Dale Earnhardt Jr. emotional after standing ovation in driver meeting

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- The screams and applause from the assembled red-carpet audience in the garage area served as an alert to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s arrival for perhaps his final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver meeting. Dressed in a red cap, red T-shirt and jeans, he slowly made his way in, stopping to sign autographs and pose for impromptu photos with fans before stepping into the meeting three minutes before it was set to start. Before the formal driver instructions were issued, NASCAR Vice Chairman Mike Helton took the podium to recognize a trio of NASCAR's biggest stars making Sunday's race their final full-time start. After calling Danica Patrick "an incredible force" and saying "it's been a lot of fun" watching Matt Kenseth, Helton turned his attention to Earnhardt Jr. "People will write about different legacies in our sport and different moments in our history, and I suspect every one of them will touch on the Dale Earnhardt Jr. era," Helton said. "You have done great things for us and it's been a great personal and professional pleasure watching you grow up in this industry, watching you take responsibilities … you have been a great asset to NASCAR, we thank you and wish you the best and are glad you will be close to the sport." Then Helton introduced a specially made video to further confirm what Earnhardt has meant to so many -- the people that make a living in the sport but also the passionate fandom who watch, cheer and sustain it. Videos posted on social media showed an emotional Junior wiping his eyes during the ensuing standing ovation, which lasted approximately 30 seconds. Current drivers such as Ryan Blaney, Earnhardt’s good friend Truex, his former XFINITY Series driver Brad Keselowski and his former crew chief Steve Letarte were among those that spoke in a celebrity-heavy ode to Earnhardt. "The biggest way he affected all of us," former Cup champion Dale Jarrett said, "is putting more eyes on the sport." Late night television host Jimmy Kimmel, country superstar Brad Paisley, former NBC anchor Brian Williams, former NBA superstar Charles Barkley and movie star Adam Sandler -- wearing a No. 88 hat -- praised Earnhardt's impact and offered good wishes. The ending featured a long list of people -- not only celebrities, but team members and race fans -- each offering a most simple, but poignant message: "Dale, I appreciate you." And judging by the love and attention Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, has been showered with this weekend, there is no doubting that.