Dale Jr. Trading Ovals For F1 At The Miami Grand Prix
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spent a lifetime around motorsports. He's raced in and won NASCAR's biggest events, attended the Indianapolis 500, and was even part of the broadcast crew for the Kentucky Derby. But in May, he'll check off something new: attending his first Formula 1 race in person.
Thanks to his recently announced partnerships with Hard Rock and Red Bull, Earnhardt and his wife, Amy, will head to Miami for the spectacle that is F1.
"I've never been to an F1 race," Earnhardt said. "We got an invitation from the Red Bull folks and Hard Rock to come out there, so I think me and Amy are definitely going to do it. Never seen it before, so I know that's a big deal."
The Miami Grand Prix is still relatively new on the F1 calendar, but its reputation as a high-glitz, high-speed event is already solidified. With the race snaking around the Hard Rock Stadium and the South Florida heat turning the paddock into an outdoor nightclub, it's a world apart from the dirt-covered garages and tailgate lots of NASCAR.
"People tell me I'm not prepared for what I'm going to witness in terms of what a spectacle it is," Earnhardt admitted. "So we're excited."
And because this isn't just any race weekend for Earnhardt, he won't be staying in just any hotel. He'll be nearby at the Hard Rock's famous Guitar Hotel—because when you partner with Hard Rock, you don't just show up, you make an entrance.
Which brings up an interesting question: could a motorsports-themed hotel ever exist? If Hard Rock can build a 450-foot-tall guitar, surely someone could put together a race car-shaped hotel, right?
"Oh, shoot, man, I don't know," Earnhardt said with a laugh. "I mean, Hard Rock's pretty adhered to the music theme, and that guitar, when you see it on the horizon, it's something else. And when you get on the property, it's even better. I got a chance to stay there a couple nights with Amy, walk around, see the pool and cabanas and all that. It's pretty amazing."
Hard Rock has built its brand on music, but it's also dipped its toes into motorsports. It's a founding sponsor of the Miami Grand Prix, a partner of Red Bull Racing, and now has a NASCAR Hall of Famer on its roster. So, could a NASCAR-themed suite or a stock car-inspired casino be in the cards?
"They've done a really good job reinventing themselves, working hard to be successful, and I think they found a pathway forward that makes it exciting to team up with," Earnhardt said. "So who knows?"
For now, Earnhardt will be taking in his first F1 experience as a fan, seeing how the other half of the motorsports world operates. Given his enthusiasm for fast cars, big events, and maybe even the occasional bet at the Hard Rock sportsbook, he might just find himself hooked on the world of Formula 1. One thing's for sure—he won't be watching it the same way ever again.
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