“We have a Major problem”: Former Dale Earnhardt Jr. confidante boldly labels Daytona 500 a ‘fuel saving race’

Former Dale Earnhardt Jr. confidante Brett Griffin has blasted the racing product in NASCAR and the Daytona 500. Griffin believes the season-opener at the Daytona International Speedway will be a fuel-saving race, implying that it won't be exciting to watch.

Brett Griffin is a NASCAR spotter who previously hosted Door Bumper Clear, a podcast Dale Earnhardt Jr. produced via Dirty Mo Media. Griffin left the podcast a few weeks ago, having hosted it for about eight years, with episode 355 marked as his last.

In an X (formerly Twitter) post, Griffin shared his thoughts on the upcoming Daytona 500 race.

"It’s a fuel savings race - imagine all these football games played today at 60-70% until five mins to go in the game. We have a major problem," Griffin said.

The NASCAR spotter also highlighted factors contributing to the decline in race quality, including the hard compound tires used. These tires lead to longer pit stop intervals, reducing the strategic element of tire management and potentially impacting the overall excitement of the race.

"OEM alliances, team orders, daddy’s money creeping into Cup. Houston, we have a problem. And the tires are too hard. And we have no motor. Should I stop?" Griffin added.

Brett Griffin is currently uncertain about his plans for the 2025 season, but he's considering part-time spotting opportunities. He has prior experience spotting for drivers like Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, and Austin Dillon.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. endorses NASCAR Insider's video for Daytona 500 commercial

Last month, Dale Earnhardt Jr. endorsed Matt Weaver's '500,000 miles' video to be used as Chevrolet's commercial at the 2025 Daytona 500. The video showed Weaver's 2003 Chevrolet Silverado reaching 500,000 miles on the odometer, reflecting the truck's reliability.

The Chevrolet Silverado is the Michigan-based manufacturer's entry into the full-size pickup truck market. It is also used by Chevrolet-based teams in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, competing against Ford's F-150 and Toyota's Tundra.

Dale Jr. took to X and endorsed Weaver's video for the season opener next year.

"Hey @ChevyTrucks. How about this!" the former NASCAR Cup Series driver wrote.

The Kannapolis native doubled down on the idea and suggested:

"If I was @ChevyTrucks I'd be on the phone with @MattWeaverRA scripting a commercial for next year's Daytona 500."

Matt Weaver, a former dirt racer turned motorsports journalist, has been utilizing a Chevy truck to cover various motorsports events.

The 2025 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to be held on February 16. It will serve as the first points-paying race of the season.

While Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Cup racing days are over, he won "The Great American Race" two times.

The first Daytona 500 win was earned in 2004, driving the No. 8 Chevrolet with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI), a team founded by his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr. Meanwhile, the second victory came in 2014, while piloting the No. 88 Chevy with Hendrick Motorsports.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 2014 Daytona 500 - Source: Imagn

Dale Jr. concluded his Cup career with 26 wins and 15 poles in 631 starts. He also won two Xfinity Series championships in 1998 and 1999.