Career Timeline of Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Dale Earnhardt Jr., from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a prominent figure in NASCAR, known as a driver, team owner, and broadcaster. Son of the legendary Dale Earnhardt, he carried on the family legacy in stock car racing. Retiring from full-time racing in 2017, he transitioned to part-time competition in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports, his own team. His career has cemented him as a significant personality in the world of motorsports.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1979: First Race Car

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s first race car, co-owned with Kerry, was a 1979 Monte Carlo.

1987: Racing 1987 Winston Cup stock cars at Talladega.

On April 20, 2022, Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced vintage 1987 Winston Cup stock cars at Talladega.

October 28, 1994: Pole at Greenville Merchants 300

On October 28, 1994, Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured the pole for the Greenville Merchants 300 at East Carolina Motor Speedway in Robersonville, North Carolina.

1996: First Busch Series Races

In 1996, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran nine Busch Series races between 1996 and 1997 for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., and Ed Whitaker, respectively.

1997: First Busch Series Races

In 1997, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran nine Busch Series races between 1996 and 1997 for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., and Ed Whitaker, respectively.

1998: Full-Time Busch Series and first Winston Cup start

In 1998, Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove for his father's team in the Busch Series full-time, and made his first start in the Winston Cup Series at the exhibition race held at the Twin Ring Motegi in Japan.

1998: NASCAR Thunder/Motegi 500

In 1998, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was invited to race in the NASCAR Thunder/Motegi 500 in Motegi, Japan, achieving a sixth-place finish.

1999: Xfinity Start at Darlington

In 1999 Dale Earnhardt Jr. had his first Xfinity start at Darlington.

1999: Earnhardt's Consecutive Race Streak Begins

In 1999, Dale Earnhardt Jr. began a streak of competing in 461 consecutive races, dating back to the Atlanta event.

1999: Debut in NASCAR Cup Series

In 1999, Dale Earnhardt Jr. debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series driving the No. 8 Budweiser-sponsored Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI).

1999: Five Winston Cup Races

In 1999, Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove in five Winston Cup races in the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet for DEI in preparation for a full-time Cup Series ride in 2000, with his best finish being a 10th-place finish in at Richmond in the fall race.

1999: IROC Race Finish

In 1999, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second in the IROC race from Michigan International Speedway, narrowly losing to his father.

2000: Season Results

Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended the 2000 season with two wins, three Top 5's, five Top 10's, and two poles.

2000: Preparation for Cup Series

In 2000 Dale Earnhardt Jr. prepared for a full-time Cup Series ride.

2000: Exhibition Race Wins

In 2000 Dale Earnhardt won one of his nine exhibition races.

2000: Pepsi 400 at Michigan International Speedway

In 2000, Dale Earnhardt Jr. competed with his father and half-brother Kerry in the Pepsi 400 at Michigan International Speedway, marking only the second time a father had raced against two sons.

2000: Breakout Year in Winston Cup Series

The year 2000 was Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s breakout year in the Winston Cup Series. He competed for the Raybestos NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award, secured his first win in the DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, and became the first rookie to win The Winston.

2001: EA Sports 500 Win and Season Results

In October 2001, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the EA Sports 500 at Talladega, earning a Winston No Bull 5 $1 million bonus, despite being docked 25 points after a failed post-race inspection. He finished the 2001 season 8th in the points standings.

2001: 2001 Daytona 500

In the 2001 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 2nd to his teammate Michael Waltrip.

2002: Concussion and Talladega Wins

In 2002, Dale Earnhardt Jr. endured a concussion from a head-on collision at the California race in April. He swept both Talladega races, earning a pair of Bud Pole Awards, and finished 11th in the points standings.

2002: Earnhardt Sets Qualifying Speed Record

In 2002, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his second pole of the season at Dover, setting a new qualifying speed record of 161.849 mph. This was the first time since 2002 that he had recorded more than one pole during a season.

2003: Exhibition Race Wins

In 2003 Dale Earnhardt won one of his nine exhibition races.

