If arrangements go as planned, Earnhardt will run the #3 Wrangler Chevrolet for JR Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on July 2. Sources have told FOXSports.com that Earnhardt will revive his father’s famous #3 in a collaborative effort initiated by JR Motorsports with Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. A formal announcement is expected on April 29. According to team sources, a Hendrick Motorsports engine will power the car. Earnhardt Jr. currently has a personal services contract with Wrangler, continuing a family legacy between the brands. Wrangler first sponsored his father for the final race of his 1980 Cup championship season and the following year with Rod Osterlund for the first 16 races. (4-22-2010)
UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive a #3 Nationwide Series car at Daytona International Speedway in July, Earnhardt Jr. reluctantly confirmed Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. JR Motorsports is unveiling the car and making the announcement Thursday, but television commentator Darrell Waltrip tweeted about Earnhardt Jr. driving a #3 yesterday. The paint scheme is expected feature Wrangler, which sponsored Dale Earnhardt in the early 1980s. “We ain’t really got anything confirmed DW blew the lid off of it on Twitter no less,” Earnhardt Jr. said Friday. “That kind of ruined our announcement that we had planned. “We’re going to have our announcement here soon and explain to everybody what the whole program is about and how it came about and what’s going to happen. It’s unfortunate DW uncovered that. We didn’t plan to announce it like this. We’ll do it when we had it originally planned.” The car will be a third JR Motorsports car to go along with its #88 and #7 cars running on a full-time basis.(Scene Daily)(4-23-2010)
UPDATE 2: Through a joint effort between Richard Childress Racing, JR Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Wrangler, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will pay tribute to his father’s upcoming induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame by driving the #3 Wrangler Chevy in the Nationwide Series race on July 2 at Daytona International Speedway. The announcement and car unveiling was made Thursday in Mooresville, N.C., at JR Motorsports and to the fans at Dale Earnhardt Inc. In attendance were Earnhardt Jr., Richard Childress, Kelley Earnhardt Teresa Earnhardt and Craig Errington, vice president of Wrangler marketing. The car is an RCR entry built and prepared by JR Motorsports. The combination of Earnhardt Jr., DEI and RCR has a very brief yet shining history on the track together. In their only race together, Earnhardt drove the #3 Chevrolet to victory in the February 2002 Nationwide Series race at Daytona. That car is on display at the RCR Museum in Welcome, N.C. In support of the program, an array of licensed product will be available to fans from die-cast cars to apparel and select novelty items. Merchandise will highlight both Dale Earnhardt original Wrangler car and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s current paint scheme. Fans can find the products at www.nascar.com, trackside or through each of the represented team stores.(RCR PR), see a graphic of the car on my #3 Nationwide team paint scheme page.(4-29-2010)
