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RICHMOND, VA – SEPTEMBER 21: Dale Earnhardt Jr, driver of the #88 Hellmann’s Camaro Chevrolet, is introduced prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Go Bowling 250 at Richmond Raceway on September 21, 2018 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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RICHMOND, VA – SEPTEMBER 21: Dale Earnhardt Jr, driver of the #88 Hellmann’s Camaro Chevrolet, is introduced prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Go Bowling 250 at Richmond Raceway on September 21, 2018 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
Dale Earnhardt Jr, one of the biggest names in the history of NASCAR, will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 21. And as a gesture of expressing his thankfulness for the support that earned him a spot in the HoF, Earnhardt Jr. will reveal 10 mementos from his career.
These mementos will be unveiled over a course of 10 days leading up to the HoF ceremony. And the first such memento was recently unveiled. It was the 2001 Pepsi 400 baseball helmet.
It was important to me what went in the case at the @NASCARHall. In the coming days, we will take a look at the significance of each item.
Up first: the 2001 Pepsi 400 baseball helmet. pic.twitter.com/jCvoFypqjL
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) January 12, 2022
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The 2001 Pepsi 400 was arguably the most memorable race of Earnhardt Jr’s career. The fact that he won a NASCAR race at the same track his father Dale Earnhardt tragically died five months ago; there couldn’t have been a bigger tribute to his father and his memory.
Speaking of that win, Earnhardt Jr. said, “There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful that it happened. I think about it often.” “I can’t tell people how much it matters to me,” he continued.
“I wonder what we would’ve done over the next twelve, twenty-four months, or years, had we not won the race,” he added.
What are the other nine mementos which Dale Earnhardt Jr. will reveal?
Following up the 2001 Pepsi 400 baseball helmet will be the 2000 Rolling Stone feature story by Toure. Then it will be the 2004 Daytona 500 Harley J. Earl Trophy.
2000 Winston Cup Series All-Star Trophy will come next. And the next day it will be the 2014 Xfinity Series Championship Trophy.
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Then it will be the NBC Sport Microphone Flag, followed by the 1999 Busch Series Championship trophy, the Dale Jr. download microphone, the championship ring, and Mike Stefanik memento from the 2014 Daytona 500.
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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 National Guard Chevrolet, celebrates with the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
And on the day when Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, there will be a Red Farmer memento and the 2003 Most Popular Driver award.
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These mementos will be unveiled on NBC Sports’ digital and social platforms, beginning from January 12th and ending on January 21st.
Also Read: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Voices His Disapproval With NASCAR HoF’s Policies After Recent Backlash
