“Bud Has Finally Returned to DEI”: Ross Chastain Revives Dale Earnhardt’s Proud Creation in the Fans’ Hearts 15 Years After It’s Unfortunate End

Ross Chastain is turning the pages of history. When Kevin Harvick announced his intentions to retire from NASCAR at the beginning of 2023, it was a moral dilemma for primary sponsor Anheuser-Busch. However, moving over from an iconic partnership that began in 2011, the beverage brand switched to Trackhouse Racing’s #1 team.

In some ways, Ross Chastain‘s latest images in the Busch Light firesuit have triggered a deja vu for the fans. For starters, it is a legacy sponsor whose commitment to the sport dates back to 1979. Secondly, while Trackhouse Racing is pretty recent in the long timeline of NASCAR teams in the Cup Series, its origins can be traced back to the historic Dale Earnhardt Inc. Watching Ross Chastain carry the Busch Light brand, NASCAR fans couldn’t help but reminisce about the ownership days of the seven-time Cup Series champion.

Ross Chastain unveils himself in the iconic Busch Light firesuit

The 30-year-old Nashville native gave the fans a peek into his appearance in Busch Light blue and white colors on Twitter. Announcing the start of the partnership, he tweeted, “Breaking in the new @BuschBeer suit at media day.”

“To get asked to be the next guy is it’s everything I’ve ever wanted,” Chastain said in a Forbes interview in July 2023. “It’s everything I’ve ever worked for 13 years now. And it’s all kind of came through with Trackhouse being a Cup team that believes in me and gives me race-winning cars to go compete and then a sponsor.”

Ross Chastain had been rumored to be the successor to the No. 4 Mustang at Stewart-Haas Racing. It would have made perfect sense based on what he has shown in the Cup Series since his transition. A die-hard racer with no intention of giving an inch to his rivals, what more could SHR demand? However, in a change of plans, the Melon Man renewed his contract with Justin Marks’ team, being at the center of an exciting project.

Often, fans have attributed the reason for Trackhouse Racing’s success to its roots. Dale Earnhardt and wife Teresa’s brainchild, DEI, has been a long-forgotten name in NASCAR. Since then, several teams have taken their spot in the Cup Series, and surprisingly, the most recent team to own the place is Trackhouse Racing. The influence of DEI can be seen on Justin Marks’ team through former DEI and Michael Waltrip Racing executive Ty Norris.

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Stressing the same, NASCAR fans have explained that the partnership with Trackhouse is one of the realities in which the Budweiser-affiliated brand has finally returned to Dale Earnhardt Inc.

NASCAR fans link DEI to Trackhouse Racing

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Following Ross Chastain’s tweet, the fandom was reminded of the lovable partnership between DEI and Anheuser-Busch. Commenting on the same, one of the fans on Reddit wrote, “You know, in a weird sort of way, Bud has finally returned to DEI, and I find that fun a little.”

“Now the main piece missing is for Dale Jr to become a part owner of Trackhouse to get the whole gang back together,” wrote a fan, wishing for Dale Earnhardt Jr to revive the legacy of the forgotten team.

Expressing mixed feelings at the joy of Ross Chastain receiving the iconic brand, albeit at the cost of Harvick’s retirement, another fan wrote, “I love it, but damn, that’s going to take some getting used to.” Similarly, another fan’s comment hinted at the same, as it read, “Feels weird, but also right.”

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Ross Chastain has been a popular figure among the fans. A cut-throat racing style with a down-to-earth personality is the perfect recipe to impress NASCAR fans. Taking a dig at Chastain’s aggression, a fan said. “Chaos has a new beer. Busch Light.” It looks like NASCAR fans have loved Ross Chastain’s new look. The #1 Chevrolet driver hopes to fill Kevin Harvick’s boots in the grand scheme of NASCAR, which is winning races and challenging championships.