Ahead of NASCAR’s Round of 16 finale, some drivers dominate the headlines. Kyle Larson is on top, having led 873 of 1000 laps in the last two races in Bristol. Denny Hamlin is next, as the four-time Bristol winner executed a thrilling tire management race victory in April 2024. But beyond these active legends, another veteran is swirling in fans’ heads at present. That individual is none other than Dale Earnhardt Jr., who uttered the famous words, “It’s Bristol, baby!”

The 26-time Cup Series race winner retired from full-time racing in 2017. Yet between 2018 and 2024, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has continued to make starts in the Xfinity Series, wheeling the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. However, he consciously stopped his streak after last year – but now feels a hint of regret ahead of this weekend.

Dale Jr. yearns for the ‘Thunder Valley’

The 15-time Most Popular Driver has visited Bristol’s Victory Lane only twice. Both wins came in 2004, when Dale Jr. won in both the Xfinity and Cup Series. Yet his attachment to the 0.533-mile short track runs deeper than his minimal stats. “I do miss it,” Dale Jr. recently admitted in a Dale Jr. Download episode. He urged his fans to purchase tickets for the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Night Race, even though he will be missing from the race. He said, “I just love the vibe. You gotta go feel the vibe…When they get going at night in the Cup race, it’s a deal, man.”

This weekend marks one year since Dale Jr. last ran at Bristol, and that outing was a memorable one. During the 300-lap Xfinity race in 2024, Dale Jr. encountered countless mishaps like radio issues, swapping his helmet, changing the wiring harnesses, and missing glasses. Yet he powered through these problems and brought the No. 88 to a 7th-place finish. That is why Dale Earnhardt Jr. admitted he might think twice about ceasing his Xfinity runs. He said, “I’ll probably regret not running one or two when it’s all said and done. If you were to find me at 65 years old, right? I’d say, 15 years from now? I will absolutely say to you, ‘You know, I should have run a couple of more.’ Because they are fun, and I am competitive. We got a reasonably good setup there, and I love the racetrack.”

While Dale Jr. brought up his future self, he also talked about his younger self. The veteran’s first forays into Bristol happened as a child, when he used to watch his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., compete. Dale Jr. reminisced about the bygone times: “When I was a kid going to Bristol, the night race was my favorite weekend. I loved it. And I still do today, even though the track’s changed and things are different. The Bristol that I loved in 1987 doesn’t exist anymore.” Nevertheless, he still enjoys going to the Last Great Colosseum and watching drivers compete. He continued, “But I still go there, and I know that it’s still Bristol.” 

Evidently, ‘Thunder Valley’ still lingers in Dale Jr.’s mind. It lingers more due to a particular memory that the veteran keeps close to his heart.

A heartbreaking yet iconic memory

Most people knew Dale Earnhardt at his peak moments. The Intimidator is mainly known for his 7 Cup Series championships, 76 race trophies, and unbeatable skills on the racetrack. Yet there is less spotlight on his weaker moments. One such moment happened during a Bristol race in 1984, when Dale Jr. was only 10 years old. Dale Sr. was locked in a hot battle with Terry Labonte and was initially leading the race. However, as Dale Jr. recollected recently, a mishap axed his dad’s chances. Earnhardt “spins down the front straightaway and all four tires are flat and he’s kind of stuck, right?”

Eventually, Dale Sr. could not recover from this incident, and his son was heartbroken. Dale Jr. continued the old story: “Trying to get going, and he gets lapped, and ended up losing the race. Terry Labonte won, and he (the elder Earnhardt) is in a battle for the championship with Terry, neck and neck for the most part up until that point in the season…And I remember, even at 10 years old, being aware enough that Dad spinning out of the lead and having four flat tires and losing a lap, all that was bad.” Harry Gant wound up finishing second to Labonte for the championship that season, followed by Bill Elliott and Dale Sr. in fourth. Despite the sad ending, Dale Jr. counts this as his “favorite memory.”

Evidently, Dale Jr. has a lot of reasons to come back to Bristol again. Although no such plans have been finalized yet, let’s wait and see what the veteran decides.