The last time Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran a NASCAR race at Bristol Motor Speedway, he was in his final season as a full-time driver. Over five years later, he will return to the Tennessee short track as he pilots the #88 Chevrolet Camaro for his JR Motorsports team in the Xfinity Series race on 15 September. Unilever will sponsor his car for the start.
“We’ve been partners with Unilever since the very early days of JR Motorsports,” said Earnhardt. “They’ve been with us as our programme has grown and been an important part of our success, on and off the track. They’re a key component of our company. I’m grateful for their support, and I’m happy to watch our partnership continue to grow.”
The two-time Xfinity champion has twelve starts in the series at Bristol, winning from the pole in 2004. His most recent foray came in 2017 where he finished thirteenth, a night before placing twenty-third in the Cup Series Night Race and what is his most recent NASCAR start there to date.
Since retiring from full-time racing at the end of 2017, he has sporadically returned to the Xfinity Series with one start per year. In 2022, he finished eleventh in his lone race for the year at Richmond.
Earnhardt has two races planned for 2023, with the second’s location yet to be revealed. The other start will come with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops.
JRM driver Justin Allgaier will be sponsored by Unilever for six races in 2023. The company specialises in food products like mayonnaise, and its Hellmann’s brand also sponsors JRM.
“We are so proud and excited to continue our partnership with Dale Jr. and his team at JR Motorsports,” Unilever executive Ben Crook stated. “The equal passion that NASCAR fans have for their favorite brands like Hellmann’s and drivers like Dale Jr. is what makes this partnership so special. We look forward to continuing this ride with Dale for years to come.”