The iconic No. 3 may be back in the Sprint Cup starting lineup one day, a possibility that may send some NASCAR fans into an emotional tizzy.
That number belonged to Dale Earnhardt, the late, great Intimidator on the NASCAR circuit. Would it be disrespectful for another driver to drive a car with that number? We may find out soon enough. Austin Dillon — the grandson of Richard Childress — already is set to drive a No. 3 Chevy in the Nationwide Series next season. The natural progression points to Dillon moving up to drive the car in the Sprint Cup Series.
Childress — Earnhardt's former team owner and best friend — reached out to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelly, asking for permission to use the No. 3 in the Nationwide Series.
Junior's answer: Thumbs up.
"I don't look at the numbers tied to drivers as much as just the history of the number," Earnhardt Jr. said last week. "The number is more of a bank, you know, that you just deposit history into. It doesn't really belong to any individual. Austin's ran that number and you can't really deny him the opportunity to continue to run it. It just wouldn't be fair.
"Dad did great things. He was a great ambassador for the sport and we're still as a whole, reaping the benefits of all he accomplished and what he did that put us in front of a lot of people. But even before that, the number was Richard's. Richard drove it. And someone else drove it before then.
"But I think it would be fine by me for (Dillon) to do that. I think that it's got to get back on the race track one of these days."