Dale Jr. recalls The Intimidator’s “black goodwrench days” as temperatures drop ahead of the Atlanta Cup race

Retired NASCAR Cup Series star Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to social media to share a story from his late father Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s racing days amid the threat of cold weather for this weekend's Cup Series race at Atlanta. With temperatures dropping below freezing, fear is in the mind of the team's engine builders this weekend.

FOX NASCAR reporter Bob Pockrass took to X to provide an update on the weather and the plans put in place for the race teams to keep their cars and trucks warm. The motorsports insider wrote:

"With temps in the 20s tonight, NASCAR will heat the Cup garages. Truck and Xfinity teams will put their impounded cars in their haulers after qualifying. Temps that cold overnight concern engine builders."

This sparked a response from Dale Jr. who recalled how his dad's team dealt with colder temperatures during the "black goodwrench days," a reference to Earnhardt Sr.'s famed black #3 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet, a car he drove from 1988 until his tragic death in 2001.

"Back in the black goodwrench days, dad's BGN team busted the block in the backup car at ATL when the water in the block froze overnight," Dale Jr. wrote in response to Pockrass.

This weekend's Ambetter Health 400 marks the second race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The Xfinity Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series take on Atlanta as well for a tripleheader weekend. The Truck Series race takes place on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. EST followed by the Xfinity race at 5 p.m. EST. The Cup Series race gets underway at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday.

---

Dale Jr. praised Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott amid Atlanta reconfiguration comments

The cold weather in Atlanta this weekend wasn't the only thing Dale Jr. made comments about via social media. After hearing Chase Elliott praise the Atlanta reconfiguration, Earnhardt said he liked what he heard.

In 2022, the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway was reconfigured and made into a drafting-style track, similar to Daytona and Talladega. In a recent press conference, Elliott made his feelings known that he enjoys the new surface. Frontstretch posted a snippet of the press conference and wrote via X:

"@chaseelliott praises @ATLMotorSpdwy reconfiguration, racing: “Glad we have two races here”. 🎤: @FSBradH #NASCAR"

This sparked a reaction from Earnhardt in a lengthy X post as the former driver believes the new Atlanta has the potential to be great for NASCAR in the years to come.

"Man, I like what I'm hearing from Chase here. Praising the reconfig. I remember when most drivers were very weary of a reconfig at ATL. ATL has a real chance to be explosive (in a good way) for NASCAR. The racing I've seen there the past few years is some of the best around. Kept me on the edge of my seat," Dale Jr. wrote.

Elliott is a Georgia native and considers Atlanta his home track. He has one win at the track that came back in 2022.