2003: Founded Chance 2 Motorsports

In 2003, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Teresa Earnhardt founded Chance 2 Motorsports as a separate entity from DEI. Earnhardt added four more wins to the team, three of which were in 2003.

2003: Fourth Consecutive Win at Talladega

In 2003, Dale Earnhardt Jr. scored a record-breaking fourth consecutive win at Talladega, despite a 27-car crash and controversy surrounding a pass below the yellow line.

October 2004: First Win Since October 2004

In October 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. secured his first win since October 2004 at Talladega, marking his sixth victory at the track. This triumph tied him with Jeff Gordon for the most wins among active drivers at Talladega.

2004: Changes in DEI Management

At the close of the 2004 season, Tony Eury Sr. was promoted to team manager for DEI, and Tony Eury Jr. became Michael Waltrip's crew chief for the 2005 season.

2004: Exhibition Race Wins

In 2004 Dale Earnhardt won one of his nine exhibition races.

2004: Earnhardt's Best Season Since 2004

In 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 8th in the final standings, marking his best season since 2004 with four wins, 12 Top 5's, 20 Top 10's, and an average finish of 12.2.

2004: Earnhardt Gains Points Lead

In 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. gained the points lead for the first time since 2004 at Indianapolis, after Matt Kenseth was taken out in a late-race crash.

2004: Playoff Qualification and Obscenity Penalty

In 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified for the NASCAR 10-race playoff and won his fifth NEXTEL Cup race of the season at Talladega. He was penalized 25 points for using an obscenity during a television broadcast and finished 5th in the 2004 NEXTEL Cup Chase.

2004: Return to Bristol

In 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. returned to Bristol, seeking his first win at the track since 2004. After qualifying 26th, a pit stop error led to a loose wheel, causing him to pit again. Despite going a lap down multiple times, he earned the Lucky Dog and ultimately finished 9th.

2004: Daytona 500 Win

In 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Daytona 500.

2004: Daytona 500 Win and Speedweeks Success

In 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Daytona 500. He also won his Gatorade Duel and the Busch Series race, but finished 2nd in the Budweiser Shootout to Dale Jarrett.

2004: Earnhardt Wins Multiple Races in a Season

In 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win at Pocono marked the first time since 2004 that he had won multiple races in a season.

2004: Martin Truex Jr. drove for Chance 2 Motorsports

In 2004, Martin Truex Jr. drove the No. 8 for Chance 2 Motorsports.

2005: JR Motorsports in USAR Hooters ProCup Series

In 2005, JR Motorsports fielded a car in the USAR Hooters ProCup Series, winning once and qualifying for the Four Champions playoff.

2005: Martin Truex Jr. drove for Chance 2 Motorsports

In 2005, Martin Truex Jr. drove the No. 8 for Chance 2 Motorsports.

2005: Crew Chief Changes and Win at Chicagoland

In 2005, Peter Rondeau initially served as Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief before being replaced by Steve Hmiel, who helped Earnhardt score his lone win of 2005 at Chicagoland. He was also reunited with Tony Eury Jr. after the fall Richmond weekend.

May 2006: Win at Richmond

In May 2006, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Richmond.

September 9, 2006: Chase for the NEXTEL Cup Qualification

On September 9, 2006, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the 2006 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup after finishing 17th in the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

2006: Chance 2 Motorsports goes out of business

In 2006, Chance 2 Motorsports endured financial struggles and went out of business.

2006: Earnhardt Sweeps Both Pocono Races

In 2006, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s win at Pocono marked the first time since 2006 that a driver swept both Pocono races. Denny Hamlin was the last driver to achieve this.

May 10, 2007: Announcement to Leave DEI

On May 10, 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced his decision to leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) at the end of the 2007 season. He stated his desire to pursue a Sprint Cup Championship, believing he could not achieve this goal while driving for DEI unless he gained majority ownership.

