Dale Earnhardt Jr. has announced he is celebrating a milestone by donating $1 million to charities across the United States.
The NASCAR Hall of Famer announced the news Tuesday, saying that he had reached 1 million followers on Instagram. To celebrate, he donated $100,000 to a charity in 10 cities across the country for a total of $1 million.
To pick the charities, Earnhardt and The Dale Jr. Foundation identified the 10 cities where he had the most followers. Each charity falls into The Dale Jr. Foundation's categories of giving: empowerment, education, wellness, hunger, and hope.
To celebrate reaching 1M Instagram followers we are going to donate $1 million to charities across the United States. @tdjf has identified a charity located in each of the top-10 cities where my followers reside, with each organization receiving $100,000.
It’s exciting times for… pic.twitter.com/bYC6zWLED2
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 28, 2024
Earnhardt and The Dale Jr. Foundation selected the following recipients: Regional Food Bank of NE Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.), Fletcher Place Community Center (Indianapolis), Armer Foundation for Kids (Phoenix), Kids Meals, Inc. (Houston), Nashville Angels (Nashville, Tenn.), New York Common Pantry (New York), Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus, Ohio), Heart of Los Angeles (Los Angeles), Hope of Mooresville (Mooresville, N.C.), and Classroom Central (Charlotte, N.C.).
"This is an exciting time for The Dale Jr. Foundation," Earnhardt said in a statement. "None of this would be possible without the support from the fans and followers. To have the opportunity to give back in this way is truly special, and it's all due to the tremendous support of the foundation."
Earnhardt reached the milestone after making a significant move
As a 15-time Most Popular Driver in NASCAR's Cup Series, Earnhardt had a substantial fanbase. This was evident during his racing career, as well as in the aftermath as he moved into the broadcast booth with NBC Sports.
This offseason, Earnhardt made another significant move. He confirmed that he would not return to NBC Sports for the 2024 NASCAR season.
Instead, the booth will primarily feature play-by-play man Rick Allen and analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte during the NBC Sports portion of the season. This portion begins with the inaugural Cup race at Iowa Speedway on June 16.
According to Adam Stern of the "Sports Business Journal," Leigh Diffey will replace Allen in the Cup booth after the two-week Olympic break.
Earnhardt will miss the 2024 broadcast season but will return for 2025. According to a May announcement by TNT Sports, he will provide analysis and on-air commentary for the five summer races aired by TNT Sports. This schedule begins with Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 28, 2025.
Along with providing commentary, Earnhardt agreed to create content for Bleacher Report's digital and social platforms. The announcement said the plan would include interview segments where guests rode with Earnhardt.
Earnhardt will also join Amazon Prime's broadcast coverage during the 2025 season. Like TNT Sports, Amazon Prime will broadcast five midseason races. Its first will be the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR's longest race and one of its four crown jewels.
"We are thrilled to welcome Dale as an official member of the Amazon family, and build our NASCAR coverage around him," said Jared Stacy, Director of Global Live Sports Production for Prime Video, in a press release.
"One of the most beloved figures in racing history, Dale has an unrivaled passion for the sport. We are so excited for him to connect with NASCAR fans next season on Prime Video."