This weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway there will be a few Earnhardts carrying on the family legacy, which will make fans at a track that’s long been known as “Earnhardt Country” very excited. Dale Earnhardt Sr. won nine races on Bristol’s high banks including the famed 1999 Night Race when he and Terry Labonte tangled in the closing laps and the Intimidator pulled out the win. Earnhardt Sr. also won his first Cup race at Bristol in April 1979 as a rookie. He remains the only Cup rookie to ever win at Bristol.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won the 2004 Night Race and famously launched the phrase “It’s Bristol, Baby!” into being, will lead the way for the family with his four-car Xfinity Series team under his JR Motorsports banner. Justin Algaier will pilot the 7 Chevy, Sammy Smith will drive the No. 8, Carson Kvapil will be at the controls of the No. 1 and red-hot Conner Zilisch will pilot the No. 88 machine for the talented team in the Food City 300, which is the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff opener and all four of those cars are in the post-season.
Meanwhile, also in the Xfinity Series, Dale Jr.’s nephew, Jeffrey Earnhardt, will drive the No. 24 Sam Hunt Racing machine with Forever Lawn sponsorship. Jeffrey is Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s grandson and the son of retired racer Kerry Earnhardt and Dale Jr’s half-brother. The Food City 300 starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night.
In the ARCA Series, Bobby Dale Earnhardt surprised everyone recently when he announced his return to the stock car racing scene. He is the older brother of Jeffrey and ready to make his first career Bristol start in the ARCA Series. Bobby Dale will be driving the No. 31 machine in the ARCA Menards Bush’s Beans 200 on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET. The 38-year-old driver has three previous ARCA starts, with a best finish of 19th.
To purchase tickets to any of the races during the weekend, please visit the Bristol Motor Speedway website, or call (866) 415-4158.
