12 laps into the race, his then-crew chief Steve Letarte called him to the pit road for adjustments with the spring rubber and the chassis on the number 88 Batman-themed Chevrolet Impala. The car roared to its fullest glory after that.
By the 70th lap, Earnhardt Jr. passed pole winner Marcos Ambrose, snatching the lead from the latter. After a series of lead exchanges, Junior took it back for the last time on lap 172 and for the remaining 28 laps, he did not let it slip.
Superman versus Batman: The Real Showdown
Throwback to 2016 when the movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” took the box office in a frenzy and for good reason. That competition found its moment in the ovals of NASCAR when the movie came up with a sponsorship for the then-Hendrick Motorsports teammates, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jimmie Johnson.
Needless to say, Earnhardt drove the Batman-themed #88, while Johnson wheeled the #48 Man of Steel-themed Chevy.
Dark Knight fire suit for next week's #HeroFaceOff @ACSupdates #IsThisAwkward pic.twitter.com/QRp49hU6Ou
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) March 8, 2016
I’m no son of Krypton, but I think I have my #Superman look down pat 💪🏼 #HeroFaceOff pic.twitter.com/ZVHC2UEWBX
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) March 8, 2016
It did make sense. Both the heroes wanted the same thing, but only one could have the glory just like both the drivers wanted the same thing (to win the race) but only one of the two could emerge victorious.
