The Philadelphia Eagles will run a NASCAR paint scheme after all. Nearly one year after Dale Earnhardt Jr. saw the design pulled from his No. 88 due to "NFL policy", the parties involved have decided to bring it back for the Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono Raceway on July 29.
With Earnhardt -- an avid Redskins fan -- now retired, it'll be up to Alex Bowman to honor the Super Bowl champions this time around. Axalta Racing and the Eagles announced the partnership on Friday morning from Commerce Square in Philadelphia.
Wondering what led to the change of heart? The first thing we noticed was that Axalta chose to partner with the Philadelphia Eagles by supplying paint for goal posts at Lincoln Financial Field prior to their Super Bowl season.
The @AxaltaRacing No. 88 car, which will hit the track at @poconoraceway on July 29th. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/nZdws1egBn
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 13, 2018
Months after that -- and weeks after the Eagles Super Bowl win over the Patriots -- SportsBusiness Daily's Adam Stern reported that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued an apology letter to Axalta CEO Charlie Shaver for not allowing Hendrick Motorsports to run the Eagles paint scheme at Pocono in 2017.
That’s a pretty fly paint job, @AlexBowman88. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/LOTBWdgWSt
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 13, 2018
Fast forward a few months later and it appears the two sides have reached a resolution. Above, you will find a mock of what the scheme was supposed to look like last season. The scheme released on Friday morning honors the Eagles Super Bowl LII win as well as Axalta's All Pro Teachers.
