Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will throw back to another iconic scheme from his NASCAR career when the zMAX CARS Tour visits Anderson Motor Speedway on August 16.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee will pay homage to the Budweiser/MLB All-Star Game paint scheme he piloted to an emotional victory in the July race at Daytona International Speedway in 2001, months after the passing of Dale Earnhardt. The Anderson scheme is part of partnership with Budweiser and Major League Baseball in conjunction with the MLB Speedway Classic.
The MLB Speedway Classic takes place on August 2 at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the Cincinnati Reds playing the Atlanta Braves in a special game at “The Last Great Colosseum.” The scheme will be showcased at Bristol during the MLB Speedway Classic ahead of the CARS Tour event on August 16.
“It is an incredible opportunity to reunite with Budweiser and Major League Baseball,” said Earnhardt Jr. “I’ve watched that July 2001 race at Daytona so many times. It’s such a great memory for me. I am excited that we have this chance to collaborate with Bud and MLB to bring that scheme back again because of what it means to me and so many others.”
The scheme is an extension of the reunion between Earnhardt, Jr. and Budweiser last November. That reunion brought the famous red Budweiser No. 8 livery to the track for the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway.
The MLB Speedway Classic will be the first Major League Baseball game contested in the state of Tennessee. Attending fans will be able to view the No. 8 Budweiser/MLB Speedway Classic show car at Bristol ahead of the unique regular-season contest between Cincinnati and Atlanta.
“The incredible fan response to Budweiser’s reunion with Dale Jr. last November reminded us just how special this partnership is to racing fans,” said Todd Allen, SVP of Marketing at Budweiser and Bud Light. “This No. 8 Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game-inspired paint scheme pays tribute to one of the most iconic moments in the storied history of Dale Jr. and Budweiser’s partnership. The MLB Speedway Classic is the perfect stage to revive this fan-favorite design, uniting an American racing icon and American beer at a first-of-its-kind MLB event.”
Earnhardt, Jr. has taken on more Late Model races since stepping away from full-time NASCAR competition. He has previously made five zMAX CARS Tour starts, with a best finish of third at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2022.
Limited-edition merchandise of the No. 8 Budweiser/MLB Speedway Classic race car is available now on shopjrnation.com and coming soon to additional select retail locations.
