There's been talk about the NASCAR Xfinity Series having too many Cup drivers coming in and mudding up the competition. That talk has grown quiet with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s return drawing the attention of NASCAR fans everywhere.
That's right: Earnhardt will be back behind the wheel in the Xfinity Series twice this fall.
On Thursday, the NASCAR Hall of Famer revealed a second date in which he'll climb inside his JR Motorsports No. 88, marking what has become an annual return for the former two-time series champion. In addition to competing at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 15, Earnhardt will also be in the No. 88 for the Oct. 21 Xfinity race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Getting all the supplies I need for @HomesteadMiami from @BassProShops. ??
See you all in October. pic.twitter.com/sHwTtJcS5R
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) July 6, 2023
Earnhardt's announcement has plenty of his longtime fans excited to see his return.
"The king has returned," one fan posted, along with a hilarious meme.
The King has returned pic.twitter.com/fguvzh7zPv
— dale tanhardt (2X Retired NASCAR God) (@daletanhardt) July 6, 2023
A lot of fans are already securing their tickets. Whenever Earnhardt is back behind the wheel, folks are ready to show up.
"This will be my first, and possibly only time, ever seeing Jr. drive in person," another fan posted. "So hyped!"
That really shows how many young fans haven't seen Earnhardt race.
I was at a parade this week. Saw a young kid with a mid 90s Dale Earnhardt hat on. Was good to see that. I tried to get his attention to give a ?? but when I screamed EEEEEAAAARRRNNHAAARDT across the street it musta got drowned out by the crowd & general ambient noises of the day
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) July 6, 2023
It doesn't stop there, as one fan is still holding out hope that Earnhardt's former teammate, Jeff Gordon, will make a similar reappearance.
"I wish [Jeff Gordon] would come back from time to time like Dale Jr does," they wrote.
Earnhardt has made one early Xfinity Series appearance since his last Cup Series race in 2017. He finished 11th at Martinsville last season and had a fifth-place finish at Homestead in 2020.
The JR Motorsports co-owner and NBC analyst has raced at a number of the more historic tracks in his one-off appearances. So doing two in a season is a big step. It's good for the sport, and maybe some other drivers from the past should do something like this. (Carl Edwards, we're looking at you.)
