Dale Earnhardt Jr. breaks down why more Cup driver participation could hurt NASCAR’s lower series teams

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has voiced concern about NASCAR possibly letting Cup Series drivers race more often in the lower series. Speaking on his Dirty Mo Media podcast, he insisted the idea might sound good for fans, but could put Xfinity and Truck teams in a difficult position.

Earnhardt Jr. explained why allowing more Cup participation could create problems for lower-tier teams. He said while fans may enjoy seeing Cup drivers more often, the impact on regular teams would be significant.

“Right now it’s five is the limit, and so I would be fine if they went to 10,” Earnhardt Jr. said [1:04:00 onwards]. “But the thing is, there’s a lot here.”

Along with that, Earnhardt Jr. also warned that the same move would make life harder for regular teams. He added:

“If I’m in a situation where I’m a regular and I don’t have a Cup guy in my car, if I owned a team that doesn’t have Cup resources, doesn’t have Cup drivers, my chance to win, my chance to even run in the top 10 got harder.”

NASCAR has been debating this issue for years, changing the rules several times to balance competition and entertainment. In 2020, the sanctioning body cut the number of Xfinity races Cup veterans could enter from seven to five, with the same limit placed on Truck races.

Cup drivers with more than three years of experience are also barred from racing in the playoffs of either series to avoid affecting championships. However, as sourced via The Sports Business Journal, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell recently confirmed that the rules are under review again. He said that the league is exploring “a lot of opportunities” to adjust who can race in the lower series and how often.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to Dover being linked to the All-Star race

Previously, reports surfaced that Dover could replace North Wilkesboro Speedway as the venue for the NASCAR All-Star race. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has been one of the strongest advocates for North Wilkesboro’s revival, gave his take on the situation.

The choice of Dover raised questions right away. The All-Star race is traditionally a night event, but Dover does not have lighting for night racing. The track also presents racing challenges. With the current Next Gen package, passing is difficult on a one-mile oval. Drivers can defend aggressively using their rear-view cameras to block runs from behind, making the race look more like a single-lane sprint.

This was clear earlier this year when Chase Elliott dominated at Dover, leading 238 laps from pole with little challenge. Journalist Jeff Gluck shared the development on social media, writing:

“Here’s one I didn’t see coming: @Jordan_Bianchi reports NASCAR is considering moving the All-Star Race to…Dover?”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. responded directly to Gluck’s post, writing:

“Jeff buried the lead.”

Despite the talk of Dover stepping in, this does not mean North Wilkesboro is finished. The historic 0.625-mile oval, which returned to the schedule in 2023 after 27 years, may still get a points-paying race. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s own CARS Tour Series also raced at the track earlier this year in its first nationally televised event.