Dale Earnhardt Jr. returning to iconic No. 8 Budweiser car
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (BVM) – NASCAR has featured plenty of iconic cars through the years and one of the most notable is the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
On Tuesday, Earnhardt Jr.’s race team, JR Motorsports, announced the return of the classic Bud King of Beers No. 8 paint scheme for a limited series of Late Model Stock Car races in 2024 and 2025.
The Bud 8 is BACK.@DaleJr will drive the iconic @budweiserusa No. 8 Chevrolet once again for a limited series of Late Model Stock Car Races in 2024 and 2025.
Read more: https://t.co/4tzu6WdXSy pic.twitter.com/cMhYfpooa0
— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) October 22, 2024
This Bud’s for you…
See you at Florence. pic.twitter.com/BZE4LwO4S2
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) October 22, 2024
“It is an incredible opportunity for me to be able to reunite with Budweiser, and the No. 8,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Budweiser and I had some great memories with that iconic scheme and number. We’ve always supported each other over the years. It’s going to be really special for me to be able to represent that brand on the racetrack again.”
The car will make its first return to the track on Nov. 23 at Florence Motor Speedway as Earnhardt Jr. drives in the South Carolina 400, an event he has competed in the past couple of years. The race will be streamed live on FloRacing.
It will mark the first time the Budweiser No. 8 Chevrolet has been on the track in 17 years as Earnhardt Jr. drove the car from 1999-2007 in the NASCAR Cup Series while competing for his father’s race team, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Earnhardt Jr. had plenty of special moments in the No. 8, including his first Cup Series victory in 2000 at Texas Motor Speedway, his win at the 2001 Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway less than five months after his father tragically passed away in a crash at the track, and winning the 2004 Daytona 500.
On this date in 2004, @DaleJr won the Daytona 500. pic.twitter.com/zwIeKKjnsn
— NASCAR Memories (@NASCARMemories) February 15, 2018
Earnhardt Jr. reached victory lane 17 times overall in the iconic No. 8 car before joining Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2008. The NASCAR Hall of Famer won nine more Cup Series races, including another Daytona 500 victory, before retiring from full-time Cup Series driving in 2017. He has remained a popular figure in the sport since his retirement while racing sporadically and juggling media jobs as a TV analyst and podcast host.
Meanwhile, the return of the Bud King of Beers No. 8 paint scheme continues Anheuser-Busch’s strong relationship with NASCAR for over four decades.
“There are names that, when mentioned, draw on the significance of their place in American history,” Anheuser-Busch vice president of partnerships Matt Davis said. “Among them, Budweiser, and Earnhardt. This return to the racetrack alongside Dale with the Bud King of Beers paint scheme is another chapter in Anheuser-Busch’s long and storied sports history.”
Between cars like the Budweiser No. 8, or the No. 1 Busch Light Chevrolet currently driven by Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain, Anheuser-Busch has produced some of the sport’s most memorable paint schemes over the years.
Soon, racing fans will have the opportunity to see the return of one of the most notable cars ever driven in the NASCAR Cup Series, a moment sure to bring back plenty of fond memories for fans and Earnhardt Jr. alike.