Dale Earnhardt Jr. spent years avoiding Sonoma Raceway after his Cup Series career ended. The track that gave him fits for 18 seasons suddenly became the place he never wanted to leave. Junior was there as both team owner and TNT broadcaster, watching Shane van Gisbergen dominate from the booth while his JR Motorsports drivers battled for victory in the Xfinity Series.
Why Did Dale Earnhardt Jr. Finally Return to Sonoma After Eight Years?
Earnhardt had a long NASCAR career, starting with two Xfinity Series championships before running 18 seasons in the Cup Series and winning 26 races from 1999 to 2017. But Junior never really was a road course guy. He never won a road course race in his Cup career, and Sonoma was particularly unkind to him.
During his 18 races in wine country, Earnhardt reached the top five just once and finished in the top 10 only three times. His final race there was a sixth-place finish in 2017, after which Junior retired from full-time competition. Following that, the NASCAR veteran never returned to the track, not even to watch a race.
Had TNT not signed him as an on-air commentator, he would probably have missed the 2025 event as well. But this time, he came, and he didn’t regret it.
What Made This Sonoma Weekend Special for Junior’s Team?
The weekend kicked off with the Xfinity Series race, where van Gisbergen drove the No. 9 car for Junior’s team, JR Motorsports (JRM). He managed to earn the pole position for the race. By the end of the race, it became a battle between two JRM drivers. However, Connor Zilisch came out on top, with van Gisbergen finishing second, giving the team a photo finish. Naturally, Earnhardt loved every second of it.
In the Cup race, van Gisbergen was on pole again. After leading 97 laps, he took the checkered flag. The final laps saw many cautions, but the Kiwi driver held his lead on every restart. Junior was pleased to be in the booth for this performance.
After the race, Earnhardt couldn’t wait to return next year. He penned down his Sonoma experience in a heartfelt X post:
“Landing in NC in about 30. Heck of a weekend in Sonoma. Got to take Amy and enjoy the area. Got to go to work with my TNT family. Saw an entertaining race, even if SVG had them covered. Hadn’t been to Sonoma since my cup career ended in 2017. Used to really dread the travel and struggle to figure that place out. But it eventually became a place I looked forward to. Already excited and planning for our return next season.”
Landing in NC in about 30. Heck of a weekend in Sonoma. Got to take Amy and enjoy the area. Got to go to work with my TNT family. Saw an entertaining race, even if SVG had them covered. Hadn’t been to Sonoma since my cup career ended in 2017. Used to really dread the travel and…
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) July 14, 2025
Junior’s excitement is understandable, as he had a front-row seat to history. Van Gisbergen became only the second driver in NASCAR history to win three consecutive road course races from pole, something Jeff Gordon accomplished in 1998 and 1999. Additionally, his 97 laps led are the most a driver has led at the 1.99-mile road course.
Van Gisbergen continues to prove why he’s the road course king. Everyone, not just Junior, is eagerly waiting to see what he does next in the sport.