Former NASCAR driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr, made a name for himself during his prime in the NASCAR Cup Series. Throughout his career, he secured 26 Cup Series wins, including two Daytona 500 victories in 2004 and 2014. However, it has been quite some time since the NASCAR Hall of Famer has set foot in the car.
So one can only imagine the excitement and anticipation if Dale Earnhardt Jr were to make a return to racing after retiring from the sport in 2017. The prospect of witnessing the beloved driver behind the wheel again would undoubtedly send a wave of nostalgia through the NASCAR community.
However, unfortunately, Junior would not be racing in the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro. Recently, during an interview with the press, Junior highlighted what his intentions and expectations were with the upcoming race.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr reveals the bitter truth about participation at North Wilkesboro Speedway
In the interview, Junior mentioned, “I didn’t think I needed to run. You know I honestly was so excited just that it was happening. I want to watch it I want to observe it and I think my Cup days are long gone…”
“I’m nervous about running those two Xfinity Races this year because when you don’t do this every week, you’re not in the league when you get in the car. It is not. It doesn’t come right back.”
He then gave an example of the NFL, where he mentioned that one does not jump back into the championship game after spending a year away from the game. He said, “You don’t jump in a Cup car and expect to go head to head with the greatest stock car drivers in the world. You’re a fool if you think you can, you know.”
I asked Dale Jr. if he thought about running the #NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway if he could be eligible. This is what he said … pic.twitter.com/rfYJ1mKQZE
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) April 6, 2023
To illustrate his point further, he took the example of Kasey Kahne. Junior mentioned that he had asked Kahne to “jump right in there and go.” However, Kahne apparently told Junior that he would require at least six months to get on par with the other guys.
Dale Earnhardt Jr wants to watch the race as a fan
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Witnessing an iconic historic racetrack return to NASCAR is truly exhilarating for fans, as it reignites their passion for the sport. The feeling would perhaps be similar for Junior after he revealed that he would like to watch the North Wilkesboro race as a true fan.
During the same interview, Earnhardt Jr expressed that he would have enjoyed participating in the race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. However, he doesn’t feel the need to be in it, nor does he desire to participate.
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Instead, he wants to observe the competitors to see who will come out on top. While he won’t be racing in the All-Star event, he would certainly be returning behind the wheel at the track for the CARS Tour event at the venue.