When Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his debut for the Winston Cup points in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his then team, the Dale Earnhardt Inc., had a pleasant surprise for him– a No. 8 Chevy. To Junior, racing in that number meant extending the legacy of the Earnhardt family that started with his grandfather, Ralph. However, after Dale Earnhardt Sr. died in 2001, things changed with Junior’s stepmother, Teresa, gaining the rights to her husband’s estate.

The tension only worsened when Dale Jr. moved out of DEI in 2008, and the No. 8 was locked away. Since then, Junior has not known what had become of that car. Last month, however, a lucky pair of credit users got a rare behind-the-scenes look at the DEI complex on a private tour. They shared a handful of photos, offering that rare glimpse of racing history that is not witnessed by many. However, this sneak peek didn’t go unnoticed by Dale Jr. himself, and he was more than thrilled to see his No. 8 DEI car front and center.

“I was just glad to know that stuff’s still well taken care of,” speaking on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, the NASCAR Hall of Famer said.

“Um, it actually made me feel good that some of my cars are still there, like in the front, like when you go and you look and you’re looking back there, that they still celebrate all of the history. I didn’t know, you know, you don’t. I haven’t talked to anybody on that side in so long. I haven’t talked to Teresa in so long that I don’t know really where they are emotionally about the relationship or the lack of a relationship.” 

Fresh off his Tri-County Late Model Race the past weekend, Dale Jr. got a jolt of nostalgia when he heard gunfire from nearby, just 10 to 20 feet away, which instantly reminded him of the time he had fired up his backup Gossamer Xfinity car while racing for DEI. The moment sparked memories of racing days and the realization that some of his iconic cars are still proudly on display in the DEI museum.

With all this behind him, Jr. moved on from it long ago. Looking for a possible fresh start, he added, “And so I was happy to see that some of my cars were still in there. Gives me some hope that there’s a chance of reconciliation somewhere down the road. Even though maybe even though it’s unlikely, I just, yeah.”

Top Stories

“Pathetic”: 3X Champion Slams NASCAR Officials Hours After Retirement

NASCAR Driver Suffers “Wicked Impact” as Big One Strikes Championship Race

Chase Briscoe Refuses to Panic Despite ‘Unfortunate’ Start to Championship Weekend

Kyle Larson Voices Greatest NASCAR Career Frustration: “Everybody Just Assumes I’m Here for the Money”

Joe Gibbs Camp Sends Heartfelt Message to Team After Martin Truex Jr’s Exit

Before separating from DEI, Junior had asked for a 51% ownership stake in the company. Of course, the same was built by Senior on the notion that his legacy will be carried forward by his children. Moreover, DEI grew into a full-fledged racing team under the guidance of ‘The Intimidator,’ even though the legend never actually raced for it. The team ran cars for drivers, including his son Dale Jr., as well as Michael Waltrip and Steve Park.

However, with Teresa leading the charge, nothing happened, and DEI went defunct after the 2009 season. In fact, he wasn’t even able to buy a few prized helmets that he had used.

This legal and personal rift reportedly led to restricting their access to DEI’s property, including their father’s gravesite, with Junior’s sister, Kelley, highlighting that visiting could result in legal trouble.

There’s no question that Junior still honors his father’s legacy in his DJD podcast, sharing heartfelt stories, as his JR Motorsports is flourishing in the Xfinity Series. Dale Jr.’s role as a team owner is paying dividends with Connor Zilisch breaking records as a rookie and being the championship leader currently. But it is also no wonder that Junior wonders what DEI would be if he were still part of the company.