When Sammy Smith takes to the high banks of Daytona International Speedway for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season opener, the number adorning his Chevrolet Camaro will be the talk of the town.
Why, you may ask, is something as simple and meaningless as the style of a number on a car so important?
All it takes to answer that question is a look at the entry list, which will list the owner of Smith’s No. 8 car: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
On Monday, Jr Motorsports announced that the No. 8 font that Earnhardt Jr. made famous while driving for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated and Chance 2 Motorsports will be featured on Smith’s car in 2025. It will be the first time the stylized No. 8 will be used on a NASCAR vehicle since 2009, when Aric Almirola – the driver of the No. 8 for DEI after Earnhardt Jr. went to Hendrick Motorsports – started the season in the car before the No. 8 team shut down.
In 2007, Earnhardt Jr. failed to acquire the stylized No. 8 from his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt. Seventeen years later, Earnhardt Jr. finally acquired the trademark for the number.
Earnhardt Jr. first brought the famous No. 8 back at the South Carolina 400 in November, piloting a red Budweiser No. 8 Late Model that brought nostalgic fans to Florence Speedway in droves. While an engine issue ended a promising night for Earnhardt Jr., the impact of his name and legacy was made even more clear – especially when something as simple as the style of a number generated so much excitement.
From 1999 to 2007, Earnhardt Jr. turned the Budweiser No. 8 into one of the most iconic cars in NASCAR history. His wins in the 2001 Pepsi 400 and 2004 Daytona 500 came with Budweiser on the hood and the DEI No. 8 on the side and roof of the car.
The No. 8 wasn’t just unique to the Cup Series. When Earnhardt Jr. began his first stint as an Xfinity Series owner in 2003, the Chance 2 Motorsports cars he fielded featured the DEI No. 8. After the organization initially folded in 2007, however, the font never returned, aside from its short on-Earnhardt Jr. stint with DEI in 2008 and 2009.
Smith will be the first driver at Jr Motorsports to have his boss’ former famous number attached to his name.
“It’s awesome to have this number and this font back at Jr Motorsports this year, and I can’t wait to see it on the car at Daytona,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a team statement.
If the attention surrounding Earnhardt Jr.’s one-off late model race in Florencew is any indication, the fan attention and demand for merchandise is going to be on a level not seen in NASCAR since the sport’s peak in the mid-2000s.
While NASCAR’s popularity isn’t anywhere near where it was while Earnhardt Jr. was driving the famed No. 8 Chevrolet, one truth will always remain as long as he walks the Earth: fans will always listen to Dale Earnhardt Jr., and his name and brand will always draw major attention to his endeavors within the sport.
So, Sammy Smith fans, don’t be surprised if there’s a longer line than usual at his merchandise trailer next season.