Dale Earnhardt Jr. will at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend, but in somewhat unfamiliar territory.
NASCAR’s most popular driver is out of the racecar for the rest of the season as he recovers from concussion like symptoms. However, he will be spending time in the TV booth starting this weekend.
NBC Sports announced Wednesday on its NASCAR America show that Earnhardt will be in the NBC Sports broadcast booth for portions of two upcoming Sprint Cup broadcasts. Earnhardt, who has not raced since July, will serve as an expert analyst during NBCSN’s coverage this Sunday from Talladega Superspeedway, as well as the following Sunday from Martinsville Speedway.
“I’m excited to see these races from a different vantage point and hopefully offer some insight to the viewers,” said Earnhardt. “I thoroughly enjoyed my opportunity to broadcast the XFINITY race at Michigan earlier this year, so I expect getting to spend time in the booth with the NBC team to be just as fun.”
Earnhardt will bring back together with his former crew chief Steve Letarte, and will give his insight alongside race announcer Rick Allen and fellow analyst Jeff Burton. Sunday marks Earnhardt’s first ever NASCAR Sprint Cup broadcasting assignment.
Through 2016, Earnhardt has 26 career victories, including the 2004 and 2014 Daytona 500s. His 26 victories tie him for 29th on NASCAR’s all-time race winners list.
Alex Bowman will wheel the Hendrick Motorsports Chevy normal driven by Earnhardt.
While Dale won’t be racing the unbroken streak of Earnhardts racing at Talladega will not be broken. An Earnhardt has raced in every Cup race at the Alabama superspeedway every year since 1980. Dale Earnhardt Sr. won 16 times, Earnhardt Jr. 10 times. Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Sr., and nephew of Dale Jr. is entered in a third car fielded by BK Racing. As of Wednesday, there were 43 entries for the 40 car field, however the young Earnhardt will be in a charter car guaranteeing that he will be in the field.
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