Earnhardt, Bud & MLB Reviving Iconic Colors For No. 8

An early look at Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s redesigned Budweiser-MLB paint scheme for his CARS Tour late model stock car this August. (Photo Courtesy of FloRacing)

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. will roll into South Carolina’s Anderson Motor Speedway like it’s 2001 when the zMAX CARS Tour comes to town in August.

Earnhardt, Budweiser, and Major League Baseball have teamed up to honor the third-generation racer’s iconic MLB All-Star Game paint scheme from the 2001 Pepsi 400, recreating and updating the white-and-red look to promote the upcoming MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com.

The 50-year-old Earnhardt will race the modern version of the scheme in the CARS Late Model Stock Tour event at Anderson on Aug. 16.

Prior to that, the scheme will be showcased during the Speedway Classic at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, where the Atlanta Braves will face off against the Cincinnati Reds in the first MLB game to be played in the state of Tennessee.

JR Motorsports unveiled Earnhardt’s No. 8 Chevrolet late model stock car for Anderson Thursday, during the team’s annual Fan Day festivities in advance of Memorial Day weekend.

“It is an incredible opportunity to reunite with Budweiser and Major League Baseball,” said Earnhardt. “I’ve watched that July 2001 race at Daytona (Int’l Speedway in Florida) 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 summer race at Daytona from 24 years ago ranks as one of the most memorable races in NASCAR history, when Earnhardt raced to victory in the Pepsi 400 less than five months after the tragic death of his Hall-of-Fame father in the season-opening Daytona 500 at the same venue.

Earnhardt’s renewed partnership with MLB follows the rekindling of his association with Budweiser last November, when the pairing brought back the famed red No. 8 scheme that Earnhardt made famous in NASCAR Cup Series competition with Dale Earnhardt Inc. from 1999 through 2007.

Budweiser is the longest-tenured sponsor of Major League Baseball and has been a staple in the sport’s traditions and gameday experience for fans 21-and-up for decades. Attending fans can view the No. 8 Budweiser/MLB Speedway Classic show car at the event prior to its on-track debut.

“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.”

Fans can commemorate the return of Earnhardt’s iconic paint scheme with limited-edition merchandise available on shopjrnation.com and coming soon to select retail locations.

Broadcast coverage of the Anderson Motor Speedway CARS Tour event streams Aug. 16 on FloRacing.