May 14, 2007: 100 Point Deduction and Suspension

On May 14, 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was docked 100 driver championship points, car owner Teresa Earnhardt was docked 100 owner points, and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was fined $100,000 and suspended for six races due to the use of illegal mounting brackets used to attach the wing to his car.

May 27, 2007: Coca-Cola 600 Race

On May 27, 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove a camouflage No. 8 car in the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day to raise money for military families. He finished 8th after leading late in the race but had to pit for fuel.

June 13, 2007: Signing with Hendrick Motorsports

On June 13, 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced at a press conference that he had signed a five-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports, replacing Kyle Busch.

July 13, 2007: Budweiser to not sponsor Earnhardt at Hendrick

On July 13, 2007, it was announced that Budweiser would not continue as Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s primary sponsor when he moved to Hendrick Motorsports due to existing contractual agreements.

August 5, 2007: First Pole Position Since 2002

On August 5, 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned his first pole position in a race since 2002 at Pocono Raceway. He finished 2nd after spinning out and experiencing shock troubles during the race, which was won by Kurt Busch.

August 15, 2007: No. 8 Not Moving to Hendrick Motorsports

On August 15, 2007, it was announced that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would not be taking his familiar No. 8 car number with him to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. Negotiations with his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, broke down over licensing revenue and the future return of the number.

September 19, 2007: Announcement of No. 88 Car and Sponsors

On September 19, 2007, the official announcement was made that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would be driving the No. 88 Mountain Dew AMP/National Guard Chevrolet Impala for the 2008 season.

2007: Departure from DEI

In 2007, Dale Earnhardt Jr. left Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI).

June 15, 2008: Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Last Win

On June 15, 2008, Dale Earnhardt Jr. secured a win, marking his last victory for almost four years.

2008: Exhibition Race Wins

In 2008 Dale Earnhardt won two of his nine exhibition races.

2008: Move to Hendrick Motorsports

In 2008, Dale Earnhardt Jr. moved to Hendrick Motorsports to drive their No. 88 car.

2008: Shifting Gears on ESPN2

In 2008, Hammerhead Entertainment, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s media production company, produced "Shifting Gears", a show on ESPN2 that chronicled his 2008 team switch.

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February 6, 2010: Qualifying Second for Daytona 500

On February 6, 2010, Dale Earnhardt Jr. qualified second overall for the 52nd Daytona 500, losing the pole position to teammate Mark Martin.

February 13, 2010: Wreck in Daytona Nationwide Race

On February 13, 2010, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was involved in a multi-car wreck during the Daytona Nationwide Series race, causing his car to flip upside down. He walked away uninjured.

2010: Xfinity Win at Richmond

In 2010, Dale Earnhardt Jr. dominated the Toyota Care 250 at Richmond in the Xfinity Series, winning the race and holding off Ty Dillon for his first Xfinity win since 2010 and his first for JR Motorsports.

2010: Earnhardt's Daytona 500 Runner-Up Finish

In 2010, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a 2nd-place finish at the Daytona 500, his third runner up finish in the 500 since 2010.

2010: Earnhardt's Runner-Up Finish in Daytona 500

In 2010, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had runner-up finish in the Daytona 500.

September 1, 2011: Contract Extension with Hendrick Motorsports

On September 1, 2011, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he had signed a 5-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 88 until 2017.

September 19, 2011: Chase for the Sprint Cup Appearance

On September 19, 2011, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his first Chase for the Sprint Cup appearance since 2008 at Chicagoland.

August 2012: Automobile Dealership Opening

In August 2012, Dale Earnhardt Jr. entered the automobile dealer business, opening Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Buick-GMC-Cadillac in Tallahassee, Florida, in association with Rick Hendrick.

2012: Exhibition Race Wins

In 2012 Dale Earnhardt won one of his nine exhibition races.

2012: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Snaps Winless Streak at Quicken Loans 400

In 2012, Dale Earnhardt Jr. dominated the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan, leading 95 laps and winning, ending a 143-race winless streak.

