| | | | | | | 88 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Kannapolis, NC |
| | Primary Sponsor: AMP Energy / National Guard
Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Car Owner: Rick Hendrick
Team: Hendrick Motorsports Dale Earnhardt Jr., legendary son of Ralph Dale Earnhardt and brother of Kerry Earnhardt, is a third generation NASCAR champion racer.
After the disappointing of season of 2005, Dale Jr. rekindled the Earnhardt fire by reuniting with his cousin Tony Eury Jr in 2006. They won one race and finished in the top ten in sixteen other races. Dale managed to notch himself in the six spot for points after 26 races and closed the season fifth in the Chase. In December of 2006, Dale Earnhardt Jr. beat out Jeff Gordon for the Most Popular Driver Award for the fourth consecutive year.
He chose the number 8 in honor of his grandfather. Dale Jr. is also the team owner of JR Motorsports and co-owner of Chance 2 Motorsports with his stepmother Theresa Earnhardt.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina on October 10, 1974. This four-time winner of Most Popular NASCAR Driver made his start on the track not in the real world but in sim-world (sim=simulated). After participating heavily in the DMP, Dale met with Kevin King about starting up an online racing league. Two years later, DMP is the premier online racing league.
After high school Dale Jr. received a two-year automotive degree after graduating high school. At 17 he started racing professionally in the Street Stock Division and within two seasons moved up to Late Model Stock Car division. In 1996 Dale Jr. made his Busch Series debut in a car owned by his father. In 1998 he won seven races with 16 top-fives and 22 top-10s in over thirty races. He also took home a champion’s Victory Lap with his father after the season finale in Homestead. In 1998 and 1999 he won the championship for the Busch Series in the #3 Chevrolet. In 1999 after winning the Busch Series Championship he posted six victories, 18 top-fives and 22 top-10s. In 2000 Earnhardt won twice with three top-fives and five top-10s and became the first rookie to win the All-Stars Race at Lowe’s.
2001, though, would be the best and worst year for young Dale. While racing in the Daytona 500 with his father Dale Earnhardt Sr., Earnhardt Sr. crashed in the fourth turn of the final lap and died. His son went on to finish second in the race.
Later that year, Earnhardt Jr. came back to Daytona for an emotional win. His tumultuous year resulted in nine top-fives, 15 top-tens, and two poles. In 2002 Dale Jr became a best selling author for the autobiography of his rookie year called “#8”. The same could not be said for his 2002 season. Dale bounced back in 2003, though, with a record breaking fourth win at Talladega. He would go on later to score a career best 3rd place in point standing as well as his first Most Popular NASCAR Driver Award.
Dale Jr.’s best career season came in 2004. Winning both the Busch and Cup race in one weekend allowed him to drive in the NASCAR ten-race playoff. His fifth win at Talladega was also his fifth NASCAR Nextel Cup win. Then he went on to win six more races (the Atlanta, Daytona, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, and Phoenix). Later in the season after six wins and two DNF’s Dale Jr. made fifth place in the Chase. His popularity was undaunted. He still managed to walk away with second consecutive award for Most Popular NASCAR Driver.
2005 was a down year for Dale Earnhardt Jr. He won only one race at Chicagoland. Later in the season Dale suffered engine failure and was eliminated from the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship. He ended up finished in a disappointing nineteenth in points standing. Once again his popularity was unharmed by his performance. He received the Most Popular NASCAR Driver for the third consecutive year.
| | | | | | |
