Today's article takes a look back to the 1998 season and focuses on the race that signaled the first time that Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced together in NASCAR Winston Cup competition. The race took place on November 22, 1998 at the Twin Ring Motegi track in Japan. The race took place just after the completion of the 1998 season as an exhibition race to expose NASCAR to an international market.
The big news surrounding the Japan race was that Dale Sr. and Dale Jr. would be taking to the track to compete against each other for the first time with special paint schemes on their cars from Coca-Cola. This special paint scheme program generated a huge amount of pre-race hype and became one of the most anticipated paint scheme events ever.
Dale Earnhardt's Coca-Cola car featured his famous #3 Chevrolet with a Coca-Cola red base color and the famous Coca-Cola button on the hood. The base paint scheme followed that of Dale's usual GM Goodwrench car, with the Coke colors replacing his normal black and silver. The button on the hood featured the checkered flag version of the bottle which was used for the Coca-Cola Racing Family in 1998.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to the track in the Dale Earnhardt Inc. #1, with a black Coca-Cola paint scheme. The hood of the car featured the Coke Polar Bear enjoying his cola refreshment. The sides of the car featured an ice and snow pattern along with a faded checkerboard accent. The Polar Bear appeared on the rear quarterpanels with the Coca-Cola script logo. The #1 was the same number font that Dale Earnhardt Inc. used for the car in regular Winston Cup competition.
This was a truly unique and well publicized NASCAR event. The combination of racing in another country and having the race feature the first time this legendary father/son combination would compete together made this promotion a popular one. Here is the article from NASCAR Online (as it was known then) announcing the event.
Coca-Cola Classic is delivering the hottest
father and son duo in NASCAR to racing fans. Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt
Jr. will race head-to-head for the first time at the Coca-Cola 500 in Motegi,
Japan on Nov. 22. To mark this historic event, both Earnhardts will drive
special Coca-Cola race cars.
The Earnhardts were joined Wednesday
morning at "World of Coca-Cola" by executives from the Coca-Cola Company, NASCAR
and Action Performance Companies, Inc. for the unveiling of the actual cars to
be driven in the Coca-Cola 500 race at the new Twin Ring Motegi oval. Dale
Earnhardt's red No. 3 car features the signature Coca-Cola Red Disk Icon and
NASCAR-themed checkered contour bottle. The famous Coca-Cola polar bear is
highlighted on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s black No. 1 car.
"My dad is the reason I am in this sport and he's someone I have always
looked up to, not only as my dad but as a great race car driver," Earnhardt Jr.
said. "The biggest thing I'm thinking about right now is our team getting some
cars ready that will be competitive. It might be really weird the first time I
try to pass him on the track if I get a chance to pass him. But, it's something
that will be exciting for both of us I'm sure."
"The one time I raced against my dad (Ralph Earnhardt) was at a
dirt track," Earnhardt said. "I was racing this guy, and my dad, who was leading
the race, came up behind me and I couldn't figure out what he was doing. Finally
he started bumping me so I figured I better hold the car straight. He pushed me
by this guy and I beat him, then dad drove on past
me.
"I got one exciting time racing
with my dad and it was pretty neat. I would have liked to have done more of it.
It is exciting to see Dale Jr. grow into the sport and it will be a great
experience to race him in Japan. However, it wouldn't look very good for him to
beat his good old dad, now would it?"
"This is our third year of NASCAR racing in Japan and our first
appearance on an oval track with Twin Ring Motegi," said Brian France, senior
vice president of NASCAR. "The Japanese fans will get to witness something
special when Dale and Dale Jr. take the green flag. I know every race fan back
in the states will be watching the father/son matchup on
TBS."
The announcement of this first
race with both Earnhardt and Earnhardt Jr. comes during a season in which both
drivers have reached career milestones. Earnhardt, the seven-time NASCAR Winston
Cup Series champion, achieved a significant career goal with his first Daytona
500 victory this past February. Earnhardt Jr. has taken the NASCAR Busch Series
Grand National Division by storm, winning five races and leading in the point
standings.
"NASCAR fans have been
waiting to see Dale and Dale Jr. race on the same track for quite a while, and
we are happy to be a part of this history-making event," said Jack Stahl,
president, Coca-Cola USA. "Bringing friends and family together is what the
Coca-Cola Racing Family is all about, and having this great father and son team
race at the Coca-Cola 500 is a perfect way to cap our first year as the Official
Soft Drink of NASCAR."
The company's involvement with the Coca-Cola 500
in Japan highlights its commitment to work together with NASCAR to develop
international programs for the sport. Although the Coca-Cola 500 takes place
thousands of miles away, diehard racing fans will be able to tune in to TBS
Superstation race coverage. In addition, fans and collectors in the U.S. will be
able to experience the excitement of this once-in-a-lifetime event thanks to
Action Performance, the industry leader in motorsports-related product licensing
and merchandising.
Action Performance
has created a vast array of exclusive Coca-Cola/Earnhardt merchandise and
apparel that will hit mass retail department stores nationwide beginning October
1998. Fans may also purchase the collectibles at upcoming NASCAR racing events
and order merchandise through the Racing Collectables Club of America (beginning
Thursday).
"Our partnership with
Coca-Cola is an example of how Action is using its full-service marketing
capabilities to capture additional opportunities for creating new product lines,
merchandising programs and marketing and distribution channels," said Fred
Wagenhals, Action Performance chairman, president and chief executive officer.
"Our abilities, added to the worldwide recognition of Coca-Cola and the
legendary appeal of the Earnhardt name, will give race fans one of the most
exciting programs in years."
In addition to the
Earnhardt's father and son debut, other firsts at the Twin Ring Motegi race
track include the first-time sponsorship of the exhibition race by Coca-Cola
Japan Company and the inaugural running of the NASCAR event at the new 1.5-mile
oval.