NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be the featured speaker for the 19th annual Athens Area Chamber of Commerce benefit in July in McMinn County, Tennessee.
Earnhardt, known by most as “Dale Junior,” has broad appeal, and response is already good, said Rob Preston, chamber CEO, in a phone interview. The benefit banquet is set for July 16, 2026.
“It’s just blown up,” Preston said of interest following an announcement on the chamber’s social media page. “I think it’s about 174,000 views. I don’t know what that means, but it’s a big number.”
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Earnhardt is widely liked, he said.
“He’s just such a quality person, and he’s obviously got a huge fan base,” Preston said. “He’s obviously had a great career, but he’s also a wonderful person. I can’t imagine anyone not liking this guy.”
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Earnhardt, elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2021, is a third-generation racer from a family deeply connected to American auto racing, according to his biographical information. As a driver, Earnhardt earned 50 victories and two championships in NASCAR’s top two national touring series, but he also excelled in likability, netting a record 15 consecutive NASCAR Most Popular Driver awards.
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Earnhardt was the guest speaker at the Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Preps Banquet in 2014.
The event in Athens will be a question-and-answer format using questions submitted ahead of time to the chamber, Preston said. Anyone, whether they plan to attend the 2026 event or not, can submit questions for consideration.
Preston notes the 2026 event is at 7 p.m. on a Thursday, instead of Saturday, which has been the day for past benefits. Doors open at 6 p.m.
A VIP ticket is $350, plus a $45 online fee. A dinner ticket is $88, plus a $14.96 online fee, and a program-only ticket is $45, plus a $7.65 online fee, according to event information. Tickets can be purchased online.
Contact Southeast Tennessee reporter Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.
Ben Benton is a news reporter at the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He covers Southeast Tennessee’s Bledsoe, Bradley, Franklin, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Rhea and Sequatchie counties.
Ben has worked at the Times Free Press since November 2005. Ben was born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, a graduate of Bradley Central High School. He has a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.