Dale Earnhardt Jr. claims “broken” Next-Gen cars isn’t reason for underwhelming short-track racing in Cup series
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been vocal critic of Next-Gen cars’ short track racing issues.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via IMAGO)
NASCAR introduced the Next-Gen cars in the 2022 season with the primary goals of making racing more fare and competitive. While they have been successful in attaining these goals, it came at the cost of entertaining short track racing. The current aero package and the tier combination makes it hard to pass in short track eventually making racing there less desirable.
The sanctioning body has been working on cars, tiers and tracks to make racing in short track better and so far, the aggressive updates tiers has come out as the best possible solution. While stressing on the point NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. has told Fox Sports in a recent interview that the poor race product at short tracks isn’t a product of broken Next-Gen cars.
He highlighted that the short track racing got better when Goodyear, the official tier developer of NASCAR, got aggressive with their tier development. Hence, he is against the claims that the nor the track neither cars are broken and is making short track racing bad.
Hopefully, we continue to see that develop as we go further along the schedule and racing at these short tracks throughout the rest of the year [and] Goodyear continuing to push the tire and get more aggressive with the tire. Because I don't think the tracks are broken. And I don't really necessarily believe the car is broken….So, I'm not 100 percent sold that the car is the problem.Dale Earnhardt Jr. told Fox Sports.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is anxious for his new broadcasting journey
The 2023 season witnessed Junior ending his long-term broadcasting deal with NBC. He then went onto sign with Amazon and TNT as a broadcaster for their streaming that will start from the 2025 season. He is anxious how this new partnership will playout for him.
So, looking forward to that because I'm anxious to get some good chemistry going on with whoever's in the booth with me because we've got five races to get it right. We want to be right straight out of the gate with Amazon and TNT. So, it’d be good to get some practice runs going. A lot to do, a lot to keep me busy.Dale Earnhardt Jr. said.
Junior seems to intrigued by what will be his future in the broadcasting scene with the streaming giants and how the dynamic will playout for him. It will be interesting to see how the new venture will change the legacy of Dale Jr.
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Justin P Joy
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