Stunned Dale Earnhardt Jr Responds to Kendrick Lamar Showing Off His NASCAR Connection at Super Bowl LIX

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will always be a racer at heart. He hung up his firesuit back in 2017, but the veteran NASCAR driver has never really left his motorsports passion. That would explain the enormous collection of vintage cars in the racecar graveyard at Dirty Mo Acres. From a weathered 1948 Chevy TK Pickup to a custom-built 1972 Chevy Camaro, he cherishes every vehicle mightily.

So when renowned rapper Kendrick Lamar brought out a motor beauty at the Super Bowl, Dale Jr. was left gaping in awe. The hip-hop artist dominated the Superdome during the halftime show, captivating 65,000 fans. What thrilled the NASCAR enthusiasts among them was his unique taste in cars.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. offers his token of respect

Sunday’s Super Bowl program featured several memorable moments. The Kansas City Chiefs led by Patrick Mahomes drummed up a lot of anticipation as they aimed to clinch their third Super Bowl title. But the Philadelphia Eagles redeemed themselves, beating the Chiefs in a 40-22 game. This warmed the hearts of many Eagles fans, including 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott. However, the NFL game itself was far from the only highlight of the event – Dale Earnhardt Jr. can testify to that. Kendrick Lamar and SZA were the centers of attraction, with Lamar performing songs from his recent album, ‘GNX.’

Lamar’s album was named after the famous car released in his birth year. His father also brought him from the hospital in a Buick Regal car, the base car of GNX. So how better to commemorate his new album rather than to bring the car to the Super Bowl? A 1987 Buick GNX rolled onto the stage with Kendrick Lamar sitting atop it. Incidentally, the GNX is directly related to the NASCAR Grand National Series, standing for ‘Grand National Experimental.’ So the sight enthralled NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr., who quickly posted his apt comment on Twitter. “I told Amy ‘That’s my dream car’.” Super Late Model star Matt Tifft also did not hold back his bubbling emotions. Unfortunately, his wife did not approve: “I told my wife that too and she said “it’s ugly” 😞”

Besides Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Tifft, motorsports journalist Ryan McGee was also head over heels in awe. “I don’t care if you like Kendrick Lamar’s music or not. Any man who makes a Buick Grand National the centerpiece of the #SuperBowl halftime show is a superhero. #GNX” The significance of Lamar’s statement was indeed special for all gearheads. The Grand National Buick was one of the quickest-accelerating cars of the 1980s. That is one reason why its legacy has lasted through 40 years. The vehicle’s resell value has also soared in recent years. In a 2021 auction, one sold for $200,000.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s interest in Kendrick Lamar’s taste was hardly surprising. The former racer has a true passion for showpieces.

Restoring a piece of family heritage

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Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s racecar graveyard is ready evidence of his passion for cars. Back in 2019, he also worked hard to restore a vintage car. It was a Chevrolet Nova that Dale Sr. raced in the Busch Grand National Series back in the 1980s. He acquired it in April 2019 for $190,000 but had to verify that it was the Intimidator’s ride by using several old photographs. Another proof was visual evidence of hammer-pounding marks on the floorboard. This was a tactic Earnhardt frequently used to lower his driving seat. Then Dale Jr. set about to restore the car for some demonstration laps at a NASCAR Cup Series track in 2021.

Since it was his family heritage, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wanted it to be picture-perfect. “We needed to make sure the car was set up, meaning the rear-end housing was in it straight with the right camber and castor and toe setting and everything like that—just so it drives like it’s supposed to and looks good doing it.” He listed some of the adjustments made to the car: “We went to the front, and the castor and the camber, we had to make two shim changes to get that right. We set the toe and measured the tread width… went longer on the left side because you want the left side to get to the corner first…All that was automatic and fell into place. We secured all the heim joints and suspension components to make sure nothing falls off.”

If Kendrick Lamar happens to cross paths with Dale Jr. one day, they might hit it off. That is evident from their shared love for vintage rides.