Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to NASCAR “unanimously” taking out iconic venue as championship host

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a hilarious reaction to NASCAR clarifying the track types eligible to host the season finale in the new rotation format, which ruled out Daytona International Speedway. Following this year's finale at Phoenix Raceway, Homestead-Miami Speedway is set to host the championship decider next year.

Ben Kennedy, Chief Venue and Racing Innovations Officer at NASCAR, clarified that superspeedways and road courses will not be in contention to host the season finale. While Kennedy used the phrase "never say never" regarding those track types, he stated that only intermediate ovals (1.5 miles) and shorter tracks would be considered.

Kennedy also mentioned that the season finale should look like a "traditional NASCAR race," which led to a unanimous decision against using superspeedway tracks like Daytona or road courses. Jeff Gluck mentioned on X that the sanctioning body's decision was a huge sigh of relief.

"Huge sigh of relief, as @BenKennedy33 nixes the idea that Daytona could be in the championship rotation. No superspeedways or road courses. 'We've unanimously agreed it needs to look and feel what we'd expect traditional NASCAR racing to look and feel like.'" Gluck wrote.

Although NASCAR's decision is logical given the current state of superspeedway racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggested that the historic Daytona International Speedway was catching strays. As the birthplace of stock car racing, the 2.5-mile oval remains the best facility on the season calendar.

Replying to Gluck's post, the two-time Daytona 500 winner shared a GIF of a Miami Dolphins holder getting hit by a ball, with the caption 'Daytona...'.

Although starting and ending the season at Daytona sounds appealing, the current style of superspeedway racing wouldn’t allow championship contenders to fight for the win, as luck plays a big role in the finishes on such tracks.

Ben Kennedy mentioned that while Daytona ticks all the boxes for a season finale venue, the style of racing doesn't make it a feasible option.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. urges SMI not to "touch" Texas Motor Speedway

After the race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggested that the 1.5-mile oval had developed its own character, with the aging asphalt now in its prime. The track, repaved in 2017, has become an outlier among 1.5-mile ovals, where Next Gen cars typically put on a great show.

Dale Jr. refuted rumors of Texas Motor Speedway receiving the Atlanta treatment and urged Speedway Motorsports (SMI) not to make any changes to the track. Although passing was difficult in the Cup race, the 50-year-old highlighted the Xfinity event, where drivers were "busting their a**" on the slick surface.

"I think Texas right now is starting to get into its peak in terms of the age of the asphalt, how slick it was. Dude, those Xfinity guys were busting their ass all over the place. That's what we need. Don't change nothing. Don't. Don't touch it. Don't change anything. Don't move anything, right? Leave it," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Dale Jr. Download. [53:26 onwards]

Dale Earnhardt Jr's #88 JR Motorsports team made a trip to the victory lane in Texas with an unusual winner, as Kyle Larson took the checkered flag while substituting for rookie Connor Zilisch.