RPMs and emotions ran high for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who returned to the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on April 10 to drive a racecar for the first time in 26 years.
Lots of fond memories rushed back for the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver as he practiced at the historic track ahead of the April 11 Tootsie’s Music City Showdown. Earnhardt will drive the No. 8 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in the zMAX CARS Tour race. Earnhardt co-owns the zMax Series with former NASCAR Cup drivers Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton, and current Cup Series owner Justin Marks.
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Memories flashed back to the days when Earnhardt would come to Nashville to watch his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., compete in the NASCAR Cup Series, sometimes twice a year at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. There were also vivid recollections of the early days of Earnhardt Jr.’s racing career, along with his brother Kerry and sister Kelley.
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“You would have late model cars as the featured event, and you would have 30 to 35 cars out here for regular weekend shows; it was incredible,” said Earnhardt, who raced regularly back then at Myrtle Beach Speedway.
“We loved being a part of that. Every opportunity we had when Myrtle Beach had an off weekend and could leave our home track, we came here. I’ve got a lot of emotions and great memories from racing here. I am thankful to be able to be here today, and the track be as I remember it and still have the same vibe and feeling.”
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With Earnhardt in the field, the historic track, which has struggled with low car counts in recent years, will be full again on April 11 with 31 cars set to compete in the fourth race of the 2026 zMax Tour season.
A sold-out crowd is expected, according to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway lease holder and race promoter Bob Sargent, for the 7 p.m. CT 100-lap pro late model race (Earnhardt’s race), followed by a 125-lap limited model stock car race.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. says it’s not ‘NASCAR or bust’ for Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
Earnhardt is among several former and current NASCAR Cup drivers who have supported Speedway Motorsports’ proposal to not only revitalize Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway but also bring NASCAR racing back to the venue.
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Efforts to bring NASCAR back have been met with resistance from some local residents and advocacy groups. It has reached a point where Earnhardt is more concerned about local racing surviving at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway than he is about NASCAR coming back.
“For me, it’s not necessarily NASCAR or bust,” Earnhardt said. “We have to make sure, regardless of what goes on, this racetrack survives. I think there’s some middle ground there that everybody could come to terms with, where we could continue to race here, the CARS Tour could continue to come back here. We love being here. I think our competitors will have a good time.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. still wants NASCAR back at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
While Earnhardt’s primary concern is that the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway survives, he’s also joined Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith in the effort to bring NASCAR back to the venue.
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“If the (survival) of the track ends up including an opportunity for Marcus and Bristol (Motor Speedway) to come in and make some renovations, then that’s great as well,” Earnhardt said. “I’m a great friend of Marcus. I’m going to support everything he does. I came down here with him to talk to local government to try and understand more about what the hurdles and challenges are.”
What Dale Earnhardt Jr. would tell those who want to shut down Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway
When asked what he would say to those who oppose renovating the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Earnhardt pointed out that it is a historic landmark that has operated for more than 100 years.
“There is still a racing community that wants to come here and compete,” he said. “And they want to play within the rules and the restrictions and the limitations that the local government, the fair board, and everybody else put on them. That’s fine. I understand we have to make concessions to come run here. It would just be heartbreaking to see it completely disappear. I don’t have the ability or the energy to try to change someone else’s mind on how they feel about the racetrack.”
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dale Earnhardt Jr. says Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway must survive
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