MOORESVILLE, N.C. — In celebration of Major League Baseball‘s 2025 jewel event, the MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com in Bristol, Tennessee, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Budweiser and MLB are teaming up to bring a NASCAR Hall of Famer, American beer and America‘s favorite pastime to fans by recreating and paying homage to the iconic No. 8 Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game paint scheme.
The legendary scheme will be showcased at the MLB Speedway Classic on Aug. 2 and will be raced by Earnhardt Jr. in the zMAX CARS Tour event at South Carolina’s Anderson Motor Speedway on Aug. 16.
In July 2001, the original Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game paint scheme cemented its place in racing history when Earnhardt Jr. raced the red and white No. 8 design to an emotional victory in his first trip to Daytona International Speedway following the tragic loss of his father at the track earlier that year.
“It is an incredible opportunity to reunite with Budweiser and Major League Baseball,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I‘ve watched that July 2001 race at Daytona so many times. It‘s such a great memory for me. I am excited that we have this chance to collaborate with Bud and MLB to bring that scheme back again because of what it means to me and so many others.”
This partnership follows Budweiser and Earnhardt Jr.‘s reunion last November, when they brought back one of the most recognizable paint schemes in racing history, the red Bud No. 8 made famous by Earnhardt Jr. from 1999 to 2007.
RELATED: Memorable Dale Jr. paint schemes
Furthermore, as the longest-tenured sponsor of Major League Baseball, Budweiser has been a staple in the sport‘s traditions and game-day experience for 21+ fans for decades. This August, Budweiser, MLB and Earnhardt Jr. are helping fans celebrate another historic milestone by promoting the MLB Speedway Classic that will be held at Bristol Motor Speedway. One of NASCAR‘s most popular tracks will host a special regular season contest between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds, marking the first Major League game to be played in the state of Tennessee. Attending fans can also view the No. 8 Budweiser / MLB Speedway Classic show car at the event.
“The incredible fan response to Budweiser‘s reunion with Dale Jr. last November reminded us just how special this partnership is to racing fans,” said Todd Allen, SVP of Marketing at Budweiser and Bud Light. “This No. 8 Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game-inspired paint scheme pays tribute to one of the most iconic moments in the storied history of Dale Jr. and Budweiser‘s partnership. The MLB Speedway Classic is the perfect stage to revive this fan-favorite design, uniting an American racing icon and American beer at a first-of-its-kind MLB event.”
In addition to enjoying the action at the MLB Speedway Classic and Anderson Motor Speedway, fans can commemorate the return of this iconic paint scheme with limited-edition merchandise available now on shopjrnation.com and coming soon to additional select retail locations.
Anheuser-Busch has proudly supported and elevated NASCAR through Budweiser, Busch and Busch Light for more than 40 years. Its long-standing commitment to the motorsports industry has included driver partnerships — notably as the primary sponsor of Earnhardt Jr. for nine seasons — key event sponsorships and media investments in motorsports.
Follow along on Budweiser‘s social channels for more details about its partnership with Earnhardt Jr. and programming at MLB Speedway Classic in Bristol, and stay up to date on the racing events at the JRM X account or watch the Anderson Motor Speedway race on www.FloRacing.com.
Read the full article here