Overview
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on his podcast that his wife, Amy, told him he should drive in the 2027 Daytona 500.
- Hours later, he clarified that he will not race in the Cup Series and explained he shared the story to clear Amy of past blame for his retirement.
- He has not competed in the Daytona 500 or the NASCAR Cup Series since 2017, when concussion concerns ended his full‑time career.
- Since retiring from full‑time Cup racing, he has run select O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events, including a 2024 start at Bristol, but skipped the series in 2025.
- JR Motorsports fielded Daytona 500 entries in 2025 and 2026 with Justin Allgaier, and fans and sponsors briefly buzzed about a one‑off return before Earnhardt Jr.’s denial.