Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. sparked one of NASCAR’s most memorable rivalries during the Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR 2008 feud, especially following a controversial race at Richmond Raceway. After Busch’s late-race move on Earnhardt Jr., the resulting fallout escalated beyond the track, leading to death threats and heightened security throughout the racing season.
A Fierce Rivalry Ignites at Richmond
In May 2008, Richmond Raceway became the stage for high drama when Kyle Busch, running second, bumped Dale Earnhardt Jr. out of the lead with just two laps remaining in the Dan Lowry 400. The contact on Turn 4 handed Busch a podium finish while thrusting the event into controversy. Intense fan reactions followed, with many targeting Busch over the incident and turning every subsequent race weekend into a charged atmosphere.
The impact of that night went far beyond the racing surface. Busch later joined Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the Dale Jr. Download podcast to discuss the events, revealing how the situation developed real-world dangers for him and his team.
“For the rest of the year, there was crazy death threats and stuff like that. There was death threats to the house… There was a guy that called – I don’t remember if he called NASCAR or the race track, but it was Kentucky Speedway. I was at Kentucky for the XFINITY Series race,” Busch recalled.
The tension reached a new level during Busch’s appearance at Kentucky Speedway, where security measures intensified after a threat tip-off. Following his victory in the Xfinity Series race, local authorities moved quickly to ensure his safety.
“I won that night, and as soon as I did the Victory Lane stuff, they corralled me and got me and took me into a cop car and took me out of the race track in a cop car. I’m like ‘What are we doing, boys? What’s going on?’ They were like, ‘We’ve had a tip-off that there’s a shooter on the loose. Like, a guy’s coming to the race track with a shotgun,” he added.
The fear for personal safety was not fleeting. Busch’s team hired an FBI agent who stayed close for much of 2008, highlighting the depth of animosity that emerged from one on-track incident. The rivalry was further fueled by Earnhardt Jr.’s recent move to Hendrick Motorsports—a team previously associated with Busch—adding another layer of awkwardness to already heightened emotions. While both drivers insisted the contact was unintentional, fans were not as forgiving, and Busch became a polarizing figure as the season progressed.
Although Clint Bowyer ultimately claimed the win that night, the focus remained on the fallout between Busch and Earnhardt Jr. Junior Nation, as Earnhardt’s fan base was known, voiced strong disapproval, cementing Busch’s reputation as a weekend antagonist across the series. Busch’s remarkable 2008 season, which included eight wins, was consistently shadowed by the animosity that began at Richmond.
Fall Confrontation and Changing Dynamics
The early-season clash in Richmond set the tone, but it was at the fall race at the same Virginia short track that Earnhardt Jr. responded on the track. On September 7, 2008, Earnhardt executed a bump-and-run on Kyle Busch in Turn 3, causing Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing car to spin as the crowd offered resounding approval. This move appeared to be a direct answer to the controversial contact that had ignited the feud in the spring.
Despite the ongoing on-track drama, tension between the drivers gradually cooled in the following years. By early 2024, the two reunited on Greg Olsen’s Youth Inc. podcast, reflecting on how their professional relationship evolved while noting that their fan bases still struggle to move on.
“Our fan bases are not well aligned. Me and Kyle have had a bit of a history on the racetrack, but have since become pretty good buds. But our fan bases still are having a hard time understanding,” Dale Jr. said. —Dale Earnhardt Jr., former NASCAR driver
Earnhardt Jr. also pointed to the circumstances that heightened the rivalry, referencing his recent move to the team Busch had just exited and the awkward competitive environment it created.
“I had just moved to a team that he had just left. There was a kind of a weird awkwardness amongst all that. I wrecked him at Kansas… I wasn’t handling it good, he wasn’t handling it great, and we went back and forth in the media bunch,” Dale Jr. added —Dale Earnhardt Jr., former NASCAR driver
Despite their issues on and off the track, both drivers managed to secure spots in the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Busch finished 10th in the standings, while Earnhardt Jr. earned 12th, showing that professional competition continued even as the rivalry raged.
Lasting Effects of a NASCAR Flashpoint
By the end of 2008, Busch and Earnhardt Jr. put much of their conflict behind them, yet the two legendary Richmond races remain defining moments in NASCAR history. The Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR 2008 feud is remembered as a turning point where competitive contact escalated into threats, media scrutiny, and a dramatic division among fans. Kyle Busch’s experiences with threats highlighted the real-world risks drivers can face in emotionally charged rivalries, and the ordeal demonstrated how quickly events in motorsport can transform from mere competition to cultural milestones. As their relationship has matured, the legacy of that rivalry endures, serving as a cautionary tale about passion, loyalty, and the sometimes unpredictable impact of sports on its most visible figures.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. a billionaire?
A. By 2025, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is expected to have a net worth of $300 million. This wealth comes from his successful career as a leading NASCAR driver and his current role as a broadcaster. He continues to grow his financial influence through endorsements, team ownership, and various partnerships.
Q. Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. ever race again?
A. NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. is getting ready to race again in 2025. Fans of the racing legend will soon watch him drive his famous No. car.
Q. Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. race again?
A. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is starting to plan his 2025 Late Model Stock Car racing events. We now know about one race he’ll join. As expected, his first announced race will be at Florence Motor Speedway in Timmonsville, South Carolina.
Q. Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. going to be racing again?
A. “The tradition goes on,” stated MLB. “Dale Earnhardt Jr. will again drive the No. 8 Budweiser MLB car, reviving his Daytona victory from 24 years ago.”
