NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. announces he will race in Hampton Heat at Langley Speedway
The Hampton Heat 200 has built a reputation as one of the biggest Late Model Stock Car races in the country throughout its 15-year run. The event will enjoy perhaps its biggest moment on July 20, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins a field of what is expected to be more than 300 cars.
“Looking forward to running the Hampton Heat @LangleySpeedway,” Earnhardt Jr. posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. “See ya there.”
Earnhardt, 49, was NASCAR’s most popular driver during a Cup Series career that stretched from 1999 to 2017. He won 26 races, including Daytona 500s in 2004 and ’14.
Looking forward to running the Hampton Heat @LangleySpeedway. See ya there. pic.twitter.com/IuNBg2jROj
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) June 24, 2024
But, although his mom long lived in Norfolk, Earnhardt never raced at Langley Speedway during his rise through the ranks. His father, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. — a seven-time Cup champion — raced in a Sportsman Division race at Langley in the mid-1970s.
The Hampton Heat generally draws sellout crowds of 6,000 or more, but the presence of Earnhardt Jr., a NASCAR analyst for NBC since his retirement from regular competitive racing, is expected to make tickets more in demand than ever.
“I think Dale Earnhardt Jr. heard about how big the Hampton Heat is, and he is someone known to support weekly short track racing,” said Langley Speedway Vice President and Promoter Chuck Hall. “This is going to be one of the biggest things in the almost 75-year history of this track.
“It is a great opportunity for our drivers to race against a real NASCAR Cup legend, the way they did when Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch were here for the 2018 Denny Hamlin Showdown. This is also a big thing for the fans and the staff at Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway.”
Greg Edwards, who leads the Late Model points standings at Langley as he stalks division title No. 7, agreed.
“I think this is really good for Langley,” he said. “It’s cool that he wants to come and it will be neat to have him out there.
“I’m sure he’ll have a good car and will be fast, but, as a driver, you have to look at him as just another competitor.”
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings