Dale Earnhardt Jr. has still got it at age 48.
The veteran driver, who retired from full-time competition after the 2017 season, made a one-off start in the Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday night, and Junior did far more than make a token appearance.
With a little luck, he might have driven right into victory lane.
The two-time series champion started 15th, but moved into the top 10 in the first stage. After a great pit stop he started Stage 2 in fourth place.
Earnhardt Jr. started the race’s third stage in the lead, and he was running in the top five with 30 laps to go when a mechanical issue ended his night.
Dale Earnhardt Jr's hopeful run for a Bristol win ends with 30 laps to go as smoke fills his car. pic.twitter.com/u0ux2iIHrG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 16, 2023
Earnhardt Jr. finished in 30th place, hardly an indication of how well he had run all night. At least he could celebrate something else — his JR Motorsports driver, Justin Allgaier, won the playoff race.
Afterward, Earnhardt Jr. said his shifter tunnel caught on fire, and he showed off his charred driver’s suit in the NASCAR on NBC broadcast.
“I saw some smoke in the car, smelled it and thought, ‘Hopefully that’s not me,'” Earnhardt Jr. said.
There's a hole burned in @DaleJr's pant leg but his car won and he had a lot of fun fighting for the lead tonight at Bristol. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/SbNMcFHCzM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 16, 2023
The popular Earnhardt Jr. has been a huge fan favorite his entire career, winning the NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver Award 15 times. So fans loved seeing Junior running out front one more time in his trademark No. 88, if only for a night.
What year is it?
— Sean Rohacik (@sean_rohacik) September 16, 2023
It’s electric as Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the lead at #ItsBristolBaby!! pic.twitter.com/HdtHam2ICx
— LEFT TURN CULT 🏁 (@leftturncult) September 16, 2023
Hell of a run by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Makes fans even more hopeful about his chances at Homestead!
— Darian Gilliam (@BlackFlagMatter) September 16, 2023
Some driver making his first NASCAR start of the year is leading this Xfinity Series race at Bristol.
His name is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Anyone ever heard of him?
— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) September 16, 2023
