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via Imago

via Imago

The community has often questioned Jeffrey Earnhardt’s credentials as a race car driver. His exposure because of his family name has burdened the #26 driver with expectations to replicate anything similar to Dale Jr or Dale Sr. Now Jeffrey Earnhardt will return to the Xfinity Series with Sam Hunt Racing in 2024. Having raced with the team in 2022, the 34-year-old has had some great memories including a P7 finish at Nashville.

While his full race schedule with SHR will be released later, if he performs well in his limited number of chances in 2024, it could put him in the spotlight.

Jeffrey Earnhardt’s recognition in NASCAR

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As a result of his agreement with Sam Hunt Racing, Jeffrey Earnhardt will begin his campaign at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 24. These are the only details from the details divulged by the concerned parties for now; updates will soon follow. With a return to a familiar environment, where he has impressed earlier, Jeffrey can prove his doubters wrong.

Last season, he started in 24 races but could not bag a top-10 finish with Alpha Prime Racing. His best finish in 2023 was a P11 result at Daytona in August. Over the years, he has started in 168 Xfinity races and collected two top-5s and five top-10 finishes. He has also amassed a single pole in his Xfinity career, which is one of the most recognizable poles for a NASCAR fan.

Jeffrey Earnhardt’s status as a fan-favorite is often considered a double-edged sword. While some Dale Sr loyalists have extended him their support due to the grandson dynamic, many have expressed that Jeffrey might have taken advantage of the exposure to get himself rides. Considering the love NASCAR fans have for the seven-time champion, one could come to this conclusion. However, that is not the case.

In 2022, Jeffrey Earnhardt raced in a No.3 Richard Childress Racing car at Talladega. Driving in the legendary number of his grandfather, he earned a lot of fans on that day with a pole-winning performance, beating Austin Hill. Eventually, he capitalized on the qualifying effort and finished second in the race, leading ten laps.

From the looks of it, the talent is already there. A blend of racing finesse and execution will work wonders for Jeffrey Earnhardt. With a return to Sam Hunt Racing, which has improved its equipment, there could be some surprise results in 2024.

An exciting start to Earnhardt’s second stint with Sam Hunt Racing

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With his move to Sam Hunt Racing, Jeffrey Earnhardt will race in a Toyota again. Following his tenures with Joe Gibbs Racing, BK Racing, and Gaunt Brothers Racing in 2018 and 2019, he had given out some impressive results. For team owner Sam Hunt, the second installment of the partnership could be something special.

“Jeffrey is a great guy that everyone enjoys being around and working with. We’ve had some great conversations over the past couple months and know he is committed to the program, as well as to the TRD family,” claimed Hunt in an official release.

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“His experience and full perspective view on the sport is always refreshing, and feel we had great speed together in 2022. I’m excited to build on that momentum and pick up where we left off, and I look forward to welcoming the ForeverLawn family back to the Sam Hunt Racing camp,” he added.

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ForeverLawn has been a long-time partner of Jeffrey Earnhardt. It has featured on the 34-year-old’s cars time after time and will return for a 4th season with the driver. Expressing his delight at the same, Jeffrey claimed, “I’m really excited to be returning to Sam Hunt Racing and the TRD family. We had strong races in 2022, and I feel like we have some unfinished business. Sam’s program continues to impress, and Toyota makes me feel so welcome. I know this is the right move and can’t wait to get back in the ForeverLawn GR Supra with Sam & team.”

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Does Jeffrey Earnhardt finally get a piece of the spotlight back on his racing skills? Only time will answer that, but the build-up to his 2024 season has been encouraging.

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