“A Bad Commercial For the 500!” Dale Earnhardt Jr. Demands NASCAR to Make Radical Change to The Clash

Since the start of the Next-Gen era, NASCAR has been making some wild experiments with The Clash and the All-Star race. Though initially it was a success, once the novelty was off, the regular and the casual fans have spoken out about it. One of the most passionate voices against the traditional events getting sidelined for experiments was Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In the latest episode of his Dale Jr. Download podcast, the Hall of Famer recalled a recent conversation he had with CEO Steve O’Donnell and its high time the sport makes some radical changes. The changes over the years to Clash format has made it a bad commercial for the Daytona 500 and that’s why they left Florida searching for new tracks. Junior wants to change the perception.

This is it, this is the deal. I just got done talking to Steve O’Donnell, right? And he’s like, ‘Man, you know, if we take The Clash to Daytona and it’s bad, it’s like a bad commercial for the 500.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, you know, you just make the racing good and it’ll be a good commercial for the 500.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on his podcast.

In order to fix the event that was once adored by fans and make it a good commercial for the 500, the sanctioning body needs to stop doing too many experiments with the format. Dale Eranhardt Jr. reminded the fans and the leaders of the sport that the unofficial season opener is supposed to be the appetizer and should not be treated as the main event.

The problem is we’re trying to do too much. We’re trying to do too much with the All-Star Race, we’re trying to do too much with The Clash. I don’t understand why people don’t agree with this, but The Clash is an appetizer. It is the table-setter.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. added via Dale Jr. Download.

So, how it can be fixed? Well, the JRM co-owner got a radical fix. Let only the drivers that won the pole race in the event, as it was in the past. It’s okay to have limited numbers cars on the track and then let them race their heart out in a 20-lap short race with not caution flag in between. A short race that will feature aggression and speed is what’s needed to promote the Daytona 500.

How many guys have won poles this year? Is there a pole award for the most poles?… Eight drivers have poles. Well, let’s get to the end of the year, maybe that’s 12, right? All right.. I want to see those *** 12 guys run a 20-lap race, no caution, no pit stop, no BS. Drop the *** green flag, give me 12 *** out there going as hard as they can for 20 laps. It’ll be over before you know it, but it’s going to be freaking awesome. That’s what it was. That’s all it needs to be. It doesn’t need to be more than that.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. asserted.

Justin Marks also got a radical idea like Dale Earnhardt Jr. but for All-Star race

Following last Sunday’s Dover All-Star race that was a disappointment from an entertainment exhibition race perspective, Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks pointed out that the event needs a radical change. He wants to see a bigger prize pool ($3-$4 million). The veteran racer has also proposed the idea of having a more entertainment-based weekend, where NASCAR host a speed weekend, like a Coachella of speed.

So if it was three or four million bucks and paid better through the field, that would make more economic sense if we’re just looking at the economics…I’ve suggested having like a Speed Festival, like maybe it’s not even a competitive event on a racetrack, but we go to the strip in Vegas and do a drag race and the pit stop competition and a burnout competition, and we engage the fans and turn it into a TV show. And we do this kind of like Coachella of speed type thing.

Justin Marks said.

It’s a wild but strong ideas, as this will help the sport to have a bigger pop-cultural influence and could attract more young fans. One major drawback would be though is the fact that the hardcore traditional fans might not like that change and would retaliate. The leadership needs to find the right balance between modern and legacy character of the sport before ever thinking about adopting the Marks Model.

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