Dale Earnhardt Jr, a six-time winner at Talladega Superspeedway and one of the sport’s most respected voices, voiced fierce criticism against NASCAR’s Next-Gen car in the intense aftermath of last weekend’s Cup Series race at Talladega. Speaking shortly after the checkered flag, Earnhardt Jr bluntly stated that the new generation vehicle, deployed at the iconic 2.66-mile oval, is hindering drivers’ ability to make crucial moves in the race’s closing laps. Earnhardt Jr’s remarks sparked immediate discussion, as he argued that the current setup is “ruining racing,” leaving competitors stuck in line and unable to execute game-changing passes, especially when it matters most.
During the most recent edition of his popular Dale Jr Download podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr analyzed the outcome of the Jack Link’s 500 and questioned whether NASCAR’s recent technical innovations were having unintended consequences for the sport’s competitiveness and excitement. He claimed that the low-horsepower engines and high-downforce packages on the Next-Gen car, particularly the increased drag and reliance on single-supplier components, have fundamentally changed how races at Talladega and Daytona unfold. His concern was palpable as he drew upon his experience and understanding of pack racing’s nuances, having forged his own legacy at superspeedways over two decades in the sport.
This controversy came into sharp focus in the closing laps of the race, when drivers such as Kyle Larson and William Byron struggled to make decisive moves from the second row, hampered by aerodynamic barriers and a lack of speed separation between vehicles. Larson, who finished runner-up, lamented, “There wasn’t really much I could do the final five laps,” pointing to his inability to push Austin Cindric past Ryan Preece. Byron, similarly, found himself stuck and unable to help Preece gain clear air. In the end, despite a dramatic surge of activity, the result was a somewhat anticlimactic finish, with Cindric managing to hold off the field for the victory by a mere 0.22 seconds.
Dale Earnhardt Jr gave voice to the frustrations that many drivers felt. On air, he explained, “There’s no gaps between cars for you to change lanes, you’re stuck…That’s awful. The racing at Daytona, Talladega with the Next-Gen, there’s some issues with the car – they need to work on ’em, they need to fix ’em. I think if they pulled a bunch of drag off the car, that would be a lot of it. When you run the car by itself, what is it, 15, 20 MPH slower?… There is the problem. When you put the car in draft, you run 195 MPH; when it runs by itself, it runs 181 MPH. It’s terrible.” These words reflected both urgency and distress as he dissected what he called a stifling environment for drivers ambitious enough to attempt bold maneuvers.
The shift to the seventh generation car was initially intended to modernize NASCAR, improve cost controls, and close the gap between large and small teams. With features such as wider wheels for increased grip and single-source parts to standardize performance, the series hoped to achieve parity on the track. However, Earnhardt Jr’s frank assessment highlighted the downside: the gap between cars in the draft shrinks so much that changing lanes or setting up a pass becomes nearly impossible in the race’s final laps.
Dale Earnhardt Jr didn’t stop with technical analysis—he demanded action from NASCAR’s rule makers, arguing that drivers deserve the opportunity to race on equal, but not identical, terms. He explained, “I’m coming down to the white flag or coming to the checkered flag. And I’m in the second or third row. A car that runs 20 MPH slower by itself. You’re wanting me to pull out, hoping to get some help. And if I don’t, I’m going to f—— bleed speed all the way to the finish line. No way. I ain’t doing it. I wouldn’t get out of line either. When they can take the drag off the car, get the car to qualify, more realistically close to what the car runs in the draft, we’ll see a whole lot different of a show.”
The debate over the Next-Gen car’s suitability for superspeedway racing intensified as other drivers, analysts, and fans examined what unfolded at Talladega. Despite 67 lead changes—a figure that would suggest relentless action on paper—the reality on track was much more subdued than in years past. Rather than featuring last-lap heroics or dramatic multi-car surges, the race often devolved into long stretches of single-file driving, as drivers hesitated to risk losing positions by venturing out of the draft.
For young fans or newcomers to NASCAR, the phenomenon of pack racing can be perplexing. At high-speed superspeedways such as Talladega and Daytona, the aerodynamic draft rules mean cars naturally clump together, with teams barely inches apart on the high banks. While past generations of cars allowed aggressive maneuvers—slingshot passes, outside surges, and bold attacks—many current drivers find themselves at the mercy of the package’s limitations.
