It is the start of an exciting new collaboration. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has partnered with a Darden Restaurants brand for a Tropical Blue Chiller made with High Rock Vodka, co-owned by the legendary NASCAR driver and his wife Amy Earnhardt. The drink will be available exclusively at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen for a limited period, during which time fans can get an exclusive opportunity, too!

Could this partnership propel the restaurant chain to potentially sponsor JR Motorsports in the future?

For the unversed, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen has been Richard Childress Racing’s marketing partner since 2020 and has been associated with Kyle Busch and his No. 8 Chevy since his maiden season in the team in 2023. However, before ‘Rowdy, the brand used to sponsor Tyler Reddick, who drove the No. 8 Chevy for three years until 2022 before moving on to 23XI Racing. After the California native’s departure, they began a successful partnership with the new No. 8, introducing special dishes and themed menu cards. The restaurant also gives fans a free chicken tender meal on Mondays if Busch wins a Cup Series race. As far as collaborations go, this is one of the more memorable ones in the NASCAR world.

However, now that Dale Earnhardt Jr, who’s reportedly NASCAR’s richest driver besides Legacy Motor Clun owner and Former Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson, with a staggering net worth of $400 million, has also joined hands with Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. It will be interesting to see in what ways the two collaborate going forward, but for now here’s the most exciting offer…

In a video uploaded on X, Junior announced the Tropical Blue Chiller to fans by saying, “Alright, it’s official. A brand new High Rock vodka craft cocktail is available at Cheddar’s locations nationwide. Grab this High Rock cocktail while you can. Find a Cheddars scratch kitchen near you, or visit cheddars.com.” Meanwhile, his wife Amy Earnhardt also went on to say, “We’re super excited to partner with Cheddars to bring this specialty High Rock cocktail to their restaurants.”

Given how successful Busch’s partnership with his sponsor has been, helping the company meet profitability and sales targets, they aim to replicate this success through their new collaboration with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and High Rock Vodka.

Could Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen’s partnership extend beyond the alcoholic drink to a full-fledged sponsorship in the Xfinity Series? That remains to be seen, but with the two joining hands for the Tropical Blue Chiller, the door is open for future collaborations depending on how this fares. Won’t it be something to see Cheddar’s branding on a No. 88 Chevy driven by Connor Zilisch for JR Motorsports? This deal marks the start of an exciting range of possibilities; time will tell just how many come to fruition.

But for now, the collaboration has already gotten the community excited!

NASCAR fans share their views

As expected, it didn’t take long for NASCAR fans to share their opinions about the partnership between Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen and Dale Earnhardt Jr. With the social media video announcing the Tropical Blue Chiller, one fan wondered if this collaboration could extend to Richard Childress Racing and Kyle Busch as well. The penultimate Cup Series race at Martinsville is on the horizon, and keeping that in mind, one fan wrote, “Why don’t we get that on the #8 car at Martinsville 👀👀 @cheddarskitchen”. Another fan couldn’t hide their excitement at the opportunity to get their hands on the drink, going on to say, “Need that now! 😂😂”.

One fan noticed how different Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks every time he shaves his beard. The soon-to-be 50-year-old was looking noticeably younger in the video uploaded on social media, which prompted an X user to write, “I always forget how young he looks when he shaves off that beard.”

With Dale and Amy Earnhardt already having two daughters, Isla Rose and Nicole Lorraine, a fan felt that the video was about the impending arrival of a third child. Speaking about his misunderstanding, the fan said, “The first couple of words there had me thinking kid number 3 😂.”

Meanwhile, one fan almost thought that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was promoting a beer cooler, perhaps because his drink has the word ‘chiller’ in it. Expressing his misunderstanding on X (formerly known as Twitter), the fan wrote, “Oh! It’s a drink. Almost thought it was a beer cooler, complete with handles. 😄”

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen also replied to the announcement, writing, “We’ll toast to that, Dale,” complete with a drink emoji.

Despite the varied fan reactions, it’s clear that the NASCAR community is excited about the many possibilities this collaboration can bring going forward. Could it be the start of something new for Dale Jr. and JR Motorsports? Time will tell.