NBC Sports analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his annual return to the Xfinity Series on Sept. 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway, JR Motorsports announced Tuesday.
Earnhardt will drive a Unilever-branded No. 88 entry. The team also announced that the Unilever brand will serve as a primary sponsor for Justin Allgaier in six Xfinity races in 2023. The September Bristol race is the opening event of the Xfinity Series playoffs.
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Since stepping away from the Cup Series after the 2017 season, Earnhardt has continued to run one Xfinity Series race per season.
He was fourth at Richmond in 2018. Earnhardt placed fifth at Darlington in 2019. He placed fifth at Homestead in 2020. Earnhardt finished 14th at Richmond in 2021. He was 11th at Martinsville last year.
“We’ve been partners with Unilever since the very early days of JR Motorsports,” said Earnhardt, who will continue in his role as brand ambassador for Unilever, in a statement from the team. “They’ve been with us as our program has grown and been an important part of our success – on and off the track. They’re a key component of our company. I’m grateful for their support, and I’m happy to watch our partnership continue to grow.”
Unilever first partnered with JR Motorsports in 2009. It is the team’s longest-tenured partner.
“We are so proud and excited to continue our partnership with Dale Jr. and his team at JR Motorsports,” said Ben Crook, VP/GM Dressings & Condiments Unilever North America, in a statement. “The equal passion that NASCAR fans have for their favorite brands like Hellmann’s and drivers like Dale Jr. is what makes this partnership so special. We look forward to continuing this ride with Dale for years to come.”
