Dale Earnhardt Jr. Takes a Brutal Dig at Toyota and Ford over Jim France Controversy

Dale Earnhardt Jr. hit out at Ford and Toyota over Jim France's Garage 56 controversy with Chevrolet.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Takes a Brutal Dig at Toyota and Ford over Jim France Controversy

Jim France and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via dailydownforce.com)

NASCAR has three manufacturers in the field, Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota. In 2023, the sport tied up with GM’s bowtie brand for a historic entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Hendrick Motorsports. NASCAR CEO Jim France was once again eyeing a tie up with Chevrolet, something that was not received well by Ford and Toyota. Now, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has slammed the two manufacturers.

The Garage 56 entry provides some interesting opportunities for NASCAR. Though, this has remained with Chevrolet. CEO Jim France was planning to race IMSA driver Jack Aitken at Sonoma Raceway in July with Spire Motorsports. Aitken has ties to France, as he races for his sports car team.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reckoned that it was not a surprise to see Ford and Toyota being up in flames, as the two car companies looked for things to complain about. Moreover, Dale Jr. questioned whether these two manufacturers would’ve agreed on such an opportunity if France had not approached Chevrolet.

Toyota and Ford are always going to look for something to complain about… You’re telling me that if Jim France had went to another Toyota team or another Ford team, they would have accepted that opportunity?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Dale Jr. Download

The plan to have Aitken compete in Sonoma was ultimately shelved. As per a report by The Athletic, Jim France was forced to abandon this prospect after facing a high-profile conflict of interest.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t find Jim France’s plans necessary

The Garage 56 entry adds some excitement to NASCAR. It provides fans with a fun opportunity that could shake things up in a regular season. Though, it is unclear if Jim France has some future plans for such a surprise entrant in the coming months. Nevertheless, Dale Jr. is not too disappointed over Aitken’s cancellation.

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via IMAGO)

The NASCAR legend pointed out that Garage 56 adds a fun aspect to the sport, something that can be good to watch. However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. insisted that this was not necessary simply because Jim France owns NASCAR. The 50-year-old did point out that despite the backlash, France could’ve managed to go ahead with his plans for Aitken if he really wanted the IMSA star to race in the Cup Series for a weekend.

It’s like a here’s a fun thing on the side, we’ll get a guy and he’ll race. Kind of one of those fun things you want to do with your buddies. But it’s not necessary because the dude owns the sport… He probably still could have gotten Jack Aitken in a Spire car, still got him on the racetrack and shielded his involvement or his connection to Jack and the partners that would support this program.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. explained.

While Ford and Toyota might complain about a potential bias towards Chevrolet in this case, the two autogiants must understand that it was the GM brand which first agreed for Garage 56 activities.

This forms a strong foundation for the company with NASCAR for any future entries surrounding this aspect. As such, it should not be a surprise for Ford and Toyota to see their rival be the flag bearer of Garage 56 unless the two companies are willing to take up the mantle themselves.

Read More: Denny Hamlin Confesses He ‘Didn’t Do Enough in Retaliation’ Against Ross Chastain During Their Heated Beef