Sports
“There’s no guarantee”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. reads into NASCAR’s stance on new charter agreement
“There’s no guarantee”: Dale Earnhardt Jr. reads into NASCAR’s stance on new charter agreement
Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently shared his thoughts on the latest developments regarding the charter situation. Junior said that Jim France, the CEO of NASCAR, has told the RTA teams that NASCAR will only support them as long as NASCAR is supported by media groups.
This statement was made on the recent episode of the Dale Jr. Download, citing a report by senior ESPN writer Ryan McGee.
The NASCAR Hall of Famer read into what France’s stance was with that statement and gave an insight into why France took such a position.
“Jim is basically saying this is as far as we can go. There’s no guarantee that the media rights will always be this lucrative and that the TV deal would last forever. There’s no road map in front of us that says, ‘Man, this is where we’re headed in terms of how people will consume our races with streaming coming in. We really don’t know where the value is,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Junior also mentioned that NASCAR is building a million-dollar production facility in North Carolina to create their own content. He also expressed the hope that NASCAR would eventually have a channel similar to the NFL network wherein all of the previous races would air along with programs like Race Hub.
Earnhardt added that the investment is the reason behind NASCAR’s position in the charter negotiations.
“NASCAR is making a massive investment in itself. I see Jim’s point. And I hope that the teams can move forward and agree. But I also agree that there’ll be other opportunities down the road to bring that argument back up,” he added.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. addresses the idea of going to NASCAR Cup as an owner
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s performance in the Xfinity Series at JR Motorsports has left many wondering when he would move on to the Cup. However, Junior has consistently stated that he will wait for the ideal opportunity before jumping into anything.
Junior recently opened up about where he stands in terms of the whole ownership situation.
“Kelley (Earnhardt-Miller) and I have talked about getting into it and we’ve seen some opportunities to do that but it didn’t work out. We’re still at the table, talking to different teams about maybe partnering or investing. We’re always open to hearing what someone thinks about our idea of a partnership, but none of them have been like, ‘that’s it, that’s a perfect match man.’ That is what we’re looking for,” Junior said.
Regarding the notion of him purchasing a charter, Dale Earnhardt Jr. declined to go down that path. He stated that he would not invest millions of dollars in a charter that he would not be able to recover or turn a profit on.
A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
THERE IS COMMENT BOX AFTER THE ADS, SHARE YOUR THOUGHT WITH US
Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
THERE IS COMMENT BOX AFTER THE ADS, SHARE YOUR THOUGHT WITH US
