Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations
FORT WORTH, Texas – Miniature Shetland ponies and a life-sized bobblehead.
Those are two of the extravagant gifts Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage presented departing Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series stars Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart in recent years during their final races at the 1.5-mile speedway.
Next on the list of outgoing veterans is NASCAR’s most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., who announced in April that the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season would be his last. Fully aware tracks would shower him with gifts during his farewell tour, one track president and the gift he would present struck fear in Earnhardt Jr. during his announcement.
“We only have to go to Texas once, not twice,” Earnhardt Jr. with a smile said during the April 29 press conference announcing his retirement. “I know Eddie (Gossage) won’t have too many opportunities to pull any crazy stuff on me. He’s the only one I’m probably worried about to be honest with you.”
With 196 days between Earnhardt Jr.’s announcement and his final race at Texas Motor Speedway coming in the AAA Texas 500 on Sunday, Nov. 5, Gossage has had no shortage of time to mastermind another extraordinary retirement gift.
Gossage joined the Texas Motor Speedway video production team to put together a series of videos to share on the speedway’s social media channels highlighting some of the “ideas” that have crossed his mind in preparation for the AAA Texas 500. See them here.
Earnhardt Jr. makes his final visit to Texas Motor Speedway in the AAA Texas 500, which also serves as a pivotal race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
Tickets for Earnhardt Jr.’s farewell start as low as $49 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. Texas Motor Speedway also has various Dale Jr. ticket packages for the AAA Texas 500 on sale now. To purchase tickets or for more information, visitwww.texasmotorspeedway.com or contact the ticket office at (817) 215-8500.
