Getty Dale Earnhardt Jr. will return to an iconic short track.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make two Xfinity Series starts in 2023 as part of an expanded schedule. He has now revealed that one of them will take place at an iconic short track.
According to a press release issued on January 10, Earnhardt will return to Bristol Motor Speedway on September 15 for the night race. He will drive the No. 88 Unilever Chevrolet Camaro while competing at the short track for the first time in the Xfinity Series since 2017.
NEWS: @DaleJr set to run @ItsBristolBaby NXS night race as @unileverusa and JRM extend partnership for 2023.
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Earnhardt has achieved success at Bristol Motor Speedway. He made 12 starts at the track in what is now the Xfinity Series, and he posted top-10 finishes in seven of them.
Earnhardt also won the 2004 race after starting on the pole and leading 125 laps. One day later, he won the Cup Series race at BMS and swept the weekend. Now he will make his return in 2023 with his sight set on another solid performance.
The Return to Bristol Is Part of a Sponsor Extension
GettyDale Earnhardt Jr. races at Martinsville Speedway.
As part of the announcement that Earnhardt will return to Bristol, JR Motorsports also announced an extension with Unilever. The two companies will continue to work together for a 15th season.
Earnhardt’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be one part of this extension. Unilever will also support Justin Allgaier and the No. 7 team for six of the Xfinity Series races in 2023. JR Motorsports did not reveal when Unilever will take over the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro.
“We’ve been partners with Unilever since the very early days of JR Motorsports,” Earnhardt said in a press release. “They’ve been with us as our program has grown and been an important part of our success — on and off the track. They’re a key component of our company. I’m grateful for their support, and I’m happy to watch our partnership continue to grow.”
1 Unknown Race Remains on Earnhardt’s Xfinity Series Schedule
GettyDale Earnhardt Jr. attends a Next Gen test session at Daytona.
The announcement that the Hall of Fame driver will return to Bristol Motor Speedway answers an important question. Now there is just one more remaining ahead of the 2023 season.
Earnhardt revealed on November 1, 2022, that he had expanded his Xfinity Series schedule to include two races after previously focusing on one annually. He did not reveal when these two starts will take place, but he provided some teases by saying that they would be during the second half of the schedule when NBC has the broadcast rights.
The most likely option for the second start is Martinsville Speedway on October 28. Earnhardt has spoken in the past about focusing only on short tracks for these one-off starts, and he made his Xfinity Series debut at the track during the 2022 season. Richmond previously stood out, but the short track only appears once on the 2023 schedule (April 1).
Another option — though not a short track — is Darlington Raceway. Earnhardt has five Xfinity Series starts at the South Carolina track, including a one-off during the 2019 season. He has not won at the track, but he has two top-five finishes.
This previous announcement also revealed that Earnhardt will have a special scheme on the No. 88 for one of the races. He will drive the Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Camaro as part of an expanded agreement with the longtime NASCAR sponsor.
Earnhardt has already put a special Bass Pro Shops scheme on display. He drove the No. 3 gold throwback Chevrolet at Florence Motor Speedway while competing in a Late Model race.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Returns to Iconic NASCAR Track in 2023