NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he has teamed up with Budweiser and Major League Baseball to revive one of the sport’s most iconic looks, to bring back the beloved No. 8 paint scheme for an upcoming CARS Tour race.
This nostalgic collaboration reunites Earnhardt with longtime sponsor Budweiser, a brand owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev (worth $136 billion), and Major League Baseball.
The announcement marks the continuation of a partnership that reignited last November when the red Bud No. 8, originally made famous by Earnhardt from 1999 to 2007 was brought back to life.
Budweiser and MLB Join Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Honor His Historic Victory
The revived scheme is more than just a fan favorite, it is a tribute to one of the most emotionally powerful moments in motorsports.
In July 2001, Earnhardt Jr. drove the original Budweiser/MLB All-Star Game paint scheme to victory at Daytona International Speedway. The win came in his first appearance at the track after the death of his father, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr., earlier that year.
A deeply symbolic win that was forever etched in American racing history.
In a post on X, Earnhardt unveiled the striking red Budweiser and MLB-themed No. 8 car with the caption, “Bringing back @budweiserusa and @MLB to the No. 8.”
Bringing back @budweiserusa and @MLB to the No. 8. 🍻 pic.twitter.com/fXt5a2RJvO
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr)
“It is an incredible opportunity to reunite with Budweiser and Major League Baseball,” Earnhardt said. “I’ve watched that July 2001 race at Daytona so many times. It’s such a great memory for me. I am excited that we have this chance to collaborate with Bud and MLB to bring that scheme back again because of what it means to me and so many others.”
The freshly revived paint scheme will debut publicly at the MLB Speedway Classic on August 2 between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves. Fans will then see it in action on August 16, when Earnhardt pilots the No. 8 in the zMAX CARS Tour race at Anderson Motor Speedway in South Carolina.
Talking about the scheme, Todd Allen, SVP of Marketing at Budweiser and Bud Light said, “The incredible fan response to Budweiser’s reunion with Dale Jr. last November reminded us just how special this partnership is to racing fans.
“This No. 8 Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game-inspired paint scheme pays tribute to one of the most iconic moments in the storied history of Dale Jr. and Budweiser’s partnership.
“The MLB Speedway Classic is the perfect stage to revive this fan-favorite design, uniting an American racing icon and American beer at a first-of-its-kind MLB event.”
For fans of NASCAR, baseball, or Earnhardt himself, the moment is triple times special, highlighting nostalgia, branding, and motorsports history.