Did Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JRM rake in six-figure revenue from their recent deal? Exploring NASCAR's legend's undying star power amid Budweiser reunion
NASCAR team, JR Motorsports announced last week that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Budweiser are bringing back the No. 8 Chevrolet with the Bud King of Beers paint scheme this year.
After 17 years, the famous red-and-black paint will return to the track in a series of Late Model Stock Races. The first race, the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway, is scheduled for November 23.
Moreover, according to Sports Business Journal, Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports made over six figures in merchandise sales after announcing their reunion with Budweiser. They released a line of early 2000s nostalgic merch like signed helmets, die-cast car models, hats, and koozies. The collectibles' popularity helped JR Motorsports bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars within a week of the announcement.
Budweiser’s parent company, Anheuser-Busch announced that it is using regional races instead of top-tier NASCAR events to sponsor Earnhardt Jr. Matt Davis, the vice president of partnerships at the company said,
"There are names that when mentioned, draw on the significance of their place in American history. Among them, Budweiser, and Earnhardt. This return to the racetrack alongside Dale with the Bud King of Beers paint scheme is another chapter in Anheuser-Busch’s long and storied sports history."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. co-owns JRM with sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Rick Hendrick. The team races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where it has four full-time teams. They also have several teams in local Late Model races.
"It’s going to be really special for me" - Dale Earnhardt Jr. on racing the No. 8
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was voted NASCAR’s most popular driver for 15 straight years, raced in the No. 8 car between 1999 to 2007. Budweiser was Jr.'s main sponsor for nine seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series.
“It is an incredible opportunity for me to be able to reunite with Budweiser, and the No. 8. Budweiser and I had some great memories with that iconic scheme and number. We’ve always supported each other over the years. It’s going to be really special for me to be able to represent that brand on the racetrack again,” said Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. also explained in an episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast how he contacted Budweiser to use the No. 8 again. He said:
“It’s a process that takes a little bit of time that is playing out right now. …We called Bud and I said ‘Man if we’re going to do this we got an opportunity to do something really cool."
Earnhardt also thanked Budweiser for their constant support during his racing career and added that he will always be “Team Bud.”
After retiring from full-time racing, Dale Jr. worked as a broadcaster for FOX and NBC. Next year, the 50-year-old will join the broadcast teams of Amazon Prime Video and TNT.