Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: 'My intentions are to race'

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. said Sunday he’s going about his business with the expectation that he will return to the cockpit of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet full-time next year.

Speaking at Martinsville Speedway Sunday morning, Earnhardt said all signs indicate that he’ll be back after missing the final 18 races of this season.

“My intentions are to race and that is the plan that we have going forward so we are booking things as normal per usual,” said Earnhardt. “We are doing all our photoshoots and everything with anticipation of our sponsors marketing me as the driver of the No. 88 car.”

To that end, Earnhardt said he’s on schedule.

“I think that is perfectly on track and a reasonable goal to be in the car and be competing in Daytona,” he said.

This time of year, teams and sponsors are busy preparing marketing materials for next season.

“We can’t sort of sit and wait,” said Earnhardt. “We’ve got to make a decision. Those types of things have to be decided quite early. So, we are moving forward with the plan to be in the car and I don’t see anything that says that is not going to happen. Things are good.”