DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 22: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, speaks with the media without a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series patch on his firesuit during the Daytona 500 Media Day at Daytona International Speedway on February 22, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)
In a recent episode of The Dale Jr Download, former Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Steve Letarte was the special guest. During his NASCAR tenure, he was the crew chief of Dale Earnhardt Jr from 2011 to 2014. So it was great to see the two ex-HMS alumni reuniting and reliving their time as teammates. Among other subjects, Letarte opened up on some regrets he did have while working alongside Dale Jr.
Talking with Dale Jr and Mike Davis, Letarte said, “I will say it, the one thing—I have very few regrets of Dale and I’s time together—the one thing that, if I could go back. We’d never won at Talladega together.
I got two at Talladega, two at Martinsville with two different drivers, and three at Pocono. Somebody swept it, guy across the table. Took them both in the same year.”
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Dale Earnhardt Jr had a fruitful liaison with Steve Letarte
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In all, Dale Earnhardt Jr mustered five wins during his Steve Letarte era. The first one was at the Michigan International Speedway in 2012, and the other four came in 2014. Those particular wins included his second career Daytona 500, two wins in Pocono, and one win at Martinsville. All five wins added to his tally of 26 career Cup Series triumphs.
As for Letarte, he retired from the position of crew chief after the 2014 Cup Series campaign. Since then, he has taken on the role of commentator and analyst for NBC Sports. Additionally, he acts as a consultant for the Spire Motorsports team in the Cup and the Truck Series.
via Getty NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 17: Dale Earnhardt Jr. visits the Andy Cohen Show to discuss his book book “Racing To The Finish: My Story” on Radio Andy at SiriusXM Studios on October 17, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
Now, both Earnhardt Jr and Letarte will be looking ahead to the ongoing 2023 Cup campaign. Already, the season is looking very exciting with a number of strong contenders. As a commentator himself, Dale Earnhardt Jr has also been enjoying the season and seeing how everything unfolds.
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