2012: Earnhardt's Runner-Up Finish in Daytona 500

In 2012, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had runner-up finish in the Daytona 500.

2012: Earnhardt Qualifies for the 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup

In 2012, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s finish at Bristol Motor Speedway locked him into the 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup, alongside Greg Biffle and teammate Jimmie Johnson.

2012: Motor Mile Championship

In 2012, Josh Berry captured the Motor Mile Championship in the Whelen All-American series, marking a successful regional late model program for JR Motorsports.

2013: Signature Eyeglass Line

As of 2013, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has his own signature line of eyeglass frames, partnering with NY Eye Inc.

2013: Earnhardt's 2013 Season Start

In 2013, Dale Earnhardt Jr. began the season with an 8th-place finish in the rechristened Sprint Unlimited.

2013: Earnhardt's Runner-Up Finish in Daytona 500

In 2013, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had runner-up finish in the Daytona 500.

2014: Crew Chief and Sponsor Changes for Earnhardt Jr.

At the end of 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief Steve Letarte departed Hendrick Motorsports to join NASCAR on NBC's broadcasting team and was replaced by Chase Elliott's Xfinity crew chief Greg Ives. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also got a new sponsor in the form of Nationwide Insurance due to National Guard dropping their motorsports sponsorships.

2014: Second Daytona 500 Win

In 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his second Daytona 500.

2014: Earnhardt's Win in Daytona 500

In 2014, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won in the Daytona 500.

2014: JR Motorsports Championship

In 2014, JR Motorsports won their first NASCAR national championship, with Chase Elliott driving the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts car to the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship.

February 19, 2015: Earnhardt Wins First Budweiser Duel

On February 19, 2015, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the first Budweiser Duel, marking his fourth triumph in the Budweiser Duels.

2015: Earnhardt Jr.'s 2015 Season Kickoff

Dale Earnhardt Jr. kicked off 2015 with a ninth-place finish in the Sprint Unlimited and won the first Budweiser Duel.

2015: Exhibition Race Wins

In 2015 Dale Earnhardt won one of his nine exhibition races.

2015: JR Motorsports Truck Series Team

In 2015, JR Motorsports began fielding a part-time team in the Truck Series, with Cole Custer driving the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet Silverado in 10 races. Kasey Kahne also drove part-time, with the drivers winning at Gateway Motorsports Park and Charlotte, respectively.

2015: Greg Ives to Replace Steve Letarte as Crew Chief in 2015

On July 30, it was announced that Greg Ives would replace Steve Letarte as Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s pit box crew chief for 2015.

2016: Exhibition Race Wins

In 2016 Dale Earnhardt won one of his nine exhibition races.

2016: 2016 Season

In 2016, Dale Earnhardt Jr. started the season with a crash in the Sprint Unlimited and won the first Can-Am Duel race for the second year in a row. He had a strong showing in the Daytona 500 but spun out late in the race, finishing 36th. Subsequent races included a 2nd-place finish in Atlanta, an 8th-place finish in Las Vegas, a 5th-place finish in Phoenix, an 11th-place finish in Fontana, a 14th-place finish in Martinsville, and a 2nd-place finish in Texas. At Bristol, Earnhardt stalled his car at the start but recovered to finish 2nd.

April 25, 2017: Announcement of Retirement

On April 25, 2017, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that 2017 would be his final year driving full-time in NASCAR.

2017: Last Full-Time Season with Hendrick Motorsports

2017 was Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s last season as a full-time driver with Hendrick Motorsports.

2017: Retirement from Full-Time Competition

In 2017, Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from full-time competition in NASCAR after the 2017 season. Since then, he has competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

March 12, 2018: NASCAR America Debut

On March 12, 2018, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his debut on NBCSN's NASCAR America, joining Leigh Diffey, Jeff Burton, and Steve Letarte. He coined his catchphrase "Slide job!" during the Overton's 400.

2018: Joins NASCAR on NBC

In 2018, Dale Earnhardt Jr. became a color commentator for NASCAR on NBC after retiring from driving full-time in NASCAR.

