Dale Earnhardt Jr.
FILE - Singer-songwriter Luke Combs speaks in the press room after winning awards for male vocalist of the year and song of the year at the 53rd annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena, in this Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, file photo. NASCAR will attempt some normalcy at the season-opening Daytona 500 with a live pre-race concert featuring country music star Luke Combs. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
NASCAR to hold pre-race Daytona 500 concert with Luke Combs

By Jenna Fryer Jan. 19, 2021 10:24 AM EST

Jimmie Johnson (48) pulls up next to Chase Elliott (9) in Turn 4 following Elliott's season championship victory in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Column: NASCAR closes stabilized, and energized by Elliott

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 09, 2020 01:45 PM EST

Chase Elliott celebrates at the finish line after winning the season championship and a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Elliott drives from back of the field to first NASCAR title

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 08, 2020 03:36 PM EST

Kevin Harvick (4), Brad Keselowski (2) and Alex Bowman (88) cross the starting line to begin a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Path to NASCAR title clear with Harvick out of the way

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 05, 2020 05:51 PM EST

FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2019, file photo, Kyle Larson gets into his car during Daytona 500 auto race practice at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Reinstated last week by NASCAR, Larson on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020, signed a multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet next season. Hendrick has sold no sponsorship as of yet for Larson and only needed the blessing of Chevrolet, one of the partners that originally dropped Larson for using the n-word, to finalize the deal. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
Rick Hendrick eyeing balanced, stronger 2021 NASCAR season

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 29, 2020 03:02 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb, 8, 2020, file photo, Kyle Larson climbs into his car as he gets ready for a NASCAR auto race practice at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Larson will be back in NASCAR next season driving the flagship No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson signed a multi-year contract Wednesday morning, Oct. 28, 2020, with Hendrick that ended his seven-month banishment from NASCAR for using a racial slur while playing an online racing game. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
Hendrick hires banished Kyle Larson to drive flagship No. 5

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 28, 2020 11:46 AM EDT

FILE - In this Sunday, May 17, 2020, file photo, Jimmie Johnson (48) and Alex Bowman (88) come down a straightaway during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Darlington, S.C. The most coveted seat in NASCAR went to Alex Bowman in a Hendrick Motorsports lineup shuffle to replace seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson in the iconic No. 48 Chevrolet. Bowman and crew chief Greg Ives will move from the No. 88 into Johnson's ride at the end of the season. The swap announced Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, makes Bowman just the second driver of the team created in 2001 specifically for Johnson.(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File
Bowman looks to establish his own legacy in iconic No. 48

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 07, 2020 02:33 AM EDT

Alex Bowman, left, Chase Elliott, center, and Denny Hamlin listen to the national anthem before the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Alex Bowman shuffled to the No. 48 to replace Jimmie Johnson

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 06, 2020 03:46 PM EDT

Tony Kanaan (14) drives into Turn 1 followed by Oliver Askew (7) and Charlie Kimball (4) during the IndyCar auto race at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, in Madison, Ill. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
IndyCar: Askew sidelined with concussion symptoms, Helio in

By Jenna Fryer Sep. 24, 2020 05:02 PM EDT

Denny Hamlin (11) battles Josh Bilicki (53) during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Thursday, July 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Denny Hamlin downright dominant as NASCAR season pushes on

By Dave Skretta Jul. 25, 2020 12:46 PM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 15 2019, file photo, the burned remains of a plane that was carrying NASCAR television analyst and former driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., his wife Amy, 15-month-old daughter Isla, two pilots and the family dog lies near a runway at Elizabethton Municipal Airport in Elizabethton, Tenn. Earnhardt Jr. and a pilot struggled to open a crashed airplane's rear exit door as the aircraft began to burn and fill with smoke before the race car driver and his family managed to escape from the main door, according to new details about the 2019 accident released by the National Transportation and Safety Board. (Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier via AP, File)
Details released in crash of plane carrying Earnhardt Jr.

By Adrian Sainz Jul. 17, 2020 01:56 PM EDT

A plane pulls a Confederate battle flag over Bristol Motor Speedway before the NASCAR All-Star auto race in Bristol, Tenn, Wednesday, July 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Elliott joins his father as winner of NASCAR's All-Star race

By Jenna Fryer Jul. 15, 2020 08:19 PM EDT

FILE - In this March 1, 2020, file photo, Jimmie Johnson is introduced to the crowd during activities as he carries his youngest daughter Lydia as his oldest daughter Genevieve and wife Chandra follow prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Fontana, Calif. This year has hardly been the farewell tour Jimmie Johnson envisioned when he said 2020 would be his final season of full-time NASCAR racing. The seven-time champion has had to say his goodbyes at empty race tracks absent of all fanfare and now his streak of 663 consecutive races has ended because Johnson tested positive for the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Will Lester, File)
Column: Jimmie Johnson finds voice during last NASCAR season

By Jenna Fryer Jul. 07, 2020 01:27 PM EDT

Kyle Busch drives during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, June 14, 2020, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Pocono twin bill weekend loses luster with no fans at track

By Dan Gelston Jun. 26, 2020 02:15 PM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2007, file photo, a Confederate flag flies in the infield as cars come out of Turn 1 during a NASCAR auto race at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala. NASCAR banned the Confederate flag from its races and venues Wednesday, June 10, 2020, formally severing itself from what for many is a symbol of slavery and racism. (AP Photo/Rob Carr, File)
Fans and flags under scrutiny as NASCAR heads to Talladega

By John Zenor Jun. 19, 2020 03:28 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2020, file photo, Dale Earnhardt Jr. answers questions during a news conference before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Longtime fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. is expected to be the marquee name on NASCAR's 2021 Hall of Fame class, to be announced Tuesday, June 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
Earnhardt Jr. headlines NASCAR's 2021 Hall of Fame class

By Michael Marot Jun. 16, 2020 06:18 PM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2014, file photo, Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. Longtime fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. is expected to be the marquee name on NASCAR's 2021 Hall of Fame class, to be announced Tuesday, June 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
NASCAR-GoBowling.com 400 8/3/2014

Jun. 16, 2020 03:33 PM EDT

Noah Gragson (9) and Harrison Burton (20) battle during a NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race Sunday, June 14, 2020, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Briscoe finds a way, wins Xfinity race at Homestead

By Tim Reynolds Jun. 14, 2020 02:58 PM EDT

Harrison Burton (20) drives during a NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Earnhardt returns; Burton wins Xfinity race at Homestead

By Tim Reynolds Jun. 13, 2020 06:24 PM EDT

FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2017, file photo, Dale Earnhardt Jr., front right, prepares to climb into his race car before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is returning to the track Saturday, June 13, 2020, getting behind the wheel for an Xfinity race at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- the place where his Cup Series career ended three years ago. (AP Photo/Gaston De Cardenas, File)
Junior to savor Homestead again, but virus upends routine

By Tim Reynolds Jun. 12, 2020 12:59 PM EDT