Ricciardo NASCAR drive "a dream come true"

Daniel Ricciardo has described his upcoming outing in Dale Earnhardt Sr’s 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo as "surreal" and "a dream come true".

As part of a podium bet made with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown after signing from Renault, Ricciardo will complete a demonstration run in the car of his "hero" at the Circuit of the Americas.

“To top off the weekend, I’ll be getting behind the wheel of Dale Earnhardt Sr’s 1984 Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo," said Ricciardo.

"He’s a big hero of mine, so to be able to drive one of his cars is going to be a surreal moment and a bit of a dream come true.

"A big thanks to Zak for keeping his end of the deal and making this happen. I can’t wait!”

During his visits to the United States with F1, Ricciardo has never been afraid to sample the American culture, putting on an accent and donning a stetson whenever the opportunity has presented itself.

“I’m excited to be in the US after a one-year hiatus," Ricciardo explained.

"The city of Austin is a special place known for its brisket, BBQ and all that good stuff. Not to mention that COTA is arguably one of the best tracks we get to race on.

"We need to make up for missing out on being there last year, so we’ll be working hard for a good result.

“We’ve taken the time between races to analyse, understand and learn from what happened last time out.

"We’re ready to move on and focus on the challenge of this weekend. I think some sections of the track will suit us, so we should be in the mix for some points come Sunday."

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