Earnhardt set for NBC role

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will join NBC next season, the network that covers the second half of the NASCAR season.

The SportsBusiness Journal reported the news Monday morning. NBC Sports then "welcomed" Earnhardt to the team via Twitter.

Earnhardt is set to retire from NASCAR competition at the end of the season. A 14-time winner of the Most Popular Driver award, Earnhardt has competed in the NASCAR Cup Series full-time since 2000. To date, Earnhardt has won 26 career races, including two Daytona 500s.

Since announcing his retirement in April, Earnhardt has often spoken about the possibilities of other work within racing. Last year, Earnhardt joined the Fox Sports booth to call the Xfinity Series race at Michigan.

Earlier this year, Earnhardt did the same for The Clash at Daytona, since he was not competing in the event. Television work is something Earnhardt has stated more than once he enjoys and would be interested in doing again if the opportunity arose.

NBC says that Earnhardt "will be utilized in a number of capacities on NBC’s NASCAR coverage, with specifics to be announced in the coming months. In addition, the agreement with NBCUniversal allows Earnhardt a wide range of opportunities in the company’s media businesses, including movies, television, podcasts, and other areas."

NBC has also partnered with Earnhardt for his other business, including Dirty Mo Radio and Hammerhead Entertainment, which is his production company.

"Dale Jr. brings credibility, personality, and popularity to our already winning NASCAR team," said Sam Flood, Executive Producer and President of Production, NBC Sports. "Giving him a chance to spread further within other NBC Sports Group properties and throughout the company is an added bonus."

"It is a tremendous honor not only to join NBC Sports next year but to begin a new career alongside people who love NASCAR as much as I do," said Earnhardt. "To be reunited with Steve Letarte, to be able to call legends like Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty teammates rather than just friends, to be able to continue going to the track and connecting with race fans, it's a privilege I don't take lightly. I will devote my heart and soul to this broadcast team and pledge my very best to the millions who watch it."