The race’s relatively tame nature concealed a deeper tension beneath the surface. Although only four cautions occurred at the Jack Link’s 500—two of which were planned for stage breaks—the possibility of chaos loomed throughout. With 25 laps to go, the toyota/”>Toyota camp, including Denny Hamlin, attempted to execute a pit stop strategy designed to put them at the front when it mattered most. However, their plan unraveled almost instantly when Ross Chastain threw an aggressive block, fracturing the Toyota draft and sending several contenders tumbling backward. The incident highlighted not just the razor-thin margin for error at superspeedways, but also the frustration among drivers who felt paralyzed by their inability to counter such moves.
Denny Hamlin further echoed Dale Earnhardt Jr’s sentiments, expressing both disappointment and concern with the racing product. He explained, “[Chastain] making a move there to kind of wreck us was not ideal…It’s just the variance of speed there was crazy. The Toyota group…We were the only ones willing to just race this thing out, run wide open and see what happens and try to make a show of it…When you’re behind the two-by-two, there’s nowhere to go, so there’s nowhere to race.” Hamlin’s words painted a picture of skilled drivers boxed in, unwilling or unable to risk everything with so many unknowns at play.
For decades, Talladega has been a proving ground for risk-taking and raw speed—a place where daring drivers could carve through the pack in pursuit of glory. Dale Earnhardt Jr, more than most, carries immense authority in discussing what makes Talladega’s racing great and when something is lost. His family history at this track deepens the sting of perceived decline. Many observers and competitors echoed his concern, describing a collective sense of watching a critical ingredient drain away from the sport in real-time.
In the aftermath, debate flared across NASCAR circles over whether the issues exposed at Talladega signal a longer-term problem for the Next-Gen car, or merely a period of necessary adjustment amid sweeping innovation. Dale Earnhardt Jr made clear that, in his view, the difficulties are not simply “growing pains” but structural flaws demanding urgent correction. Despite the level of performance parity and the reduction of disastrous wrecks this package has seemingly produced, the spirit of pure competition and driver agency remains at risk.
Some industry voices caution against excessive pessimism, pointing out that the new car has ushered in unexpected winners and shaken up the traditional power structure. Yet for veteran drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr, the most recent Talladega race offered distressing proof that the pendulum may have swung too far, exchanging unpredictability for monotony, and heroics for hesitation. Fans, too, are left torn—grateful for the absence of carnage but yearning for the explosive energy that defined previous Talladega battles.
The credibility of Dale Earnhardt Jr’s critique is underpinned by his blend of experience and passion, and by the sizable following his podcast commands within the motorsports community. When he asserts that “drivers can’t make moves,” the issue is not dismissed as mere nostalgia, but considered a challenge for the sport’s leadership to confront. His calls for reducing drag, increasing horsepower, and granting drivers greater control on superspeedways are resonating throughout the NASCAR ecosystem, putting pressure on officials to weigh technical integrity against entertainment value.
Looking ahead, NASCAR faces a critical juncture. The sport’s DNA centers on the unpredictable, breath-taking moments when stars like Dale Earnhardt Jr defy the odds, engineer dramatic turns of fate, and electrify both grandstands and living rooms. If the Next-Gen car continues to restrict such feats, the tension between progress and tradition may only grow sharper, threatening fan engagement and the authenticity of racing itself. Already, discussions are swirling about whether technical changes—such as tweaks to the rules package, recalibrated drag, or incremental horsepower adjustments—could restore at least some of what was lost.
For Dale Earnhardt Jr and those who share his concerns, the Talladega race underscored the gravity of the challenge at hand. Beyond driver frustration, what is at stake is the very spectacle and meaning of NASCAR’s most gripping races. As the sport weighs the merits of safety, cost, and competitive balance, it is increasingly clear that a solution must be found that preserves both the integrity of the sport and the exhilarating action fans expect.
Until NASCAR’s leadership responds, a sense of unease will likely persist. Will officials heed the candid warnings offered by Dale Earnhardt Jr and reexamine the Next-Gen car’s effect on the sport’s most iconic tracks? Or will the sport continue down a path that, despite parity and reduced mayhem, might ultimately erode the primal thrill that has always defined Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons at American speedways? Only time will tell—yet one thing is for certain: Dale Earnhardt Jr’s voice, urgent and unflinching, has placed the issue firmly at the center of NASCAR’s ongoing evolution.
