When HMS' Rick Hendrick exchanged memorable gifts with Dale Earnhardt Jr. after latter's final race

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s NASCAR Cup Series career concluded at Homestead-Miami Speedway seven years ago. As he drove his car to pit road for the final time, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and the driver exchanged heartfelt gifts, marking the end of a remarkable era.

Dale Jr., the son of the late seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, retired from full-time racing in 2017. However, he has stayed involved in the sport as a team owner and broadcaster.

The native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, revealed after his final Cup Series race that he had arranged with Rick Hendrick to retain the car in exchange for his iconic helmet, a fitting swap between the driver and the team owner.

"The deal I had with Rick was if I finished the race with the car in one piece, I’d get the car and he’d get the helmet. So, yeah, I’m going to take this thing back home," Earnhardt Jr. said.

The third-generation driver of the Earnhardt family, Dale Jr., amassed 26 career victories and claimed his 15th Most Popular Driver award in his final season. He joined Rick Hendrick’s team, Hendrick Motorsports, in the No. 88 Chevrolet for the 2007 season.

Earnhardt Jr., who had known Hendrick since childhood, thanked the latter for his constant support.

"I got very emotional talking to Rick. He’s been like a father to me. It’s easy to thank him for making me a driver for his team. But to thank him for being what he’s been to me as a person and a friend and a father figure is very hard," he added.

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"We have almost like a father/son relationship" - Rick Hendrick on Earnhardt Jr.

This was not the first time Rick Hendrick, the NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner, received a final helmet from a retiring driver. Jeff Gordon also presented his helmet to Hendrick after stepping away from the sport in 2015.

“I still can’t believe I’ve seen these two guys grow up. I’ve known Jeff since his early days and Dale since he was about 12 years old,” Hendrick said.

Hendrick, 75, also spoke about his father-son relationship with Earnhardt Jr., reflecting on how he had watched the driver grow from a young man into a mature adult and had been present for many of his significant life events.

"At the end of the day, I got to spend a good part of my life with a young man that I’ve become extremely close to. 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," he said (via NASCAR).