'Shifting Gears' to give glimpse inside Dale Jr.

February 7, 2008
12:06 PM EST

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the focus of a new television series on ESPN, Dale Jr. -- Shifting Gears, premiering prior to next month's opening of the 2008 NASCAR season. The five-part series chronicles Earnhardt's move from Dale Earnhardt Inc. to Hendrick Motorsports, in the Sprint Cup Series.

The first episode airs Friday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The series provides viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at the personal, corporate and competitive ramifications involved with the five-time NASCAR Most Popular Driver award recipient changing teams. Dale Jr. -- Shifting Gears is produced by Earnhardt Jr.'s Hammerhead Entertainment, a division of JR Motorsports, in cooperation with Hendrick Motorsports and is presented by the National Guard.

The new program is part of an exclusive, multimedia agreement between ESPN and Hammerhead Entertainment.

"We were working on a new DVD about my life and the guys kept getting more and more footage, so they decided to put a whole TV show together to document the biggest career decision I've ever made," Earnhardt Jr. said. "The past year of my life has been a roller coaster, and it's pretty cool that we're giving everyone an inside look at how everything came together."

Three of the five episodes of Shifting Gears air on ESPN2 in the nine days prior to the Daytona 500, including following ESPN2's live coverage of Nationwide Series qualifying on Feb. 15, and the Camping World 300 on Feb. 16. The final two episodes air on ESPN in prime time the week of the July 27 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, ESPN's first live Cup Series event of the season.

The preseason episodes reveal never-before-seen footage from the 2007 news conferences and fan response to the announcements. Shifting Gears also chronicles the design process of the new paint schemes, the makings of Earnhardt Jr.'s Adidas fire suit and how the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet handles the pressure of working with new sponsors as he prepares for his first season with Hendrick Motorsports.

The final two episodes, each one hour in length, will catch up with Earnhardt Jr. and the Hendrick team as he chases his first Cup Series championship.

"Dale Jr.'s move to Hendrick Motorsports is obviously one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the 2008 NASCAR season," said John Skipper, ESPN executive vice president, content. "This new series will not only help NASCAR fans gear up for the new season, but also will present a side of Dale Jr. that fans have never seen before."