NASCAR Fans Get Nostalgic as Dale Jr Cherishes Iconic 12-Year-Old ‘The Dark Knight’ Tribute With Rick Hendrick and Co

It is indeed hard to digest the fact of how drastically NASCAR racing has changed in the last few decades. This was evident when Dale Earnhardt Jr shared his memorable moment of winning the Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway back in 2012. It wasn’t a normal win for Dale Jr and his team, but rather a monumental victory that still holds a special place in the hearts of NASCAR fans.

At the time, Dale Earnhardt Jr was on a winless streak of 143 races. He had gone three full seasons of NASCAR racing without a victory in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet car. But thanks to his crew chief, Steve Letarte’s, brilliant intervention, Dale Jr finally got back to winning ways after a fierce battle with Tony Stewart. Apart from the rip-roaring speed of the No. 88 car, it was a special Batman paint scheme that stood out among the competition.

Dale Jr and his team were promoting the upcoming Batman film at the time, “The Dark Knight Rises.” Like millions around the globe, the HMS star was also an ardent fan of Batman. 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 everyone after that. Being a car guy, I can get into that part of the movie and understand the Batmobile as an icon of the film.” Jr was quoted via Business Insider after his win at Michigan.

Dale Jr’s 143-race win was the sixth-longest streak in Cup Series history back in 2012. Therefore, this victory marked a special occasion for the driver and the fans. As NASCAR’s official X handle took a trip down memory lane remembering that win, Dale Jr reacting via his X account, wrote, “My pal @SteveLetarte and the 88 group built a rocket ship for that weekend. Wild speeds, over 215 mph!”

This was quickly followed by a flurry of comments and reactions by NASCAR fans, who shared their interesting stories and memories from the iconic win.

Fans react to the throwback post celebrating Dale Earnhardt Jr’s iconic win at Michigan

One of the common themes in the comments section was a direct comparison between the Gen5 and the Next Gen car. Needless to say, fans were once again throwing a jibe at NASCAR for their parity racing project. “Damn i wish next gen cars were that fast now these days. But I remember like it was yesterday, when the streak was over I was one happy camper that sunday”.

It has to be said that Dale Jr has some of the most loyal fans among all the NASCAR drivers. This was evident from a fan’s comment who remembered how he celebrated the win back in 2012. “I drove around with an 88 flag hanging out of my Impala SS like I won that race myself”.

Had it not been for his crew chief Steve Letarte’s early call to pit and make adjustments with spring rubber and chassis on the #88 Batman-themed Impala, Dale Jr might not have won the race. Giving a shoutout to Letarte’s brilliant strategy call, a user wrote, “I remember they changed the damn tire on Saturday night and the car was not very good anymore…Steve made a great change on the first pit stop of the day on Sunday and it was a ROCKET”.

One fan even remembered that Tony Stewart was frustrated in the post-race interview after a runner-up finish. “Funniest part was when they were interviewing Tony Stewart after the race and he was salty as hell about you winning saying “it ain’t like it’s a national holiday”. Turns out it was Father’s Day. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣”.

Some of the fans who attended the race themselves shared the feeling of seeing their favorite NASCAR driver win after a long winless streak. “Was lucky to be at that one, crowd was on fire. One of my favorite racing memories”.

“That was one of my favorite races I ever attended at Michigan”.

NASCAR over the years has seen some iconic paint schemes. But it’s fair to say, that Dale Jr’s Batmobile livery holds its own and deserves its place among the best paint jobs in the history of NASCAR racing.