Very few drivers in the modern era have been able to run at the iconic half-mile oval of Nashville Fairgrounds. In 1983, Dale Earnhardt managed to clinch a famous win, and soon, in 1984, the track hosted its final Cup race. Earnhardt’s son, Dale Jr., managed to get some track time while growing through the Busch Series in 1999. But like the Cup lower-tier series also stopped racing at this track after 1999. It felt as if NASCAR would never return to this short oval following the trend of mile-and-a-half intermediate track, but something’s changing behind the scenes.

Now, we’ve seen Dale Jr lead the charge in the revival of North Wilkesboro Speedway, and if there’s one guy in NASCAR who can make this happen, it’s him. Although Junior has taken time off from NASCAR racing, he will be back inside the racecar to compete at NASCAR’s old stomping ground in Nashville. And going by his initial reactions, there’s still hope for Nashville Fairgrounds.

Having last raced there in 1999, the Hall of Famer is set to once again take on the track in his No 8. Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in the CARS Tour late model stock car race on April 11, 2026. He penned down an emotional message on X, after doing some tire tests ahead of the big event.

“It was emotional to make those laps yesterday. Like visiting an old friend and realizing they still were the same person you always admired,” wrote Earnhardt Jr. on X.

The driver finished ninth in the standings in his last appearance at the track. However, he emphasised how excited he was to be back racing there.

“I went to Nashville Fairgrounds yesterday to test @HoosierTire for the upcoming @CARSTour race there on April 11th,” said Earnhardt Jr. “I had a lot of fun. I hadn’t ran a lap there since the middle of 1999. It was a hotbed for Late Model Stocks. You’d have 30 cars for a weekly 100-lap feature. It was amazing.”

The future of the track is uncertain due to legal troubles attached to it. With one side opposing the return of NASCAR, a ballot voting system could be in place to determine what happens.

According to the latest update, Mayor Freddie O’Connell has mentioned that another Cup race could be possible in the future. And the city could enjoy a double market as Nashville Superspeedway already hosts a Cup race.

Speedway Motorsports’ Matthew Kuhn also mentioned, “Nashville’s a big enough market from a motorsports standpoint to support multiple Cup races a year. Historically, Talladega, Daytona, and larger motorsports markets have two races a year.”

Amid the controversies, Earnhardt Jr. will be hoping to help Nashville’s case with his return to racing at the track.

Earnhardt Jr. on retiring completely

Despite retiring in 2017, Earnhardt Jr. has consistently returned to racing in an Xfinity (now O’Reilly Auto Parts) car.

The racing legacy in his family means that his passion for the track will be tough to contain. While it is inevitable, the Hall of Famer believes the moment he quits racing completely will come naturally.

“It’s really a year-to-year kind of thing,” said Earnhardt Jr. in an interview. I think one day I’ll just wake up and go, ‘You know what? I think that was the last one,’ I really feel it’ll be that way.

Even after retiring, he has managed to stay close to the track by sharing his analysis on broadcast platforms. However, watching him on the track is special, and it is something that track enthusiasts need to cherish before he leaves racing completely.