Dale Earnhardt Jr. Joins Hard Rock as Brand Ambassador, Racing-Themed Slot Coming

Posted on: April 2, 2025, 03:06h. 

Last updated on: April 2, 2025, 03:06h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. is Hard Rock’s new Brand Ambassador
  • Earnhardt Jr. remains among NASCAR’s most popular personalities
  • Hard Rock will launch a racing-themed slot game

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is Hard Rock International’s newest Brand Ambassador, a title he’ll share with global soccer superstar Lionel Messi.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hard Rock International
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is teaming up with Hard Rock International. He becomes just the second Brand Ambassador for the gaming and hospitality conglomerate owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. (Image: Shutterstock/Casino.org)

Today, Hard Rock revealed the marketing partnership with the NASCAR legend. The casino and hospitality conglomerate owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida says the company and Earnhardt Jr. will collaborate on limited-time food and beverage, merchandise, and a free-to-play social slot game.

Hard Rock is such a historic and iconic brand,” said Earnhardt Jr. “I have always been a huge fan of music, so the vibes and attention to detail that Hard Rock puts into its locations is incredible to me. They have something for everyone — music, food, drinks, casino games, and sports betting. I’m excited to partner with them and the opportunities we have to do some really fun things together.” 

Later this spring, Hard Rock Games will debut an interactive slot called Full Throttle on the Rock Neverland Casino and Jackpot Planet apps. Billed as a “high-octane game,” the social slot product “will put players in the driver’s seat, with their race car gaining speed with each win, delivering an adrenaline-fueled slot experience.”

Earnhardt Popularity 

Hard Rock is betting on Earnhardt’s appeal bringing new visitors to its casinos, Hard Rock Cafés, hotels, and digital gaming platforms. On NASCAR race days, Hard Rock Cafés will serve up Earnhardt Jr.’s favorite dish — Star Dust Wings — and his preferred cocktail — vodka Campari with cherry bitters, brown sugar simple syrup, and a cherry and orange peel garnish.

Hard Rock Cafés in Atlanta, Hollywood, FL, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, New York City, Orlando, Pigeon Forge, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Antonio will offer Earnhardt Jr.-branded apparel.

Earnhardt Jr. will also engage in sports betting and offer weekly picks during the NASCAR Cup Series. The 2025 circuit began in February and runs through October, with the Championship set for Nov. 2 at the Phoenix Raceway.

Earnhardt Jr. and his late father, Dale Earnhardt, are considered racing royalty. The Earnhardts are two of the most popular drivers in NASCAR history, with Jr. winning the Most Popular Driver Award for 15 consecutive years from 2003 to 2017.

Earnhardt Sr. died after crashing on the final lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001. He died of a basilar skull fracture — the fourth NASCAR driver in eight months to die by that injury.

Earnhardt’s death was crucial in NASCAR implementing mandatory safety protocols, specifically the use of the HANS device, a head restraint that reduces the likelihood of head and neck injuries. Earnhardt had refused to wear the HANS device because he said it was uncomfortable and restrictive.

Hard Rock Gaming Expansion 

The Seminoles and Hard Rock own and operate 17 casino resorts in the United States and the Dominican Republic.

The company is amid construction on the Las Vegas Strip where it’s overhauling The Mirage into a Hard Rock casino resort with a guitar-shaped hotel tower like the one at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.  

Hard Rock is also partnered with billionaire Steve Cohen in seeking a downstate New York casino license for a multibillion-dollar resort in Queens.