The year was 1979, Dale Earnhardt Sr. is driving a 1979 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in his rookie season and would become the Rookie of the Year. Fast forward to today, Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of NASCAR’s most liked and most respected drivers, is gifted the same Monte Carlo as a send off gift for his last race at Talledega Superspeedway.
According to NASCAR, the blue and yellow #2 Monte Carlo, was given to Earnhardt Jr. by a joint effort from Talladega Superspeedway officials, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, which is located on the grounds of Talladega Superspeedway, and the State of Alabama.
Earnhardt Jr. told NASCAR, that the car is actually owned by the State of Alabama, but he will be able to take the car to Moorseville, North Carolina to show it around his race shop. He drove the car for a few laps then paraded it through the garage so his team could experience it.
This is not the only honorable thing the State of Alabama has done for Earnhardt Jr. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey declared today, October 15th, would be “Dale Earnhardt Jr. Day”.
Along with the car he was presented with two unopened champagne bottles. The first bottle was from the lot of bottles of Earnhardt Sr.’s victory at Talladega in 2000 and the second bottle was from the post-race celebration of celebration of Earnhardt Jr.’s first ever Talladega win back in 2001.
Today is Earnhardt’s final race at Talladega Superspeedway for the Alabama 500, a race to which he also took the pole position.