Just weeks after surviving a fiery plane crash, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family appeared at the Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 race in Darlington, South Carolina, Saturday.
Amy Earnhardt and their 1-year-old daughter, Isla Rose, showed their support at the Darlington Raceway for Earnhardt's first race back since the dangerous plane crash in Tennessee just a few weeks ago.
“This entire experience couldn’t have been better,” Earnhardt shared on Twitter after the race alongside a photo of him with his family. “From planning the paint scheme with @NegreNorman. To preparing the car. Friday practice. (I screwed up qualifying) The race result. The support from my family, friends, and especially the fans. I heard all of you today. Amazing.”
Amy shared her own message on Instagram surrounding the day, posting a photo of the back of their heads while her husband held their daughter, Isla.
“Today is a GOOD day!” she wrote in the caption. “Grateful for moments like this.”
The semi-retired racing legend was on board a plane on August 15 with his wife, daughter and dog along with the two pilots when the plane crashed through the fence and down into an embankment near Highway 91. Luckily, nobody on board sustained any serious injuries.
When responding to questions last week on whether he’d be racing in the upcoming Xfinity Series, Earnhardt answered, "Yes. I plan on driving still. My lower back is bruised up real bad. Lots of swelling and I just need that to go down and the pain to chill out.”
The NASCAR analyst and commentator for NBC Sports released a statement on Twitter a few days after the crash, thanking everyone for their support during the difficult time.
“Amy and I want to thank everyone who has lifted us up with phone calls, messages and prayer since last Thursday,” he wrote. “We are truly blessed that all on board escaped with no serious injuries, including our daughter, our two pilots and our dog Gus."
He also was appreciative of the privacy he and his family were able to have to "process everything" on their own time.
The airplane has been transported to Georgia where the National Transportation Safety Board investigators will look into what caused the crash.