On the night of August 29 at Florence Motor Speedway in Timmonsville, South Carolina, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his intentions for the future of the CARS Tour, underlining a commitment to growth without losing touch with grassroots racing traditions. As both a driver and co-owner of the tour, Earnhardt Jr. discussed his approach to expansion, sustainability, and the quest to increase prize money—all central components of his CARS Tour plans.
The CARS Tour, co-owned since 2023 by Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks, has prioritized building a sustainable series that remains deeply rooted in the culture and community of local racetracks such as Florence Motor Speedway. Their focus has been on creating opportunities for racers at all levels while ensuring events remain accessible for fans and feasible for race teams. This vision was evident as Earnhardt Jr. competed in his iconic No. 8 Late Model Stock entry and engaged candidly with media and participants about the ongoing evolution of the tour.
Venues like Florence carry a storied history and present unique challenges for both organizers and competitors. As a result, Earnhardt Jr. and his team have worked meticulously on elements such as event scheduling, the number of support divisions per event, and reducing show length to balance the needs of racetracks, participants, and fans. Every decision is made to nurture grassroots enthusiasm while still offering competitive prize structures.
“I think that we run a particular car that’s always going to stay in one lane, where we’re never going to leave these type of racetracks and go to better venues. We love the grassroots connection. We love what these vibe and energy that you get when you’re at a racetrack like Florence or any of the other tracks we run at. So, we kind of know where we’re gonna live and where our lane is, but… we want purses to get bigger, we want our sponsorships and all the people investing in the series to get larger.” —Dale Earnhardt Jr., Co-owner, CARS Tour
This approach has meant scrutinizing every detail of event operations. Earnhardt Jr. highlighted ongoing discussions with teams about what matters most to competitors, whether that’s the distribution of prize money across the field or ensuring all participants are incentivized regardless of finishing position.
“We talk about all kinds of things. I asked the teams about what they want in terms of purse increase, where they would love that increase. Is it at the back, the middle, do they want to win? Are they all just going to look at what you’re going to pay for first and go there? What is it that gets these guys to come out and compete,” Earnhardt added. —Dale Earnhardt Jr., Co-owner, CARS Tour
The series learned from previous years when large one-off prize events did not deliver hoped-for car counts. Instead, the ownership group—featuring experienced names like Jeff Burton and Justin Marks—has prioritized stable, consistently rewarding race weekends, ensuring teams can compete without risking spiraling costs.
Race day at Florence highlights CARS Tour’s competitive spirit
Returning to Florence Motor Speedway—an iconic site in late-model stock car history—meant a lot for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Despite a challenging night that saw his No. 8 car forced to add ballast after being underweight in pre-race technical inspection, Earnhardt Jr. praised the fairness and competitiveness that defines the tour’s ethos. His own result, a P18 finish, reflected the demanding nature of the track and the quality of the field.
“I always ran here when I was younger in the 90s. Ran a lot of laps here. And I liked the track. I had a tough night tonight, but I enjoy racing here. And just like the challenge of the racetrack, it’s one of the hardest tracks.” —Dale Earnhardt Jr., Co-owner, CARS Tour
The night’s Late Model Stock feature saw a high-stakes duel between championship rivals, as Landen Lewis claimed his fourth win of the campaign, fending off JR Motorsports driver Connor Hall. The result intensified the ongoing battle for the season title with only three events left in the 2025 campaign. In the Pro Late Model division, Keelan Harvick, another rising star and the son of co-owner Kevin Harvick, started from the pole and kept the field at bay for another impressive victory.
Fans filled the stands, underscoring the tour’s connection to its grassroots audience, while drivers—regardless of reputation or experience—were tested by the notoriously abrasive surface and short-track intensity. Earnhardt Jr.’s participation attracted further attention and spotlighted the CARS Tour’s role in developing the next generation of drivers within a competitive and welcoming environment.
What lies ahead for the CARS Tour and grassroots racing
With a handful of races remaining in the current campaign, the CARS Tour is facing pivotal championship showdowns in both the Late Model Stock and Pro Late Model categories. The ownership group’s focus on sustainable prizes and operational fairness aims to ensure the series serves as a proving ground for local and aspiring national drivers alike. Each decision, from purse structures to event schedules, continues to reflect the guidance of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks.
Ultimately, Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s CARS Tour plans signal a commitment to supporting racers and fans by blending substantial prize opportunities with the enduring character of Southern short track racing. As attention grows and drivers like Connor Hall, Landen Lewis, and Keelan Harvick battle for championship honors, the series is poised to shape grassroots motorsports for years to come, delivering on Earnhardt Jr.’s promise of vibrant, competitive events for all involved.
