NASCAR Cup Series: Dale Earnhardt Jr. comments on return of the #8 Chevrolet
By Asher Fair
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who drove the #8 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series for many years, has commented about the return of the car to the Cup Series.
The #8 Chevrolet is set to return to the NASCAR Cup Series when 27-year-old Daniel Hemric makes his Cup Series debut driving for Richard Childress Racing in the 2018 Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, Virginia on Sunday, April 21st.
That race is the first of two that Hemric is set to drive the #8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in this season. He is also set to drive the car for the team in the Bank of America 500 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval in Concord, North Carolina on Sunday, September 30th in the third race of the round of 16 of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
Hemric is a full-time Xfinity Series driver for Richard Childress Racing this season, just like he was last season when he made it to the Championship 4. He drives the #21 Chevrolet for the team.
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Hemric previously drove two full seasons in the Truck Series for NTS Motorsports and Brad Keselowski Racing in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
The #8 Chevrolet has not been used in NASCAR since Aric Almirola drove it in several races in the 2009 season when he drove part-time for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
But it was 15-time Most Popular Driver Award winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. who made the car number as iconic as it is, and it is his tenure as the driver of the #8 Chevrolet that makes the return of the number to the Cup Series as special as it is.
Earnhardt Jr., who drove the #8 Chevrolet when he drove part-time for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in the 1999 season and when he drove full-time for the team from the 2000 season to the 2007 season, has reacted to the fact that the #8 Chevrolet is set to return to the Cup Series when Hemric drives it for Richard Childress Racing at Richmond and Charlotte later this season.
Here is what Earnhardt Jr. had to say about the return of the #8 Chevrolet.
Excited for it to return. Be fun to see it out there. https://t.co/1x4ZZIUB9n
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) March 20, 2018
https://twitter.com/DaleJr/status/976251723072319489
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How well will Daniel Hemric do in his first two career NASCAR Cup Series races this season when he drives the #8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing at Richmond and Charlotte? Be sure not to miss either of those races on Sunday, April 21st and Sunday, September 30th, respectively.