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KANSAS CITY, Kan. – For a few minutes, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasn't the focal point of his own press conference Saturday at Kansas Speedway.
As has become customary in 2017, the Hendrick Motorsports driver came into the media center ahead of his final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at a particular track to humbly accept a gift – often an 88-themed charitable donation on his behalf -- which Kansas did, in the form of a paperback copy of "The Expectant Father" and a check for $8,800 to the University of Kansas Health Systems Pediatric Unit.
RELATED: Baby news brings great joy to Junior | Track gifts for Dale Jr.The projector screen then lowered, a familiar face shone brightly, and perhaps the most heart-warming message Earnhardt has received yet began to play.
"Hey Dale, I'm always amazed at how time flies by," boomed the voice of affable Kansas City Royals manager and great friend to the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., Ned Yost. "I sit back and I think about being with your dad and walking into the old (XFINITY Series) shop and seeing you and Tony (Eury) Jr. underneath the late model stock cars, beating and banging trying to get a piece of weight out from the frame.
"But watching you develop as a race car driver, I remember being with your dad, driving around the farm in the winter of '97 and he was telling me he was going to put you in an (XFINITY) car full-time. And I asked him, 'You think he's ready for that?' Dale said, 'You're damn right he's ready for that.' Of course, you proved him right, winning the championship in '98 and then again in '99. Then it took 12 whole races for you to win your first (Monster Energy Series) victory at Texas."
RELATED: Recap all of Dale Jr.'s Monster Energy Series winsEarnhardt, sitting in the media center crowd, took it all in. Moved.
"It's been fun to watch that. It's been fun to watch you grow. It's been fun to watch you become a two-time Daytona 500 champion," Yost, who chose to wear No. 3 in honor of Senior, continued. "But more than anything, I can flash back to that win in Texas and yeah, it was great that you won, but what was more impressive to me was how proud your dad was that day. It's been a wonderful experience sitting back and watching you accomplish what you've accomplished. What you've accomplished is kind of hindsight to what you've become, for me. You've become an outstanding person. You've become an outstanding man. It's just been a fantastic career. I just wanted to take a few minutes to congratulate you on that. I know you and Amy are going to have a blast in your retirement. It's been fun watching you compete. It's been fun watching you grow up. Once again, congratulations on a tremendous career, and a tremendous life. Good luck, Dale."
The track then presented Junior with his own Royals home jersey with not his, but his dad's number on the back.
As the final weeks of Earnhardt's full-time career wind down, much of it will likely be a frenzied blur when he recounts his final season in the coming months, years, decades.
Saturday will be a moment he'll carry with him.
"Yeah that is really emotional," Earnhardt said. "Ned has been a great family friend and just so supportive of me and it is really nice to hear his memories and his thoughts, and I appreciate the track for the donation within their community here. That means a lot to me. That is really what we were hoping the tracks would take the initiative to do and it’s been great all year to see that happen.
"So, I’m glad you guys did that and that really makes my heart full."