DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2017) – Saturday marked Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s first day back at the track for official NASCAR competition since being sidelined with a concussion last summer. Sure, he tested at Darlington Raceway in December, but he was the only car on track that day. Then, he spent two days at Phoenix International Raceway earlier this month, but this was the first time back in action with every car, every team and all the fans and media watching. Needless to say, it was a whirlwind day that DaleJr.com was able to document from start to finish.
8:29 a.m. – The Earnhardt family – Dale, Amy, Gus (Irish Setter) and Junebug (Pomeranian) – arrive at the airport to travel southbound to Daytona. Seven minutes later, the plane lifts off the ground in North Carolina and touches down again one hour and nine minutes later in Daytona.
9:46 a.m. – Upon arrival in Daytona, Earnhardt’s motorcoach driver, Kenny Jones, is there to pick him up and get him to his motorhome nestled inside the Driver/Owner Lot of the Daytona International Speedway.
10:15 a.m. – Earnhardt departs the motorhome and enters the garage for the first time three minutes later. He immediately goes to the NASCAR Inspection station for a mandatory weigh in all drivers are required to do at both Daytona events (February and July).
10:26 a.m. – After signing a few autographs and stopping briefly to see his No. 88 car and team, Earnhardt is in the team’s hauler for pre-practice chat with crew chief Greg Ives.
11:16 a.m. – With the NASCAR Cup Series’ lone practice of the day scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m., Earnhardt heads to his car, which seems to be a mile-long walk away from the team’s hauler. The actual walk is probably 100 yards, but in the NASCAR garage, that can seem to be forever when navigating cars, crew members, media and fans moving every way imaginable.
11:58 a.m. – The team had a brief delay getting Earnhardt onto the track for the first time, but he finally straps on his helmet and climbs into his Chevrolet just before noon.
12:11 p.m. – Earnhardt leaves the garage and rolls out onto pit road for his first practice run of the season. There are other cars in line, so he must wait for spotter T.J. Majors to find him enough space to provide Ives and company an accurate reading on the car’s potential in qualifying trim. Eventually, the team makes their first run and is back in the garage 10 minutes later.
2:58 p.m. – Over the next three hours, Earnhardt posted five mock-qualifying runs in preparation for Sunday’s Daytona 500 Qualifying (3:10 p.m. ET on FOX). At the end of the session, the No. 88 ranks 11th on the speed charts.
3:13 p.m. – Before leaving the garage, Earnhardt knocks out a few interviews and autographs, but now he is switching into broadcaster mode as he prepares for his role as the fourth member of the FOX broadcast booth for The Clash.
3:50 p.m. – Earnhardt climbs into a Tahoe and departs his motorhome again heading to the TV Compound for the FOX Production meeting with the network’s team and NASCAR executives starting at 4 p.m.
5:10 p.m. – The production meeting wraps and Earnhardt spends extra time talking to his booth mates for the broadcast – Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon.
5:15 p.m. – Earnhardt is dropped off just outside the garage and rushes to a media roundtable session with a group of media members working on stories surround his return to racing.
5:53 p.m. – The media session ends and Earnhardt heads back to his motorhome to eat quickly before his FOX obligations begin.
6:35 p.m. – Knowing he needs to be at FOX’s Hollywood Hotel by 6:45 p.m., Earnhardt and crew leave the motorhome lot once again and make the short drive over to FOX’s Hollywood Hotel, where he shoots a quick pre-race piece with Waltrip, Gordon and Chris Myers.
6:58 p.m. – The booth trio climbs into a pair of Chevy SUVs and makes the trek from the infield to the broadcasting booth. Seven minutes later, Earnhardt, Waltrip, Gordon and several NASCAR executives cram into an elevator to head to the broadcast booth, which is located next door to NASCAR Race Control.
7:07 p.m. – Finally, Earnhardt is in the booth and has the opportunity to check out his surroundings for The Clash broadcast.
7:41 p.m. – Earnhardt is on camera for the first time in the booth. It’s a quick intro bit spearheaded by the broadcasting veteran Mike Joy and saw both Waltrip and Gordon pepper Earnhardt with questions to preview the race. Shortly after, the rain begins and stops, then repeats the cycle numerous times until NASCAR officials are finally forced to call the race.
9:29 p.m. – The race is postponed until Sunday morning at 11:35 a.m. Everyone begins planning for timing for the next day. Earnhardt will be back for the broadcast before qualifying.
9:42 p.m. – Earnhardt’s day is done. He’s back to his bus. The end of his first day of Speedweeks.