The Earnhardts have been racing royalty now for more than four decades. First, Dale Earnhardt became a NASCAR legend, then his son, Dale Jr., went on to become the sport's most popular star.
Now, a new sponsorship agreement means that an Earnhardt will continue in the Monster Energy Cup series.
Excited to announce I will be returning to @CSTMG3330 in the 2018 @NASCAR season
— Jeffrey Earnhardt (@JEarnhardt1) October 15, 2017
Circle Sports has announced that Earnhardt, the nephew of Dale Jr., will continue in is No. 33 Chevrolet in 2018.
"Joe has been excellent to me," Earnhardt said in remarks reported by The Johnson City Times. "He has gone above and beyond what anyone has asked for. He went on a limb and believed on me. He spent his hard-earned money and then we were able to get sponsorship as the year went on. We clicked, got along and enjoyed working with each other. We continued to grow the program throughout the year and we want to continue to grow it for years to come."
Earnhardt hasn't has on-track success yet. This season, his best finishes were 26th at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis, and 27th-place finishes at the Food City 500 in Bristol and at Dover.
Still, with other big-name and more accomplished drivers seeking rides -- this Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola, Matt Kenseth -- Circle Sports wanted Earnhardt back.
"There is a lot of craziness going on," Joe Falk, owner of Circle Sports. "The phones are getting burnt up. "There is a lot of craziness going on," Falk said. "The phones are getting burnt up. There are a lot of people with no seats right now. But, Jeffrey and I have had a decent year. He has gotten better. The equipment has gotten better and we're looking forward to next year." But, Jeffrey and I have had a decent year. He has gotten better. The equipment has gotten better and we're looking forward to next year."