Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been one of the best parts of NBC’s NASCAR coverage since joining the broadcast team, but it’s not a sure thing he returns in 2024.
Many simply assumed Earnhardt Jr. was returning to the booth, as we haven’t heard otherwise — until now. The NASCAR Hall of Famer revealed his contract with NBC ran out at the end of last season, and they’re currently trying to figure out the next steps, but nothing’s guaranteed, of course.
“My contract with NBC is up,” Earnhardt said, via the Dale Jr Download. “It was up at the end of last year. I’m currently working through what that looks like for me. I definitely love being in the broadcast booth and want to continue doing that.
“We’ve had some great conversations with all of NASCAR’s TV partners. My home and my love is at NBC and I’d love to be back with them so we’ll see where it goes. But right now, I really don’t have a job in terms of broadcasting.”
That’s a pretty fascinating revelation from Earnhardt Jr. and NBC. Who knows, Earnhardt Jr. could’ve potentially ended up elsewhere if this news came to light earlier. He’s become a staple of their NASCAR coverage, providing fascinating insight and making the broadcast fun for fans of the sport.
Additionally, Earnhardt Jr.’s Dale Jr Download is no longer airing on the Peacock app while everything gets sorted out, so it’s been available on YouTube. The veteran driver explained what goes into that, and where his broadcasting future could go, later in his statement.
“The Dale Jr Download, people have been asking for full episodes forever,” Earnhardt added. “We’ve had a lot of reasons why we weren’t doing that but I’m excited. It’s easy for people to find. Everyone uses YouTube so you’ll be able to watch episodes the rest of the year through YouTube. We have a lot to be excited about with that.
“As I learn more about my broadcasting future, I will let everyone know about that. I’m anxious to get that sorted out because certainly have had a lot of fun with NBC over the years doing that, broadcasting with (Steve) Letarte and those guys.”
Alas, it’s evident Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a love for broadcasting, but it remains to be seen if he’ll return to NBC in 2024. For the channel’s sake, we’re hoping to see the legendary driver return, and help add to the broadcasts once again this season.
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