Dale Earnhardt Jr has called for a dramatic change to the NASCAR All-Star Race, arguing that the event’s ongoing attempts at reinvention have failed to win back the excitement and competitive energy that once defined it. The All-Star Race, which began in 1985 as a way to honor championship drivers, has increasingly leaned into entertainment over competition, leaving fans and many drivers disillusioned and frustrated. Now, amid a string of lukewarm changes introduced this year, Earnhardt Jr is urging NASCAR to take a bold step he says could rescue the event’s lost prestige.
This year’s updates included a Manufacturer Showdown guaranteeing spots for Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota, an expanded race length of 250 laps, new mandatory cautions, and a revamped qualifying system designed to emphasize pit crew performance. While these tweaks were intended to inject new life into the All-Star format, the response has been overwhelmingly mixed, with both longtime fans and racing insiders expressing doubts. The spectacle, some argue, now too often overshadows what should be a test of pure racing skill and strategy.
In a recent statement, Dale Earnhardt Jr suggested NASCAR should sideline its current Next Gen cars for the All-Star weekend, proposing instead the use of more accessible and affordable Late Model stock cars. Earnhardt Jr explained, “I wish Harvick and all these other drivers could come back and run it. The way for that to happen and that’s not that would be more financially reasonable is to run a cheaper car. And so, there’s all kinds of different options for that, but I think the late model stock is not a terrible idea.”
Building on his idea, Dale Earnhardt Jr also floated the potential return of Goodyear’s old bias ply short-track tires, noting that teams without an existing Late Model could simply rent one, potentially fielding an entry for less than $50,000. He admitted the concept is “way out there in left field, never going to happen… You could basically just leave the next gen at house. Everybody shows up and we race late-model stock cars.”
Earnhardt Jr’s proposal stands in sharp contrast to NASCAR’s current direction, which seems increasingly focused on innovation, chasing younger audiences, and keeping the spotlight on emerging stars. Bringing back veteran drivers like Earnhardt Jr and Kevin Harvick, in more accessible cars, would offer a nostalgia-driven spectacle, potentially reigniting enthusiasm among longtime fans who feel alienated by recent shifts.
The feasibility of such a move is uncertain, given the logistical and technical obstacles, not to mention NASCAR’s existing investment in the Next Gen platform. Still, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s vision has sparked discussion throughout the motorsports community, highlighting ongoing tensions between tradition and progress, and leaving many to wonder whether a return to simpler, more authentic racing could be the jolt the All-Star Race sorely needs. For now, the debate continues, and the next steps from both NASCAR and high-profile figures like Dale Earnhardt Jr remain uncertain.
