By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor
Jeffrey Earnhardt has a ride for the Daytona 500.
StarCom Racing announced Tuesday that Earnhardt, 28, will pilot the team’s No. 00 Chevrolet in the 60th running of ‘The Great American Race.’ VRX Simulators will serve as the primary sponsor for the effort.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jeffrey and VRX to the StarCom Racing team” StarCom Racing President Matt Kohler said in a release. “The duo of (Derrike) Cope and Earnhardt bring experience and excitement for the (No.) 00 in 2018.”
Because StarCom Racing recently leased a charter from Richard Childress Racing for the 2018 season, Earnhardt will be guaranteed a spot in the 40-car field for the event – continuing a streak of 40-consecutive years in which a member of the Earnhardt family has competed in the Daytona 500.
“I am so appreciative of everyone at StarCom Racing and VRX for having confidence in me and making this a reality,” Earnhardt said. “There’s been an Earnhardt driving in the 500 for 39 years so to be able to keep that streak going for a 40th year means a lot to me and I’m sure a lot of Earnhardt fans are going to be happy to hear this news.”
Tony Furr will serve as Earnhardt’s crew chief in the effort, with traditional driver Derrike Cope serving as the team’s manager.
StarCom first joined the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series paddock in the fall race at Kansas Speedway in 2017, tallying a 40th-place finish with Cope. The team returned with the former Daytona 500 winner for the penultimate race of the season at ISM Raceway, where they finished 32nd.
Earnhardt, the grandson of seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt Sr. and nephew of two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr., has 58-career starts in NASCAR’s premier series, with a best finish of 26th.
The Kannapolis, N.C. native had competed full-time on the circuit for the paired Circle Sport- The Motorsports Group team in 2017, piloting the No. 33 Chevrolet with support from streaming service Hulu. But a split between the two paired teams left Earnhardt in search of a full-time ride over the offseason.
The agreement between Earnhardt and StarCom is for one race, with the potential for additional races as the season goes on.