NASCAR is full of legendary drivers, but a few stand out above the rest. You’ve got Richard “The King” Petty with 200 wins—an insane record that’s unlikely to be broken anytime soon. And then there’s his 27-win season in 1967, a feat only he can claim. After Petty came “The Intimidator,” Dale Earnhardt Sr., who dominated the track from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, winning 7 championships, just like Petty.
But let’s not forget about Jimmie Johnson—he became the latest member of the 7-championship club after winning five championships in a row in the 2000s, a streak that’s hard to imagine happening again. Among all these legendary stats, one recently popped up that has Dale Earnhardt Jr. ahead of both his father and Petty, in a category that even he didn’t know about!
When Dale Earnhardt Jr. surpassed Dale Sr. and Richard Petty
The 2001 Daytona 500 remains one of NASCAR’s darkest moments, as the sport lost its most beloved driver, Dale Earnhardt Sr., in a tragic crash. But before that heartbreaking day, Dale Jr. was already carving out his own legacy. He entered the Cup Series full-time in 2000 after winning two Xfinity Series titles (1998, 1999).
His first Cup victory came in 2000 at Texas Motor Speedway, where he crossed the finish line in his iconic #8 Budweiser car—a powerful statement that he was continuing his dad’s legacy. To top it off, Sr. finished 7th in that race and immediately ran over to congratulate his son.
After Sr.’s passing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. carried on in the Cup Series, racking up 26 wins over his 631 career starts. He also won the next race at Daytona later that year in what was one of the most emotional moments in NASCAR history. While he never clinched a championship, he came close in 2003, finishing 3rd. But get this—he now sits 32nd on the all-time win list, which is already impressive. But here’s the real kicker: Dale Jr. has more lead-lap finishes than both his dad and Richard Petty!
That’s right—Dale Jr. has 430 lead-lap finishes, while Petty had 387 and Sr. had 352. For those who don’t follow the stats closely, a lead-lap finish means a driver finishes the race on the lead lap, not getting lapped by the winner. So yeah, Jr. was lapped fewer times than both of NASCAR’s legends. And even more surprising? Dale Jr. didn’t even know about this stat until it was pointed out to him. His reaction? A simple, stunned, “Huh?”
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) December 13, 2024
But wait, it gets even crazier. In the lead-lap finish rankings, Kevin Harvick leads with 633, followed by Jeff Gordon with 588, and Mark Martin with 558. Among active drivers, Denny Hamlin is leading with 528, and Kyle Busch is right behind with 524. Safe to say, Dale Jr. had quite the run on the track, especially in that unforgettable #8 Bud car. And speaking of which…
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s #8 is coming back!
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s famous #8 is making a comeback to NASCAR in 2025—and you can bet fans are pumped! That iconic font that Jr. made famous during his days at Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) is finally returning after 17 long years. While the number has made a few appearances on JR Motorsports’ late-model cars in recent years, this is the real deal—the same font and style that fans know and love.
Dale Jr. made the #8 synonymous with success in the early 2000s, from his unforgettable 2001 Pepsi 400 win to his 2004 Daytona 500 victory. He drove the #8 from 1999 to 2007, scoring 17 wins before switching to Hendrick Motorsports. But getting the number back wasn’t easy. After leaving DEI, Jr. tried to reclaim the trademark for the #8, but his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, owned it at the time, and he couldn’t secure it.
Fast forward to earlier this year, and Jr. finally made it happen after Teresa did not renew the trademark. He raced a red Budweiser #8 late model at the South Carolina 400, and it was an emotional moment for him. Seeing the #8 in its iconic font again hit home and finally coming back to NASCAR is extremely special to him. Despite the iconic livery not being reinstated for the Xfinity run, the number and font are enough to roll back the years.
As he shared in a video on X, “Alright everybody, we’re here in the Xfinity shop for JR Motorsports unveiling the number #8 here on the Xfinity car for Sammy Smith. It’s awesome to have this number in this font back at JR Motorsports, and I can’t wait to see it on the car in Daytona. That’s going to be a pretty awesome feeling for me personally, and Sammy’s going to do a great job with it.” To this Smith, feeling honored, replied, “Thank you, Boss. Ready for Daytona.”
Sammy Smith is ready for Daytona, and so are we! What do you think about the #8 coming back? Let us know in the comments!
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