2018: Xfinity Race at Richmond

In 2018, Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran the fall Xfinity race at Richmond in the No. 88, qualifying second and leading 96 laps before finishing fourth after a late race restart.

November 2020: Joins iRacing

In November 2020, Dale Earnhardt Jr. officially joined iRacing as an executive director and was part of the management committee.

2020: Honorary Starter and Hooters 250

In 2020, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was named the Honorary Starter for the Daytona 500, waving the green flag. He also competed in the Hooters 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, finishing 5th.

September 10, 2021: Go Bowling 250 Announcement

On September 10, 2021, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he would be running in the 2021 version of the Go Bowling 250, with his paint scheme honoring the victims of the 9/11 attacks on its 20th anniversary.

April 8, 2022: Xfinity Series Start at Martinsville

On April 8, 2022, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his Xfinity series start at Martinsville and finished 11th after starting 30th. He drove the No. 88 in the race for the first time since 2018.

April 20, 2022: iRacing MOONCAR Series Win

On April 20, 2022, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won on his debut in the iRacing MOONCAR series, racing vintage 1987 Winston Cup stock cars at Talladega. He flipped across the finish line in dramatic fashion.

January 9, 2023: CARS Tour Purchase

On January 9, 2023, a consortium consisting of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s DEJ Management, Jeff Burton Autosports, Inc., Kevin Harvick Incorporated, and Trackhouse Racing Team purchased the CARS Tour.

2023: Contract expiration

In 2023 Dale Earnhardt Jr's contract with NASCAR on NBC expired.

2023: Expanded Xfinity Schedule

In 2023, Dale Earnhardt Jr. expanded his Xfinity schedule to two races, sponsored by Hellmann's at Bristol in September and Bass Pro Shops at Homestead-Miami in October. At Bristol, he had a 30th place DNF after a fire.

2023: Departure from NASCAR on NBC

In 2023, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s contract with NBC expired.

February 29, 2024: Reported Departure from NASCAR on NBC

On February 29, 2024, The Athletic reported that Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s contract with NASCAR on NBC expired after the 2023 season and that he would reportedly be leaving NBC for Amazon and TNT's new NASCAR coverage in the next TV contract, starting in 2025.

May 7, 2024: Joins Amazon Prime Video and TNT Broadcast Teams

On May 7, 2024, Dale Earnhardt Jr. officially announced that he would join the broadcast teams of Amazon Prime Video and TNT starting in 2025, presumably continuing as a color commentator. He will also participate in a Bleacher Report content series co-produced with his Dirty Mo Media production company.

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May 2024: Cup Series Ranking

As of May 2024, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is tied for 32nd in NASCAR history with 26 Cup Series wins.

September 20, 2024: Food City 300 at Bristol

On September 20, 2024, Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced in the Xfinity Series - Food City 300 at Bristol. Despite issues with the car and not having raced in nearly a year, he drove the No. 88 and finished in 7th place.

October 22, 2024: Reunion with Budweiser

On October 22, 2024, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he would reunite with Budweiser and drive the No. 8 in select Late Model races in 2024 and 2025, starting with the 2024 South Carolina 400 at Florence.

2025: Drive in Late Model races

In 2025, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he would reunite with Budweiser and drive the No. 8 in select Late Model races in 2024 and 2025, starting with the 2024 South Carolina 400 at Florence.

2025: Broadcast teams of Amazon Prime Video and TNT

In 2025, Dale Earnhardt Jr. officially announced that he would join the broadcast teams of Amazon Prime Video and TNT.

2025: Joins Amazon and TNT's NASCAR Coverage

In 2025, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will join Amazon and TNT's new NASCAR coverage when NASCAR's next TV contract begins.

2025: New NASCAR TV contract

On February 29, 2024, The Athletic reported that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would reportedly be leaving NBC for Amazon and TNT's new NASCAR coverage in the next TV contract, starting in 2025.