Dale Earnhardt Jr To Drive No. 8 Car In Darlington Xfinity Race

MOORESVILLE, NC — Dale Earnhardt Jr. will once again climb behind the wheel of a No. 8 Chevrolet in NASCAR’s Xfinity series race in Darlington this fall, Mooresville-based JR Motorsports announced Monday.

Earnhardt, who retains notoriety as one of the sport’s most popular drivers, retired as a NASCAR cup series driver at the end of the 2017 season. Last year, he came out of retirement for an Xfinity series race in Richmond raceway.

The Aug. 31 race at the 1.4-mile oval track marks the first time he has driven a No. 8 Chevrolet in 12 years, according to his race team. This year, his car will feature a “throwback” paint scheme in honor of its primary sponsor, Hellmann’s.

“There are many things I love about Darlington that contributed to my decision to run there this year, but the main reason is the track surface,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a statement. “I love races where you have to be smart and manage your tires. Darlington is slick, and it wears out tires. It’s one of the few stops on the circuit that provides that challenge.”

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