texas

Fans Talk About Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ahead of Sunday's Texas AAA 500

Nascar superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues to be honored for his nearly 20-year career.

Number 88 was inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame on Saturday, ahead of Sunday’s AAA Texas 500.

Earnhardt Jr. is expected to retire at the end of the current season.

Sunday’s race will be his last in Texas.

Thousands of fans have descended upon Texas Motor Speedway in Roanoke.

“I’m really going to miss him,” said Alex Rollmann “He was our Number One.”

Rollmann’s father was at Texas Motor Speedway in 2000, when Dale Jr. won his first cup race.

“It was neat,” he said. “I liked Jr. I was always rooting for his dad though and it was neat. It was a special moment. It was especially neat to see his dad come back behind him and give him a great big hug.”

Flags with ‘88’ can be seen throughout TMS, as fans prepare to bid farewell to their favorite driver.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,” said Waylon Ivie of Corsicana. “[Earnhardt is the] approachable-type and just would fit in. He’d fit in with the group you know.”

“He’s moving onto the next chapter of his life,” said Coleman Nunn of Corsicana. “He’s going to be a dad. He’s looking forward to it.”

“It’s hard,” said Sarah Langley. “I’ll miss him. But it’s life.”

Fans say while sad, they are comforted in knowing that Dale Jr. is going out on his own terms.

The Texas AAA 500 race is 334 laps.

The race begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Contact Us