LEBANON – Dale Earnhardt Jr. may not be done racing in NASCAR — at least in the Xfinity Series.
Earnhardt, who will be part of the Amazon Prime broadcast team on June 1 for the Cracker Barrel 400, said he may drive at least a couple more Xfinity race before he completely ends his NASCAR racing career.
“I might not be done Xfinity cars just yet,” said Earnhardt, 50. I only got a couple left in me if any.”
Earnhardt retired as a NASCAR full-time driver in 2017. He’s raced at least one time in the Xfinity Series every year since.
Earnhardt’s race team, JR Motorsports, had drivers finish first and second on May 31 at the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway. Earnhardt said he was home in North Carolina in the morning before the race for a dance recital that his daughters were participating in before flying to Middle Tennessee.
There his winning driver Justin Allgaier celebrated the Nashville win by putting Allgaier’s daughters, Harper and Willow, in the winning car after the race and drive them to victory lane.
“It’s kind of this new trend where drivers are encouraged to have their kids be a part of that front stretch interview (after winning),” Earnhardt said. “It’s a great moment, it really is if you are a father.
“It’s touching and emotional.”
Earnhardt didn’t get to do that as a NASCAR driver.
It’s become protocol at this level,” Earnhardt said. “Where I’m at, I don’t know if it’s protocol down there. (My daughters) might be in bed asleep before a checkered flag falls on a late model stock car race if I ever win one of those.”
Allgaier, though, hopes his boss gets that chance in victory lane.
“I hope he comes out of retirement because he’s been really good at it,” Allgaier said.
Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on the X platform @Kreager.
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