Dale Earnhardt Jr. is going to be back racing in his iconic #8 Bud King of the Beers race car for the first time in seventeen years. The most recognizable paint schemes ever in NASCAR will mark a comeback at Florence Motor Speedway. This partnership will run through until next year as Dale Jr. continues to race in limited races on the LMSC side.

The NASCAR Hall of Famer used to compete in the famed red-and-black paint schemes during DEI days in the Cup Series. But a dispute between Teresa Earnhardt saw Dale Jr. move to Hendrick Motorsports and leave his father’s team and the iconic number. For years, Teresa held the naming rights of the #8 number until this year. And having taken over his iconic racing number, Jr. isn’t wasting any time in bringing it back to the racetrack.

“It is an incredible opportunity for me to be able to reunite with Budweiser and the No. 8. Budweiser and I had some great memories with that iconic scheme and number. We’ve always supported each other over the years. It’s going to be really special for me to be able to represent that brand on the racetrack again.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said this in a press release shared by JRM.

“There are names that, when mentioned, draw on the significance of their place in American history. Among them, Budweiser, and Earnhardt. This return to the racetrack alongside Dale with the Bud King of Beers paint scheme is another chapter in Anheuser-Busch’s long and storied sports history,” said Matt Davis, VP of Partnerships at Anheuser-Busch.

The return of this partnership has also opened the door for fans to get their hands on the merchandise. This includes diecasts of the #8 car, autographed replica helmets, T-shirts, uniform jackets, and more. As soon as Dale Jr. shared this news online on social media, fans couldn’t contain their excitement to see their favorite driver in the iconic car.

Fans are eager to see Dale Jr. back racing in the #8 car again

Late-model stock cars aren’t known for their paint schemes. But, now that Budweiser is back with Dale Jr. reviving their iconic collaboration, the grassroots-level racing event will be able to witness one of the iconic paint schemes in stock car racing. Labeling this as the best ever LMSC scheme, a fan wrote, “And there is the greatest looking LMSC of all time. Just like that.”

Now Teresa Earnhardt is arguably among the most hated NASCAR personalities. Ideally, Dale Earnhardt’s legacy was supposed to continue like the Petty family, but Teresa intentionally foiled any ideas or plans as she had legal ownership of Earnhardt’s team and naming rights. But for this time, she’s managed to land in the good books of the fans. “man.. 9 year old me is absolutely thrilled. For YEARS I’ve been wanting JR to bring back the old 8 and I can’t believe he’s actually doing it!!!!! Thank you so much to Teresa Earnhardt for letting him be able to have the 8 back.”

Given the friction between Teresa Earnhardt and Dale Jr., many race fans believed that the iconic #8 number would never see the daylight again. Which is why this announcement came in as a huge surprise for this race fan, who added, “I never thought I’d see this trio again in my life. Junebug, that 8 and the Budweiser red running wild once again.”

Dale Jr. might have retired from NASCAR racing, but still, he is one of the most popular and influential personalities. Merchandise and memorabilia from Dale Jr.’s time at DEI usually sell like hotcakes. And this trend will continue with the new merchandise drop. Some are even willing to take a huge dent in their wallet to get hold of their favorite items. “My wallet is about to get a huge dent. Bring on the merch!!! This is awesome.”

It is indeed confusing to pick and choose the gifts for your near and dear ones. However, the return of this iconic collaboration with a merch drop couldn’t come at a better time for this race fan. “Dale I would just like to personally thank you and the team for providing merch that has now covered my husbands birthday and Christmas gifts 😆 this is awesome!! 🥰❤️❤️❤️.”

It feels as if Dale Jr. has gifted NASCAR fans with the biggest surprise of the season, and it will be quite a sight to see the veteran driver roll out with the #8 Bud car at Florence Motor Speedway.