Earnhardt Jr. says driving No. 3 car will make him feel good to honor late father

Junior thinks time is right to drive the 3 car

RICHMOND, Va. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. says driving a replica of his father’s famous No. 3 car at Daytona in July seems like a fitting way to honor his dad’s NASCAR Hall of Fame induction.

Earnhardt announced his plan to drive the Wrangler car in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona on Thursday. The announcement came on what would have been the seven-time NASCAR champion’s 59th birthday. He died in a crash in the season-opening Daytona 500 in 2001.

Earnhardt’s number has not been used in NASCAR’s top series since, but his son says it is “ridiculous” to expect drivers to steer clear of using it in a show of respect for his father.

Earnhardt will be one of the five inductees in the first NASCAR Hall of Fame class in May.