Dale Earnhardt Jr. spends $190,000 to get back his father's prized possession

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spent years collecting artifacts of his father's stellar career since his death. Earnhardt Jr. has made it a point to collect items used by his father while racing for NASCAR. All of this led him to spend $190,000 on one of his father's old cars.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. had a remarkable NASCAR career that established him as one of the sport's greatest drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. spent nearly two years restoring a vintage Chevrolet Nova that his father raced in the Busch Grand National Series back in the 1980s.

He bought it in April 2019 and took it for its first public drive last week on the back roads leading to the JR Motorsports shop. The automobile is being refurbished in preparation for the NASCAR Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway from May 7th to 9th, 2023. Earnhardt Jr. mentioned on his podcast that the car was originally a Pontiac Ventura before being converted into a Nova. He kept track of the vehicle while it was used as a vintage racing car over the years, including a couple of races at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. He paid roughly $190,000 for the car after consulting with his uncle, Robert Gee Jr.

Despite this, Earnhardt Jr. was skeptical of the car's authenticity until he saw hammer-striking marks on the floorboard from his father's work to lower the seats. That wasn't enough until he discovered a 1986 photo showing himself in the car with a radio box drilled into the driver's side door.

Earnhardt Jr. experienced a heartwarming moment after securing another piece of his father's career that holds a special place in his heart.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. on restoring his father's vintage Chevrolet Nova

Nothing compares to the bond formed between father and son, which prompted Dale Earnhardt Jr. to purchase his father's 1984 Goodwrench racecar. If you're a fan, you're surely aware that Earnhardt Sr. drove that car to six victories. Even though it was an outdated race car, the winning streak added to the high price.

Earnhardt Jr. recalls the touching story on his podcast, the Dale Jr. Download. The car driven as Goodwrench #8 was a Pontiac Ventura. Earnhardt Jr. had a soft spot in his heart for the racecar, so he kept a close eye on it as it competed in several races.

Earnhardt Jr. mentioned it on his podcast, saying:

“That’s it, I don’t need anything else. That to me, locks it down that I am holding the real thing…I ran back up to the house to tell Amy [Earnhardt]. I was almost in tears getting that type of confirmation that I have the car.”

This heartwarming tale of saving a piece of one's father's history is one for the ages to come.