Replacing Earnhardt a near-impossible task
For the legions of Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans in Indianapolis wondering which driver to cheer for once their beloved Junior steps away from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Austin Dillon has a suggestion: “How about Austin Dillon?”
“I’m right here,” Dillon said with a laugh ahead of this weekend’s Brickyard 400. “I’m trying to get as many of those fans as we can get on the Austin Dillon side of things. There are a lot of people looking for new drivers right now.”
Dillon, 27, the driver of Richard Childress’ historic No. 3 car and 20th in the Cup standings, knows Earnhardt’s looming retirement combined with the recent retirements of legends Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon creates a major opportunity for young drivers to snag a bigger piece of the spotlight across NASCAR Nation.
But Dillon, and NASCAR’s other young stars, also are quick to point out there is no replacing an icon such as Earnhardt.
It will be nearly impossible for any one driver to fill the void left by the man who has nearly 2.2 million Twitter followers and was voted NASCAR’s most popular driver 14 years running.
Earnhardt has too deeply ingrained himself in the hearts of his legions of fans to be replaced easily.
Earnhardt, who has long served as both NASCAR’s connec- tion to the past and its pilot into the future, will leave a legacy far too great for any one driver to replace.
He’s more than a fan favorite, Dillon said.
“He’s a hero of the sport. And it’s never good when you lose one of those,” Dillon said.
But while replacing Earnhardt — along with Stewart and Gordon — is impossible, the demise of NASCAR has been overstated, Dillon said.
The sport is in good shape with a host of young drivers ready and eager to soak up a portion of the spotlight Earnhardt will leave behind.
“All we’ve known is racing with Dale,” said David Ragan, a driver for Front Row Motorsports. “He’s been a huge star since I started in this series 10 years ago. It will be really different to not have him on track and not around as much.
“With Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, there are a lot of young kids in their 20s who are doing really good.”
It’s a great time to be a young driver in NASCAR, added Elliott, who has intimate knowledge of what it’s like to try to replace a legend. Last season, the 21-yearold took over for Gordon in the famed No. 24 car.
So he speaks from experience when he says that legends leaving provides “a big opportunity for guys like me who are coming up right now. It’s a good time to be working your way up the ranks if you have the right opportunity and the right chance.”
Elliott, Dillon and Ragan also were quick to point out that Earnhardt will still be around in some capacity next season. He has committed to driving in the Xfinity Series and has talked about returning for the Daytona 500, among other Cup races.
He won’t abandon NASCAR at a time when it needs him most. He’ll continue to be a face of the sport, to promote NASCAR and its rising stars and to mentor drivers who will help carry NASCAR into the future.
Of course, all of that will come in due time. This weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the spotlight will be on Earnhardt the driver — not the mentor — as he bids farewell to his Indianapolis fans.
Though the Brickyard has never been too kind to Earnhardt — he has finished in the top five once in 16 starts there — the IMS faithful are expected to shower him in adulation and give him the farewell he deserves.