Dale Earnhardt Jr., a 26-time NASCAR winner, announced in April that this will be his final year of driving. Tuesday morning, Earnhardt tweeted that he and his wife Amy are going to be appearing on a home improvement series on the DIY Network. Apparently, they are going to remodel a historic home in Key West.
The name Earnhardt has always resonated with race fans in Alabama. Dale Jr. won the race that is now named the “Geico 500” at the Talladega Superspeedway three times, and his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., also won the race three times. Additionally, Dale Jr. won the fall race (now called the “Alabama 500”) three times, and Dale Sr. won that one seven times. Combined the Earnhardts have taken home the checkered flag at Talladega 16 different times in NASCAR competition, and Earnhardt Sr.’s 10 wins is a Talladega record. Unfortunately for Earnhardt Jr., his car blew a tire at Talladega during Sunday’s race. He will get one more shot at Talladega in the fall before he retires.
According to a release by DIY Network, Dale Jr. has a “soft spot” for home improvement, and his wife Amy is an accomplished interior designer. Dale and Amy actually met when she was building his North Carolina home. She was working for an Atlanta-based architectural firm. The two were married on New Year’s Eve of last year.
In the upcoming series, the Earnhardts will be renovating a dilapidated home in the historic Old Town district of Key West. They are going to transform it into a contemporary seaside resort. As part of the drama of the show, DIY Network says they will run into some typical challenges with an older house, including the plumbing, wiring, and structural issues.
“Amy is a fantastic designer. She has creative ideas and a strong work ethic,” Dale Jr. was quoted as saying. “We love DIY projects around the house, so I expect this to be challenging but fun.”
Dale Jr. is smart to go into television, given that he has been voted Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR Cup Series 14 times. This should be a fun watch for NASCAR fans and sports fans in general. It will provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the off-track passion of the most popular driver on the NASCAR circuit. The show is set to air in 2018.
