Dale Earnhardt Jr. responds after reading feedback for the CARS Tour event at North Wilkesboro

Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke out after reading fan reactions to the CARS Tour race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The former NASCAR Cup Series star and current CARS Tour co-owner thanked fans for their support and said he was proud of what the short track series accomplished during All-Star Week.

The race, on Friday, May 16, was round six of the 2025 zMAX CARS Tour season. It marked the third straight year the series ran at North Wilkesboro during NASCAR’s All-Star week. However, the event reached a major milestone this year - its first national TV broadcast. The race was shown on both FloRacing and FOX Sports 1.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who shared the commentary booth for the event with fellow series co-owner Kevin Harvick, praised the event’s success and showed appreciation to everyone who tuned in.

“If you watched the race, I hope you enjoyed it,” Dale Jr. shared via a selfie video on X. “It was a big, big night for the CARS Tour, we're very proud and something we're very, very passionate about. Just an incredible night, hope everybody enjoyed the broadcast, I had a lot of fun being a part of it.”

“But I think the world of this series and its drivers and teams, and I asked everybody to support it this weekend, and if you did, I just wanted to jump on here real quick and say, big thanks, from all of us,” he added.

On track, Landen Lewis dominated the Window World 100 on Friday night. Driving the No. 29 car for Kevin Harvick Incorporated, Lewis started from the pole and led all 100 laps. He held off Tristan McKee on a Lap 74 restart and pulled away for the win by nearly a full second.

While JR Motorsports cars didn’t have a strong showing in the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr. explained that the bigger win was the exposure and support the series received. The nationally televised event was a major step for the CARS Tour, and Jr. seemed genuinely thankful for the attention it got.

Denny Hamlin applauds Dale Earnhardt Jr. and other CARS Tour owners for the growth of the series

Denny Hamlin credited Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the other CARS Tour co-owners for helping the series grow. During the All-Star weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Hamlin said he was impressed with how far the late model series has come, especially now that it’s sharing the spotlight with the Cup Series on National Television.

Hamlin said via FloRacing on X (0:27 onwards):

“Love the opportunity that these guys were getting. I mean, on the big stage, sharing a weekend with the Cup guys on the All-Star weekend. You're at a NASCAR Cup Series track... you're on a big network. All those things are fantastic.”

The zMAX CARS Tour is owned by a group of well-known names in the sport. Along with Dale Earnhardt Jr., the group includes Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks. All four have played a role in pushing the series forward and presenting it in front of a national audience.

Hamlin, who drives the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, made it a point to praise the ownership group, adding:

“It's great to see the job that Justin, Jeff, (and) Dale have done with the CARS Tour to keep this thing promoting and keep growing it. It's going to be fantastic to see.”

The CARS Tour event took place just days before the NASCAR All-Star Race, scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 18. That race will be FOX’s final NASCAR event before Prime Video takes over coverage with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.