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Dale Earnhardt Jr. named honorary starter for 2020 Daytona 500

Vera Bradley x Blessings In A Backpack Event With Dale & Amy Earnhardt

MOORESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 16: Dale Earnhardt Jr. surprises students for the Vera Bradley x Blessings In A Backpack Event at Shepherd Elementary on September 16, 2019 in Mooresville, North Carolina. (Photo by Jeff Hahne/Getty Images for Vera Bradley)

Getty Images for Vera Bradley

It looks like Dale Earnhardt Jr. will complete a row on his Daytona 500-themed Bingo card next year.

Daytona International Speedway announced Monday that the NBC Sports analyst will be the honorary starter and will wave the green flag to begin the Feb. 16 Daytona 500.

A two-time winner of the “Great American Race,” it will mark the third year in a row Earnhardt has been part of the pre-race ceremonies for the event. In 2018, he gave the command to start engines and this year he was the honorary pace truck driver.

Include a win in the race, his 2011 pole as one box and that’s Bingo.
“The only thing left for Dale now is for him to sing the National Anthem prior to the Daytona 500,” said Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile in a press release. “That probably won’t happen. But what will happen, come February, will be another outpouring of support from race fans about Dale’s involvement. There’s no way to exaggerate how much he means to the fans and to NASCAR. Any role he plays on a Daytona 500 weekend is significant.”

In the press release, Earnhardt joked “One thing is certain, I’m not doing any singing at Daytona no matter how hard they ask. But I am going to enjoy waving the green flag in February. The start of the Daytona 500 is a special moment in not only NASCAR but all of sports. I am truly honored to be part of that.”