AVONDALE, Ariz. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t blame his stepmother for keeping his beloved No. 8, even though the number won’t be used in Saturday night’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.
Earnhardt used the No. 8 for nine seasons at Dale Earnhardt Inc., but his stepmother would not let him take it with him when he left for Hendrick Motorsports following the 2007 season. Aric Almirola used the number this season, but his team was shuttered by Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing last week because of a lack of funding.
“I don’t have any malice about what Teresa’s decision was on keeping that number,” Earnhardt said on Friday. “If I had been in her shoes, I probably would have done the same thing. That has been the case with every other owner in the past, the understanding that the numbers ‘belong’ to them, and I understood that.”
The No. 8 has sentimental significance to the Earnhardt family. It was first used by Ralph Earnhardt, and his son, Dale, made his Cup Series debut with the number in the 1975 Coca-Cola 600. It was the late Dale Earnhardt’s only use of the No. 8 in his Cup career.
Junior then selected the number when he made his 1999 Cup debut. He turned it into the most popular number in NASCAR, as Earnhardt’s immense fan base proudly sported it each week through T-shirts and tattoos.
He wanted to keep the number when he moved to Hendrick, but negotiations with Teresa Earnhardt broke down and Junior and new boss Rick Hendrick walked away. Earnhardt instead worked out a deal to take over the No. 88 from Robert Yates Racing.
“I wish I never would have had to change numbers,” he said. “I had to under the circumstances. I’m happy to have the opportunity to use the (No.) 88 and I hope to do a good job with it for all the guys that have used it in the past.”
Earnhardt believes the No. 8 will be back on track again, maybe even this season with Almirola.
“I’m pretty sad, but I don’t think it will be gone for long,” he said. “I wouldn’t ever count them out. I wish them all the success and I (hope) they get the car funded to where Aric can get it back out on the track. He’s a super guy and needs to be out on the track with us.”
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