On Friday, racing legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. was inducted into the 2021 Class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame where he got choked up mentioning his famous father during his speech.
The hallowed grounds of NASCAR also welcomed fellow racers Mike Stefanik and Red Farmer yesterday. However, Dale Jr. was the highlight of the event considering the mark he’s left on the sport. The racer somehow transcended his iconic last name to take NASCAR to new heights in the 2000s. At at a time when NASCAR races attracted record-setting crowds and viewership, Earnhardt was a driving force in the sport’s growth.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won two Daytona 500 races, had 26 career victories and did it in style. His No. 8 Budweiser car was wildly popular from 2000 to 2007 before switching over to the No. 88 car. In fact, Dale Jr. almost won the sport’s Most Popular Driver award annually with 12 to his name.
Yet Earnhardt is much more than a racer and has stayed busy within the sport since retiring in 2017. He’s a team owner and NASCAR analyst during Cup Series races. Additionally, he’s the executive director of iRacing as he continues to help grow the virtual racing series. As the son of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, his father cast a large shadow. But Dale Jr. has made his own way while arguably having an even larger impact than his dad on the sport.
Now, he’s joined his famous father in NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, who was appropriately inducted in its inaugural class of 2010. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s wife, Amy Earnhardt, performed the induction of her husband. As Dale Jr. began, he got emotional when speaking about his father who passed away racing at Daytona in 2001.
“My eyes are already watering,” Earnhardt said during his induction speech. “…To join Dad in the Hall of Fame is probably as good as it’s going to get.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and His Wife Are Releasing Their Own Vodka
It’s been a big week for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his wife. On Tuesday, the couple also announced they’re releasing their own vodka called High Rock.
“High Rock is a premium, handcrafted vodka created by Sugarlands,” according to an Accesswire press release. Based in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the distillery is most well-known for their award-winning whiskey and moonshine. The company is now branching out with their vodka collaboration with Amy and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
High Rock Vodka is scheduled to land in stores in Florida next month in February. By April, the vodka will be available nationwide. The couple personally announced the collaboration with a series of posts on social media earlier this week.
“Amy and I have been working on this for years and finally we are able to share the news. Presenting @highrockvodka, distilled and bottled by @sugarlandsshine. Coming to stores near you this spring,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote on Instagram.
