“Disingenuous!” Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin at Odds Over Broadcasting Booth Debate

After the Dover All-Star race, Fox Sports have finished their 2026 broadcasting of the Cup Series, with Amazon Prime taking over the next five races. One of the major points of debate about this year’s broadcast was the analysts calling the race from the NASCAR studio in charlotte instead of being on track. A big chuck of fans is not happy, as they see it as in authentic.

The debate has caused so much stir that even close associates Dale Eranhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin has found themselves at odds. It all started with the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran claiming on his podcast that the criticism of calling the race from booth’s are pointless, as it really doesn’t make much difference from a TV perspective.

Guys, please, stop caring about that – it just doesn’t matter. It does not change your viewing experience for wherever the broadcasters are. It does not change your experience as long as they do a good job. Who cares? Stop it… I’ve been in booths before and you can’t see. All you do is look at the monitor the whole time.

Denny Hamlin said on Actions Detrimental.

Oh, hey, @dennyhamlin also wants people to stop complaining about a remote booth. Hamlin, who is in the CW booth this weekend, also says you aren’t calling stuff out a window. I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before. https://t.co/SFaOgCIB7W

— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) May 18, 2026

The comments made by Denny Hamlin on got the attention of Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., after SiriusXM’s Pete Piston in response the clip called out a subset of NASCAR fans that complin about anything and everything. Junior in response declared that it is disingenuous to assert on track and both race commentary is exactly the same.

Imagine the 1979 Daytona 500 done from a studio in Charlotte…I get that CW does a hell of a job. And I don’t mind that it’s done in studio. But for anyone to claim it makes no difference is disingenuous.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. via X.

Imagine the 1979 Daytona 500 done from a studio in Charlotte.

I get that CW does a hell of a job. And I don't mind that it's done in studio. But for anyone to claim it makes no difference is disingenuous.

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) May 19, 2026

Denny Hamlin urges NASCAR to shift All-Star race to Nashville

While Junior disagrees with Hamlin on the booth comments, he would agree with what the three times Daytona 500 champion said about the All-Star race. The All-Star race winner was impressed with the exhibition event as it felt more like a point paying event that what it supposed to be and wants a change.

It was one of the best over races from a passing standpoint. If you’re just a racing fan and like seeing cars battling, I think they got their money’s worth. The aura of the All-Star definitely is not the same.

Denny Hamlin said on his podcast.

He wants Steve O’Donnell and SMI to come together in order to bring the race back to the iconic race to Nashville Fairgrounds. He believes the race will be its best version when it is hosted on Saturday night in a short track.

If I’m Steve O’Donnell, CEO of NASCAR right now, I’m contacting SMI and saying, all right, let’s do whatever we got to do to run this in Nashville Fairgrounds on Saturday night next year. It needs to be at night. I think it needs to be on a Saturday night, and it needs to be on a shorter track.

Denny Hamlin added.

But it won’t be easy, as the track needs big renovations and the issue it was halted owing to the issues raced by the city, as well as the residents. Junior and many others have been working hard behind the scenes to revive the track and it would be interesting to see if the issue can be solved for 2027, in order to host the All-Star race, there.

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