By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor
Jeffrey Earnhardt is heading into his rookie campaign in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season. Earnhardt will share the No. 32 GO FAS Racing Ford Fusion with 2000 Sprint Cup champion, Bobby Labonte.
Labonte will drive the car in all four restrictor plate events this season, including the season-opening Daytona 500. C&J Energy Services will sponsor the car for those four events.
Earnhardt’s schedule is dependent on sponsorship. GO FAS Racing has already announced that Earnhardt is expected to race anywhere between 20 to 32 races in 2016. We already know that in the off season Can-Am struck an agreement to be the primary sponsor for Earnhardt in 11 races, and they will serve as an associate sponsor for the remainder of the schedule.
Tribute Racing has now learned that the team, which has had sponsorship in the past from CorvetteParts.net will continue that relationship in 2016. CorvetteParts.net will adorn the hood of Earnhardt’s car for a total of eight races. The sponsor will also be an associate sponsor for the remaining events this season.
According to Jennifer Weaver of Keen Parts, the eight races that CorvetteParts.net will serve as the primary sponsor for Earnhardt are: Bristol (spring), Richmond (spring), Dover (spring), Kentucky, Michigan (August), Darlington, Richmond (fall) and Martinsville (fall).
Keen Parts has had a sponsorship relationship with Earnhardt since 2013, and have sponsored the driver numerous times since then.
Earnhardt will battle the likes of Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Brian Scott and Chris Buescher for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors this year. Earnhardt is of course the grandson of the legendary Dale Earnhardt, and he is the nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt will look to improve on his Sprint Cup Series career-best finish of 35th, which he recorded last fall in New Hampshire. Overall, Earnhardt has started 78 races (two in the Sprint Cup Series) at the NASCAR National Series level (Sprint Cup, XFINITY, Camping World Trucks).
Before moving to the National Series ranks, Earnhardt climbed the ranks through the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series. At 18-years-old, Earnhardt finished fifth in the overall standings in that series in 2008. Earnhardt has also ran some sports car races in the past.
Image: Robert Laberge/Getty Images
