Dale Earnhardt Jr. responds to Austin Hill following pointed criticism about JR Motorsports‘ handling of team alliances after the Xfinity Series race at Daytona. The discussion emerged during the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast, where Earnhardt Jr. addressed Hill‘s claims and offered his perspective on team dynamics during key NASCAR races.
Tension Surfaces Between Austin Hill and JR Motorsports
During Friday’s 100-lap Xfinity Series event at Daytona International Speedway, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill started from fourth position and remained steady through the first two stages, holding P4. As the final restart unfolded, Hill was positioned on the front row with a strong chance, but an incident ended his run, dropping him to a P25 finish. Hill, renowned for his success at Daytona with three wins and two poles, voiced his frustration regarding the lack of support from fellow Chevrolet partners, specifically calling out JR Motorsports for not collaborating during the race.
“With all due respect to Austin Hill. He’s got the best track record in the XFINITY series at Daytona, Talladega. I tell my guys, I’m like, ‘Listen, if you want to run second, help Austin Hill. He’s f***ing hard to get around.’ [00:00 onwards]”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Champion
After the race, Hill’s comments to the media expressed his dissatisfaction with the way JR Motorsports interacts with Chevy teams, especially at critical superspeedway races where partnerships can influence results. He remarked:
“We never have the JRM cars help us. Doesn’t matter if they’re Chevy alliance or not. They don’t help us at all. They’d rather work with a Toyota or Ford than us. We already know that our backs are against the wall with the JRM cars.” (via Motorsports.com)
—Austin Hill, Richard Childress Racing driver
Earnhardt Jr., as both co-owner of JR Motorsports and a veteran of team strategy, addressed Hill’s call-out directly, explaining the rationale behind the decision-making in such high-stakes races:
“The quote right here, ‘we never have the JRM cars help us. We really know that our backs are against the wall with the JM cars.’ I would agree with that. Your chances of winning the race go up when you don’t help… It isn’t so much personal as it is, that guy’s the one guy that’s gonna be the toughest to be at that racetrack. And so you do need to limit how much you help him.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Co-owner
NASCAR’s 2026 Season Changes Generate Widespread Response
Aside from the ongoing debate between Hill and JR Motorsports, Earnhardt Jr. also reacted to major changes in the upcoming 2026 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. The announcement early in August detailed several updates, including a new location for the All-Star Race and the transformation of another historic race into a points-paying event.
The 2026 season is set to open with the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1, with the Daytona 500 following on February 15 at Daytona International Speedway. Of significant note, the All-Star Race will move from North Wilkesboro Speedway to Dover Motor Speedway. Consequently, North Wilkesboro will now hold a points-paying race, marking a noteworthy shift in the calendar that has drawn strong reactions from drivers and fans alike.
“The big news for me on the 2026 @NASCAR schedule is @NWBSpeedway getting a points race! I can’t wait to call 400 laps of night racing there on July 19. It’s massive for the surrounding community, and every fan of NASCAR is going to feel like a winner next July.”
—Dale Earnhardt Jr., Two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion
Another adjustment to the 2026 schedule will add two off weeks during the season. The first will occur after the Martinsville Speedway event on March 29, with another scheduled post-Indianapolis Motor Speedway race on July 26. These changes follow discussions among drivers, teams, and the sanctioning body to create a more sustainable rhythm for the season.
Looking Ahead: What the Voices and Changes Mean for NASCAR
The exchange between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Austin Hill highlights the strategic decisions and alliances that shape outcomes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, especially at tracks like Daytona and Talladega. While competition among Chevy teams such as JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing remains strong, such public reflections bring added attention to the complex nature of superspeedway racing and team decisions.
Meanwhile, the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season promises to deliver both excitement and renewed interest, with schedule changes expected to impact drivers, teams, and communities including those surrounding North Wilkesboro Speedway. As anticipation builds for the next chapter, fans and insiders alike will watch how these evolving dynamics on and off the track influence the sport’s future direction.
