Hendrick Motorsports announced Monday morning that two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive Kyle Larson’s Cup car during this week’s organizational test at Daytona International Speedway.
Earnhardt will be driving the Next Gen vehicle for the second time. After a Goodyear tire test with Tony Stewart in October, he raced around 50 laps in a Next Gen car at Bowman Gray Stadium.
The Daytona 500 winner in 2004 and 2014 was the NASCAR on NBC analyst’s last race at Daytona International Speedway in 2017. That was his final Cup season as a full-time player. On January 21, Earnhardt will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Because Larson is in Tulsa, Oklahoma, this week to defend his Chili Bowl Nationals title, Earnhardt will be able to participate in the test on Tuesday and Wednesday.
At an organizational test, four-car teams, such as Hendrick Motorsports, are allowed to have two teams. At the test, Earnhardt will be joined by William Byron. Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, both of Hendrick Motorsports, are competing in the Chili Bowl Nationals this week.
Earnhardt has competed in at least one Xfinity race every season since retiring from full-time racing. He’ll run in the Xfinity event at Martinsville Speedway on April 8.
The uniforms of NASCAR racing drivers are currently available at the following websites for a reasonable price:
