Dale Earnhardt Jr. to make NBC debuts at Super Bowl LII and Winter Olympics
Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
RELATED: NFL-themed retirement gift a hit with Junior
STAMFORD, Conn. -- Motorsports icon and two-time Daytona 500 winning driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his NBC debuts as a contributor for the network’s coverage of Super Bowl LII on Sunday, February 4, and the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, beginning Thursday, February 8.
Voted by fans as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years (2003-17), Earnhardt will make his first trip to the Super Bowl with NBC Sports, and participate in NBC’s Super Bowl Pre-Game Show leading up to the big game. While in Minneapolis, Earnhardt will experience the celebration surrounding this year’s winter weather Super Bowl, and share his great sense of adventure, as he takes part in some of the outdoor events and activities taking place in town leading up to kickoff.
“I’m excited to get to work with my new NBC family," said Earnhardt Jr. an an NBC release. "Beginning with two huge events like the Super Bowl and Olympics, right out of the gate, should be quite the introduction. I’m looking forward to raising the profile of NASCAR, and all that we’re going to be doing during the 2018 season.”
PHOTOS: Dale Jr. through the years
Later in February, Earnhardt will travel to PyeongChang, where he will explore the culture, people, and traditions in South Korea, and experience Olympic competitions first hand. Earnhardt will visit the speed skating venue at Gangneung Ice Arena, and through the lens of a racer will view the speed, close contact, and tight turns on the short track speed skating oval, which so closely mirror Earnhardt’s racing days and nights at Bristol Motor Speedway.
“Dale is a star on the race track and off, and we are excited to have him join the NBC team," said Sam Flood, Executive Producer & President, Production, NBC and NBCSN. "It will be fun to have him be a part of our coverage of the Super Bowl, and we are looking forward to watching him explore a new world with the Winter Olympics.”
Following a recent invite on social media from his new friends on the U.S. bobsled team, including U.S. bobsled team pilot Nick Cunningham, Earnhardt will also travel to Alpensia Sliding Center, where he will test the true speed of the bobsled track and live out his post-retirement dream of riding in an Olympic bobsled.
In July of 2017, Earnhardt and NBC Sports announced the 26-time NASCAR Cup Series winner would be joining NBCUniversal as an on-air analyst and contributor. In addition to serving as an analyst for NBC’s coverage of the 2018 NASCAR season, the agreement with NBCUniversal allows Earnhardt to participate in a wide range of opportunities in the company’s media businesses, including movies, television, podcasts, and other areas.