NEW YORK — Dale Earnhardt Jr. will have a new way to voice his racing opinions next season — on television.

NASCAR’s most popular driver will join NBC Sports Group’s coverage of stock car racing next year and there may be more options once he climbs out of the car for good.

The agreement with NBCUniversal announced Monday will allow Earnhardt to pursue “a wide range of opportunities in the company’s media businesses, including movies, television, podcasts, and other areas” including football and perhaps even the Olympics.

“I’ve always just drove race cars. So this is probably the first real job I’ve had in 20 years,” Earnhardt said on a conference call. “This is an incredible opportunity for me to start an entirely new career.”

He seems like a natural, too.

“His love of the sport and his passion for the history of the sport makes him look at it in a different way,” NBC Sports Executive Producer and President of Production Sam Flood said. “It’s fun to hear how curious he is about TV.”