Taylor Earnhardt to drive father's famed No. 3 Chevy at Festival of Speed in England
Taylor Earnhardt will drive the car her late father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., used to win his last NASCAR race in the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Goodwood, England on July 3-5. // Courtesy, Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing officials say the team’s No. 3 Chevrolet that the late Dale Earnhardt used to win his final Cup race will participate in the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Goodwood, England, this weekend.
Earnhardt’s youngest child, Taylor Earnhardt, will drive the car in demonstration runs during the festival. Taylor Earnhardt, 20, has never driven a stock car. She will be accompanied by her mother, Teresa Earnhardt, president and CEO of Dale Earnhardt Inc., founded in 1980 with her husband.
“I was honored to be asked by Lord March to have one of legendary RCR black No. 3 Chevrolets participate in this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed,” RCR President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Childress said in a news release. “This is a great opportunity to promote the legacy of Dale Earnhardt, not only in the United States but throughout the world. I also think it’s great that Taylor will have the opportunity to drive the car her father made so famous.”
Dale Earnhardt won his final race at Talladega in 2000, and the car has been on display at the RCR Museum since its opening in 2003.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual event held since 1993 at the Goodwood House in West Sussex, a place of great British motorsports history. Race cars of many generations will participate in both demonstration and competition runs up the nine-turn 1.16-mile hillclimb course.
This year’s gathering will include a number of NASCAR stock cars in honor of the 50th anniversary of Daytona International Speedway.
“It is truly an honor to have Dale Earnhardt, Inc. included in this prestigious event,” Teresa Earnhardt said. “To see this winning Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet among the legendary race cars from past and present will be remarkable. To have Taylor honor her father’s legacy behind the wheel of this special race car will make this a memorable event for our organization.”
Former No. 3 crew members Danny Lawrence and Rich Burgess prepared the car for the Goodwood festival. Lawrence is currently the assistant head engine builder/trackside manager for Earnhardt-Childress Racing Engines, and Burgess is the shop manager for RCR’s No. 31 team in the Sprint Cup Series.
“It’s very, very exciting,” Taylor Earnhardt said. “I’ve already spent some time in the car getting used to it, and I’m looking forward to the demonstration run. Hopefully, the fans in the United States and around the world will enjoy seeing one of my father’s winning cars participate in this awesome event.”
