The No. 3 car was initially run in the then-Busch Series by Dale Earnhardt, Inc. beginning in 1989, winning two back-to-back championships with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in 1998 and 1999. The No. 3 made its debut as part of the RCR stable in 2002 at the EAS/GNC Live Well 300 at Daytona, driven twice that year by Earnhardt, Jr. with sponsorships from the Nabisco brands Oreo and Nilla. Earnhardt won the Daytona race but finished 36th at the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Charlotte after being involved in a crash. The No. 3 car returned for one race in 2010 at the Subway Jalapeño 250 at Daytona with a sponsorship from Wrangler, in a joint venture between RCR, JR Motorsports, and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. The car was once again driven by Earnhardt, Jr. with a paint scheme resembling the one used by his late father when he first drove for RCR. Earnhardt would go on to win the race, his first victory in 87 Nationwide Series starts, and the first victory in a Nationwide Car of Tomorrow. Prior to the start, Earnhardt, Jr. claimed that it would most likely be the last time he would drive the No. 3 car.