NASCAR: Who is replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr.?
By Asher Fair
After an appearance from Dale Earnhardt Jr., another change in the Fox booth for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race is set to see the return of a veteran crew chief.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has served as an analyst for NASCAR on NBC since the 2018 season, had the unprecedented opportunity to join the Fox broadcast team for this past Sunday’s Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Earnhardt joined lead announcer Mike Joy and analyst Clint Bowyer, and in doing so, he became the seventh different individual to occupy the third spot in the booth this year.
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This third spot is one that had been previously occupied solely by Jeff Gordon. But after six years with the Fox team, Gordon left to take on an increased role with Hendrick Motorsports following Fox’s portion of the 2021 broadcast schedule.
Fox made the decision to allow multiple individuals to join the full-time duo this year instead of committing to a single person.
In addition to Earnhardt, those who have joined Joy and Bowyer in the booth so far in 2022 include Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Danica Patrick, Chad Knaus, and Darrell Waltrip. Gordon also returned for a race.
Set to replace Earnhardt this week in the booth is Larry McReynolds. McReynolds is set to make his return to the booth alongside Joy and Bowyer for Sunday afternoon’s race at Dover Motor Speedway on Fox Sports 1.
From the pit box last week to the @NASCARonFOX broadcast booth this weekend, @LarryMac28 joins @MikeJoy500 and @ClintBowyer to call Sunday’s @NASCAR Cup Series race from Dover Motor Speedway on @FS1. pic.twitter.com/TRFk5SNfV0
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) April 27, 2022
The veteran crew chief has been a part of the Fox Sports team since 2001. His return to the booth comes the weekend after he returned to the pit box and called the shots for Jeffrey Earnhardt and the #3 Richard Childress Racing team in Saturday afternoon’s Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Earnhardt finished in second place behind Noah Gragson, who competes for Dale Jr.’s JR Motorsports.
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Tune in to Fox Sports 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 1 for the live broadcast of the DuraMAX Drydene 400 presented by RelaDyne from Dover Motor Speedway. Start your free trial of FuboTV now if you haven’t yet had the chance to do to!