Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn't like beer when he first teamed up with Budweiser

Turns out, you don’t actually have to be the biggest fan of a product to earn its sponsorship in NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently told a funny story about his partnership with Budweiser early in his career … and how he wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of beer.

Earnhardt worked with Budweiser beginning in 1999. The No. 8 “Bud” car will forever be tied with the popular driver. But in a recent episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast, Earnhardt said that when the two parties began working together, he really wasn’t really into those beverages.

“When I teamed up with Budweiser in 1999, I was not a beer drinker,” Earnhardt said. “Not at all. Not at all.

Thankfully, Earnhardt received some advice from his father. Er … well, maybe it wasn’t advice as much as a “here’s what you’re going to do, son,” comment.

“Dude, we were going to the first dinner — the Busch’s that owned it, they were at this dinner in Charlotte. They came to Charlotte to have dinner with me and Dad. We’re driving there, and I’m like, ‘Dad, do I gotta drink a beer at this thing?’ He’s like, ‘You’re damn right you do.'”

So, Earnhardt sipped on a beer through the dinner. It worked out pretty well for both sides in the end. Plus, the driver says he’s a pretty big beer fan now.

“Of course, over time, I love it. I love beer,” Earnhardt said.

Dale Jr. to race in two NASCAR Xfinity Series races

Earnhardt’s full-time racing days might be behind him, but the former NASCAR star will hop back behind the wheel for two races in 2023. Both will be in the Xfinity Series.

Earnhardt plans to race at Sept. 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway. He’ll also drive at Miami-Homestead on Oct. 21. This will be the first time he’s participated in multiple races in the same regular season since his retirement in 2017.

The 48-year-old found a lot of success in the series, winning the (then-Busch Series) championship in back-to-back seasons in 1998 and 1999. He’s participated in 144 races, winning 24 times and finishing inside the top-10 on 94 occasions. Earnhardt’s last victory on the Xfinity Series came in 2016 at Richmond.

Earnhardt also participated in 631 races in the NASCAR Cup Series during his career. He claimed 26 checkered flags and recorded 260 finishes inside the top-10.

He may not be running full-time any longer, but fans always love seeing Earnhardt on the track. It’s pretty cool we’ll see him twice this season.