The Daytona International Speedway is a race track that is steeped in history. It has hosted the Daytona 500 since 1959 and has had multiple winners, including Dale Earnhardt Jr, who won twice. In a recent video promo for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Earnhardt Jr looked back upon the venue’s rich history.
Dale Earnhardt Jr has a lot of personal memories of the iconic race track, aside from his two wins. His late father, Dale Earnhardt was also a Daytona 500 winner, and they are one of the few father-son duos to win the 500. So, he really has a lot to be associated with the track.
Memories are made at Daytona.@DaleJr took a walk down memory lane at @DISUpdates. Join him as we get set for the final race before the @NASCAR playoffs tonight on @NBC. pic.twitter.com/S2TUmIeR3A
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 29, 2020
What is Dale Earnhardt Jr doing now?
The driver stepped away from full-time racing back in 2017, but continues to become a regular presence in the paddock. This time, he is working in the television sector and offers expert analysis and commentary.
He was also recently inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, joining his father, the late Dale Earnhardt. Admittedly, he never quite won any Cup Series titles like his father, but Dale Jr is still a top class driver in his heyday.
Of course, he has stepped down from full-time racing, opening doors for part-time gigs in any of the series. Dale Earnhardt Jr is a legend in his own right. As a true testament to his mental strength, he raced in the Pepsi 400 race at Daytona in 2001.
This is significant, because his father had just passed on at that very race, so emotions were obviously running high. The sport itself was in shock in the wake of Dale Sr’s crash that also involved Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin.
Fighting through the grief, Dale Earnhardt Jr managed to finish 2nd behind Michael Waltrip. Several years later, Dale Jr returns to the track with so many bittersweet memories, though he is not returning in a racing capacity. Instead, the Daytona International Speedway will play host to the final regular season race before the playoffs begin.
