If you were watching Super Bowl LI late in the game (and 111.3 million of you were) you may have noticed a Fox promo for the Daytona 500 featuring The Simpsons. It’s not the first time Fox has used The Simpsons to promote the Great American Race, it had a very funny one mocking the ads on cars, drivers and on the airlast year.
This year, The Simpsons didn’t mock the ads (perhaps that hit too close to home), but it did choose to use some real-life NASCAR personalities including Jeff Gordon calling the race and driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Using Earnhardt’s likeness driving a car with Homer Simpson as a passenger, the promo had them about the cross the finish line only to be passed by Maggie on a tricycle. It led “Earnhardt” to say Homer’s patented “D’oh!”
It was very good and it also surprised Dale and his wife Amy who were watching the Super Bowl at home:
Holy smokes Dale Jr Simpson wth
— Amy Earnhardt (@AmyEarnhardt) February 6, 2017
The promo was only 20 seconds long. Hopefully there’s a longer version.
About Ken Fang
Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.
He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.
Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.