Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick join forces with two other NASCAR elites to acquire regional late-model racing series

The 2023 season of the CARS Tour will start with the season opener at Southern National Motorsports Park, North Carolina on March 11.


Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick join forces with two other NASCAR elites to acquire regional late-model racing series

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick

NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and 2014 Cup Champion Kevin Harvick have formed an owners’ group with Trackhouse racing owner Justin Marks and NASCAR veteran Jeff Burton to purchase the late-model racing series CARS Tour.  It is one of the most popular late-model racing events in the southeast.

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Dale Jr. and co wants to preserve the legacy and glory of the regional asphalt racing series, and that’s the major reason behind the takeover. The CARS series has produced some elite NASCAR talents since its maiden season in 2014. The most high-profile drivers to come out of the series are Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and JGR’s Ty Gibbs.

The new owner’s group wants to use its influence and expertise to make the championship one of the premier racing series in the country. They said in a statement released , “To bolster the health and longevity of the CARS Tour by providing proficiencies in brand management, business strategy, and partnership acquisition and retention,”.

The group is a perfect fit for the job. Dale Jr. and Kevin Harvick are one of the most influential drivers of sports history. Jeff Burton can also bring in a vast majority of fans to the sport, and he is also a good man manager. Burton’s experience serving as director of the Drivers Advisory Council last year was also beneficial. Justin Marks’s business expertise is unparallel in the modern era of the sport and Trackhouse’s success in just two years is an example.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick on the takeover

Jeff Burton, Justin Marks, Kevin Harvick and Dale Eanhardt Jr.
Jeff Burton, Justin Marks, Kevin Harvick and Dale Eanhardt Jr.

Dale Jr. dubbed the takeover a dream come true; she is a big late-model racing fan as many fans know. She said, “This is a dream come true for me. I’m a huge fan of the CARS Tour and local short-track racing. The competition, the tracks, and the drivers are some of the best around,”.

He is excited to be part of the future of the series that can influence the quality of racing at the top level. Dale Jr. added, “These regional series are vital to the quality of racing you see at the top level. Jack (McNelly CARS Tour founder) has done a tremendous job establishing the CARS Tour as a preeminent series, and I’m thrilled to be part of its future,”.

For a young man from West Coast who grew up racing late-model cars, the takeover is all about passion. Harvick stated, “I grew up racing Late Model Stock Cars on the West Coast. Late Model racing has always been a passion of mine, and I want to ensure short-track asphalt racing and the CARS Tour continue to grow and succeed,”.

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Justin Marks wants to cherish the opportunity to serve the foundation of NASCAR drivers and fans with the takeover. He said, “This is something I’m really excited about, not only for TrackHouse and the initiatives that we’re pursuing but for short-track racing in general. Asphalt Late Model racing truly is the foundation of NASCAR and bringing a group like this together will serve the racer and fan,”.

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