Dale Earnhardt Jr. tells NASCAR the key to curb “boring ass, fuel saving style” racing

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn
Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks out from his pit box Saturday, July 26, 2025, during the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. - Source: Imagn

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has made his stance clear on NASCAR’s fuel-saving style of racing. In a recent discussion, he explained what he believes could improve the racing product and make events at superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega more exciting.

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The comments came through Dirty Mo Media’s X account, which posted a clip from Earnhardt Jr.’s popular podcast, The Dale Jr. Download. Dirty Mo Media. The post was captioned,

"Would you add a stage if it ended the fuel-saving at Daytona & Talladega? 🤷‍♂️⛽"

In the podcast Earnhardt Jr. described the impact fuel strategy has on racing. He recalled how, when a portion of cars gets knocked out of the lead pack, drivers are more willing to take risks. With fewer spots to lose, they pull out of line and attempt moves instead of sitting back to conserve fuel. For him, that’s what makes the racing worth watching.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. pointed out that the first stage in races typically does not require fuel saving, which allows for more aggressive action on track. He suggested that NASCAR should consider extending that approach to the rest of the race. Commenting on the current fuel strategy, he said,

"If we were to struggle going forward and continue to have like boring ass, fuel saving style racing, the idea would be, add a fourth stage so every stage would not be a fuel mileage situation.”
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Fuel strategy in NASCAR often starts even before the race goes green, with drivers shutting off engines under pace laps to save fuel. During green flag runs, they use techniques like short-shifting, easing off the throttle early, and coasting through corners to stretch mileage. Running further back in the pack also reduces fuel burn, which can pay off in late-race situations.


Dale Earnhardt Jr. credits tires for improved racing while questioning the role of fuel saving

Toby Christie of Sports Illustrated recently shared his view that despite heavy criticism of the NextGen car, the last two races at Richmond and Daytona were “phenomenal.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. agreed with that assessment but added his own perspective on why the racing looked better.

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According to Dale Earnhardt Jr., Goodyear’s tires at Richmond played a major role in delivering an improved show. He suggested that the tire helped drivers race more aggressively without relying so heavily on fuel-saving strategy. In his post on X, Earnhardt Jr. wrote,

“A couple weeks of criticism (guilty as charged) followed by two really solid races at two configurations of concern. Was last night different because we weren't in extreme fuel-saving mode? An honest question.”
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“Richmond seemed much improved,” Earnhardt Jr. continued. “Is this mostly due to the tire? I'd say it was a big help. I hear Richmond tire is going to New Hampshire also.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s comments come as NASCAR prepares to open the Playoffs. The postseason will begin with the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on August 23, where Chase Briscoe, now driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, will defend his victory from last season. Fans can catch the race live on USA Network at 6 p.m. ET, with coverage also available on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

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Edited by Pratham K Sharma
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