The days of Dale Earnhardt Jr. racing in the NASCAR Cup Series are long gone, but fans will get to see him back in action this Saturday night.
Earnhardt, 51, announced in March that he would compete in a CARS Tour race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. The two-time Busch Series champion will be driving the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops vehicle.
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“I’m racing at Nashville Fairgrounds April 11. … You know, I have a million things going on up here in my head? And looking around in there, I think it’s April 11, and I’m driving the Bass Pro Shops car at the Fairgrounds,” Earnhardt said. “Yep, for the CARS Tour. … I don’t know if there’s anymore I need to say. … I’m going to do a tire test here in a couple days so I’ll have a better idea of how fast it is.”
Nov 1, 2025; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr during the Xfinity Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Earnhardt delivered a message to his fans before Saturday’s race. Unsurprisingly, he’s excited to be back on the track.
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“Welp. 30 years ago I went to Nashville Fairgrounds to race my Late Model Stock and tonight I’m back there again with the @CARSTour. Tons of laps in between. I’m gonna have some fun. And I hope that I run well. But more than anything else, I hope everyone enjoys the event,” Earnhardt wrote on X.
“Competitors, team owners, fans, viewers, sponsors, track promoters, and the Nashville racing community. We appreciate the opportunity to bring our series to such a historic place. The race is sold out.”
How can fans watch Dale Jr.’s return?
Luckily for Earnhardt’s fans, FloRacing will provide coverage of Saturday’s race at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
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“We got a ton of partners and brands that help us. @zMAXproducts and @SoundGearHear are prominent partners in the series. Specifically here in Nashville, @tootsiesnet has jumped on board to help boost our purse to help our teams with the added travel expenses. Personally @BassProShops is onboard my car for this weekend,” Earnhardt added. “If ya tune in to see us all tonight, we appreciate the support. Enjoy.”
We’ll see if Earnhardt captures the checkered flag in this Late Model Stock Car race.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Apr 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the NASCAR section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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