But perhaps his second-most shining moment at Daytona came not in a Cup car, but in an XFINITY car, when he piloted a No. 3 Chevrolet — owned by Richard Childress and carrying a blue-and-yellow Wrangler paint scheme that his father had driven early in his career — to victory lane on July 2, 2010.
It created the perfect bookend to the number’s association with the Earnhardt family at Daytona. Only twice (to that point) had a car carrying the No. 3 been driven at Daytona in NASCAR competition since Dale Sr.’s passing: in the 2002 XFINITY season opener and on that night in 2010.
Appropriately, Dale Jr. won both times.
“I worked hard to try to win, not only for Daddy but all these fans,” Earnhardt said after parking the car in victory lane. “It’s emotional,” he admitted, adding that he would never again drive a No. 3 car in his career.
Earnhardt’s most recent race win in the summer spectacular at Daytona came in 2015, when he led a race-high 96 laps and held off Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson for the 25th win of his Cup career.
That night, he wheeled the car he nicknamed “Amelia” (after the legendary pilot Amelia Earhart) to its second-straight restrictor plate victory, reminding the NASCAR world about the prowess in the draft he learned from his father.
He brings no nicknamed cars to the track this time around, only seeking one more shot at glory on the track that he and his family have helped shape into the coliseum of speed it is today.
And while Saturday is scheduled to be his final start on the legendary surface that has played such a big part in his NASCAR career, Earnhardt admits that you can “never say never” about the potential for him to return to Daytona and jump behind the wheel again.
After all, whether it’s as a team owner in the XFINITY Series, an aid to Hendrick Motorsports or just as a representative of the sport he loves, he’s still going to be around the track and just a phone call away.
“I am going to be coming back to these tracks whether I’m driving or not, and I want to continue to be part of the sport,” Earnhardt said prior to last weekend’s Cup race at Sonoma Raceway. “I’m going to go (back) to the 500 (in February) whether I’ve got any work to do or not.”
Daytona Int’l Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports and Team Chevy contributed to this story.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: editor@racechaseronline.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
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