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Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn’t miss often during his time in NASCAR. Everything he touched, for the most part, turned to gold. 

He was the most popular driver for a billion seasons in a row. He was, by far, the most marketable driver in the sport (still is), and he parlayed that into generational wealth. He won a lot of races, stayed out of trouble (for the most part), and is now perhaps the biggest ambassador for the series. 

He also survived a plane crash, which is pretty neat. But that’s neither here nor there. 

Anyway, he rarely made a mistake. But he did make one, way back in 2004, when he ultimately lost Tony Eury Jr. as a crew chief following a tumultuous end to the season.

Sad:

Dale Jr. wants a do-over on this one

Whoooooooooooooof. Look at Junior during that interview. You can see it in eyes. You can feel it. He’s still pissed about it, and it’s been 20 years! Painful. 

The Dale Jr./Tony Eury Jr. combo was legendary back in the day. They worked together during the peak Dale Jr.-DEI years (the NASCAR version of DEI, not the woke one), won a lot of races as a driver-crew chief combo, and probably should’ve just stuck it out. 

But, as Junior says, he was a hot-head. Tony was a hot-head. They ended up bitching at each other late in the ’04 season, and then Eury went to work for Michael Waltrip the following spring. It was over, just like that. 

Oh well. You live and you learn. That’s life, I reckon. 

Anyway, these two are back talking this week because it’s a HUGE week for NASCAR fans. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not only racing a late model tonight at Florence Speedway, but he’s doing it with Budweiser BACK on the hood. 

Seriously, look at this beauty:

God, I wish so badly it was actually 2007 again. Again, it was peak Junior and peak NASCAR. It’s been downhill ever since. 

But, we get it back for just a bit tonight, and that’s something worth celebrating. 

So, let’s all start slamming Bud Heavys this morning and go have a big Saturday tailgate before Junior takes the green later tonight. 

Raise hell, Praise Dale!