There aren't too many places fans can go to get to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. race. But the 49-year-old NASCAR Hall of Famer still likes to get behind the wheel of his No. 3 Late Model Stock Car.
Earnhardt did so again this past week, as he took to Florence Motor Speedway in Timmonsville, South Carolina, for the South Carolina 400. It has always been a favorite short track and event for Earnhardt, and that was no different on Saturday night.
Earnhardt had plenty of work while driving his No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Late Model Stock Car, as he started 26th in a 41-car field. At the end of the night, he climbed from his car in a happy mood, finishing the race in eighth position.
He was quite thirsty after the race when he was interviewed by FloRacing, according to NASCAR.com. He wondered what they had in their cooler.
"What's in the cooler?" Earnhardt asked. "Just water," was the answer, and he wasn't very happy, because he wanted a cold one.
Earnhardt does these races because there isn't pressure on him to be at the top of his game. He can go out and just have fun, and that's exactly what he had to say in his post-race interview.
"It's so fun, it's so much fun," Earnhardt said during the interview, which is quoted in the NASCAR.com story. "Two hundred and fifty laps is a lot, but it's a good distance, and I had fun."
Fortunately, following his interview, a track official showed up with some beers for Earnhardt, and he enjoyed some with his team members.
He's at a point in his life where he's content with not racing at a high level all the time and can take enjoyment in racing the Late Model Stock Car when and where he wants to. It just happens to be at some of the more popular tracks on the circuit, which also pits him against some of the best short-track racers in the world.
That includes Josh Berry, who previously raced for Earnhardt's JR Motorsports Xfinity team but will now be racing on Sundays in the Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing.
Berry was in the field on Saturday and finished fourth, while Earnhardt's teammate, Carson Kvapil, finished just ahead in third.
It's great to see him having so much fun — and, hopefully, he continues to do it as much as possible.
