Dale Earnhardt Jr. hails ”father figure” Rick Hendrick after his Cup Series success as an owner at Daytona 500 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed deep gratitude for Rick Hendrick, calling him a father figure after his team, JR Motorsports, secured its first-ever entry in the Daytona 500. A video posted by Sirius XM NASCAR captured a heartfelt moment as Earnhardt Jr. took a phone call from Hendrick following the milestone achievement.

After the call, Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke about the impact Rick Hendrick has had on him, both professionally and personally. Having known Hendrick since he was 13 years old, Earnhardt Jr. acknowledged how the NASCAR team owner had given him guidance and support over the years. The tweet was captioned,

"📲 @DaleJr had an important phone call to answer after the win. Hear from the @JRMotorsports co-owner on the impact Rick Hendrick has had on his career and life as he reflects on JRM locking into their first ever Cup Series race."

In the interview after the phone call, Dale Earnhardt Jr. went on to describe his relationship with Rick Hendrick. He said,

"Well, Rick's kind of like a father figure, and I've known him since I was, shoot, 13 - long time. I can't even remember, but he has definitely filled some voids in my life. Me and Kelly are very thankful for that."

He also expressed gratitude for the way Hendrick has helped his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, grow in confidence and establish herself racing industry. He added,

"I'm very thankful for Rick and how he's taken care of Kelly and allowed Kelly to grow her confidence, become the person she is in our industry, be so respected,"

In a 2017 interview with NASCAR.com, Rick Hendrick described his relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. He said,

"We have almost like a father/son relationship. Now I get to see him grow through all those stages of life, get a girlfriend, get married and now be a father."

“The biggest regret I have is that he got hurt in the car. But I wouldn’t take anything for the time. I would like to have won championships, I would have liked to have won more races, but the good times we had together, the bond that we have with each other, the fun we’ve had together, and the relationship that’s been developed is so important to me. That’s not going to end,” Hendrick added.

As for Justin Allgaier’s performance in the Daytona 500, he secured JR Motorsports' place in the Daytona 500 by finishing ninth in the first BlueGreen Vacations Duel on February 13. As an "Open" team without a NASCAR Charter guaranteeing entry, Allgaier's performance was important in earning a spot in the Great American Race. He will start 19th in the No. 40 car.

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"The moment I asked Justin to race for JR Motorsports" Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares a heartfelt photograph

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also recently shared a nostalgic moment on X, posting a picture from the day he asked Justin Allgaier to join JR Motorsports. The post came shortly after Allgaier secured the historic Daytona 500 qualification. The tweet was captioned,

"The moment I asked @J_Allgaier about coming to race for @JRMotorsports,"

Allgaier, who has been with JR Motorsports for years, recently won the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship. His record-setting season included leading 709 laps and winning 16 stages.