Dale Earnhardt Jr. is going to the Super Bowl without his favorite team. Then he’ll climb into an Olympic bobsled.
So ... how’s that retirement thing working out?
NASCAR’s perennial most popular driver has begun his transition into his second career in broadcasting and will hit it hard in February during coverage of the two biggest TV sports events.
Earnhardt (a Washington Redskins fan, for the record) will be part of the Super Bowl pregame show, NBC announced Tuesday. He’ll “share his great sense of adventure” by taking part in events around Minneapolis leading up to the big game Feb. 4.
Four days later Earnhardt will begin contributing to coverage of the Pyeongchang Winter Games. He will report on South Korean culture and traditions and visit the speedskating oval (which might bear some resemblance to Bristol Motor Speedway if you reach) and the Alpensia Sliding Center, where bobsled competition is held (think Watkins Glen, but with more elevation change).
Earnhardt connected last summer with U.S. Olympic bobsled driver Nick Cunningham. Cunningham offered on Twitter to take Earnhart for a ride, and Earnhardt didn’t need any time to think. Apparently they’ll be taking viewers along.
Remember, a history of debilitating concussions contributed to Earnhardt’s decision to retire, so they probably ought to be cautious.
Now as much as these assignments seem like they’re done mostly to play on his popularity with people who may not already be watching an event such as the Olympics, there’s a decent chance Earnhardt will do well with them. He is inquisitive, and when he opens up is a very engaging speaker. Earnhardt also is a fan of the history of his own sport; there’s no reason to think he won’t pick up on and appreciate that of others.
Earnhardt, 43, winner of 26 NASCAR Cup Series races, ultimately will be part of the NASCAR coverage on the NBC family, which takes over from Fox in the second half of the season.
In the meantime, he and wife Amy are expecting their first child in May. And now he has these other adventures.