Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of NASCAR’s most recognizable voices, has finally opened up about his unexpected hiatus from the broadcast booth—a break he never intended to take.
In a candid conversation with Kevin Harvick on “Happy Hour,” Earnhardt Jr. detailed the circumstances behind his absence, the challenges of returning, and his excitement for a new chapter with Amazon and TNT’s upcoming NASCAR coverage.
Fans have definitely noticed Dale Jr.’s absence. His distinctive voice and insights have been a big part of NASCAR broadcasts for years. When he disappeared from the airwaves, many wondered what happened. As it turns out, this break wasn’t something he planned or wanted.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Return to the NASCAR Booth
“I didn’t want to take a year off, but it just didn’t work out. And so I missed it. I’ve missed it a lot,” Dale Jr. admitted. You can tell from his words just how much he loves being part of race day coverage.
Recently, he got a taste of getting back to work. “We had this past weekend, you guys were in Kansas, and we were at the NASCAR Building using your feed to do a rehearsal of sorts, just practice and play with Adam and Letard and some of our people with Amazon. I was really nervous,” he explained.
Dale Jr. compared his broadcasting skills to golf – if you don’t practice regularly, you get rusty. “If you don’t swing a club all the time, you might not be as good next time you try to go out and do it,” he said.
But that practice session helped him shake off the cobwebs. “It reminded me, like every time I get back in the booth, how fun it is and how lucky I am to be able to do it. And so my excitement level… I’m pumped,” he shared.
The good news for fans is that Dale Jr. will be back soon, splitting his time between two networks. “I’m going to do June with Amazon and July with TNT, a 10-race stretch. And I’ll probably be, you know, it’ll probably be hard to stop,” he said.
There’s just one thing bothering him: he wishes he could do more races. “There’s just one problem that we only get to do this five weeks. There’s just not enough pie for everybody, but it’d be awesome to have a good chunk of the season,” he admitted.
For Dale Jr., getting back into broadcasting is like reuniting with an old friend. Even though he’s been away, his passion for NASCAR and sharing the excitement with fans hasn’t faded one bit. While his year-long break “didn’t work out” the way he wanted, he’s clearly thrilled to be getting back behind the microphone.
NASCAR’s broadcast landscape is changing with new TV deals, but having Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s voice and expertise back in the mix is something both the sport and its fans can look forward to.