HAMPTON — How eager was Jennifer Johnson to be among the sellout crowd of 6,500 at Larry King Law’s Langley Speedway on Saturday to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. run in the 16th annual Hampton Heat 200?
Johnson, a grandmother-to-be, moved the baby shower she was hosting in her Chesapeake home for daughter Katelyn from 3 p.m. to 11 a.m. That ensured Johnson would be at Langley in time to see Earnhardt run in qualifying at 4:15 p.m.
“Katelyn understands,” she said, standing next to husband Shawn Johnson in front of a 28-foot pup trailer selling Dale Earnhardt Jr. merchandise. “When we learned (on June 24) Junior would be coming here to race, she knew we’d have to be here.”
The trailer offering Dale Earnhardt Jr. merchandise, parked in front of the spectator entrance to Langley Speedway, was one of the busiest places at the facility before the race. Trevor Reynolds, who manages the trailer for E2 Apparel — a company based in suddenly famous Butler, Pennsylvania — said nearing 4 p.m. that the lines of fans had been non-stop since he opened at noon.
That is typical for Reynolds when he, wife Grace and 7-year-old daughter Josey transport the trailer to the three to six Late Model races the wildly popular Earnhardt Jr. competes in annually.
“Junior is a household name that is never going away,” said Reynolds, who sold Dale Earnhardt Jr. merchandise for many of the 15 consecutive years he was the most popular driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. “People came up through the circuit watching his dad, the late, great Dale Earnhardt, and they like Junior because he’s a laid-back, regular guy loved by kids and (adult) fans.
“He likes to have fun and let it run, but he turns wrenches on his cars like everybody else here.”
That popularity enabled Reynolds to sell out of the autographed Sun Drop die-cast cars ($175), large Bass Pro Shops helmets ($175) and the Hampton Heat race-specific gray T-shirts ($30) before 3 p.m.
Nonetheless, Reynolds offered a plethora of other merchandise, including 10 different shirt styles, 20 different hat styles, hoodies, jackets, baseball helmets, numerous die-cast cars, seat cushions, stuffed ducks and flags. All, of course, featured the name Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Kim from Portsmouth plunked down $30 for the gray T-shirt because she had forgotten to wear one of the many other shirts she’s collected in her 20 years as a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan.
“He’s young, sexy-looking and he’s done a good job driving all of his cars,” Kim said of her allegiance. “I figured I’d get one here, a souvenir I can wear while he’s out there racing.”
The Johnsons spent $76 on a Earnhardt Jr. hat, T-shirt and drink Koozie.
“I told Shawn when we were driving here, ‘I hope they’re selling some kind of Junior merchandise,’ ” Jennifer Johnson said. “I was really excited when I saw they were.”
Shawn Johnson added, “We like that he’s Dale Earnhardt’s son and we like his style of racing.”
As he talked, Shawn Johnson stood next to a near-clone (although shorter) of the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. named Mike Lowrie. Lowrie accentuates his physical similarity to Dale Earnhardt Sr. by wearing the outfit of his sponsor, GM Goodwrench Service Plus.
Looking like the seven-time champion has vaulted Lowrie to minor celebrity status.
“Everybody said I looked so much like him, I figured I should dress like him,” said Lowrie, who has worn Dale Earnhardt Sr. clothing to races since 1984. “I love doing it and have a blast, but so many people love taking my picture that after a race, I’m exhausted.”
All were having more fun Saturday afternoon than Earnhardt Jr. He enjoyed a promising first-ever run at Langley in practice Thursday, but was mid-pack — 18th of 36 — in practice Saturday.
“The best we were was off of the trailer (Thursday),” Earnhardt Jr. said prior to the prerace drivers’ meeting. “We’ve kind of got what we got.”
Marty O’Brien, mjobrien@dailypress.com
