Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins Fox Sports broadcast for The Clash at Daytona

Before Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to the track in a competitive setting, NASCAR’s most popular driver will join the Fox Sports broadcast booth in its coverage of The Clash, the annual exhibition race that begins each Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.

Earnhardt will join Mike Joy, Jeff Gordon, and Darrell Waltrip in calling the non-points event featuring a limited field of drivers. Joy will handle play-by-play duties, while Earnhardt, Gordon, and Waltrip serve as analysts. Gordon and Earnhardt were former teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, and Gordon filled in for the injured Earnhardt in eight races last season. Earnhardt missed the entire second half of the 36-race season after suffering a concussion.

This is not Earnhardt’s first stint working in front of the camera. He joined Fox Sports’ broadcast team to call an Xfinity Series race at Michigan International Speedway in June. He also made two part-time appearances as part of NBC Sports’ Cup Series coverage during his recovery from a concussion.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into the Fox Sports booth for the Clash,” Earnhardt said in a statement. “I had a great experience last year and am sure it will be just as enjoyable this time around. It’s a fun challenge for me.”

A two-time Daytona 500 winner (2004, 2014), Earnhardt was eligible to race in the Clash but choose to sit out so Alex Bowman could compete. Had Earnhardt not relinquished his seat, Bowman would not have had a ride in the Feb. 18 race. Bowman made 10 starts as substitute for Earnhardt last season and earned eligibility by winning the pole at Phoenix International Raceway in November.