Dale Earnhardt Jr. is urging NASCAR to pay more attention to grassroots-level drivers. Known for his advocacy, Dale Jr. hasn’t just spoken out; he’s taken action by participating in grassroots events and bringing them into the limelight.
Since his retirement from professional racing in 2017, Earnhardt Jr. has been instrumental in launching series like the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Racing on short tracks. He has even competed in some races to draw more audience attention. NASCAR’s weekly sanctioned racing series, introduced in 1982, saw a resurgence in 2020 with Advance Auto Parts becoming the naming sponsor, leading to a spike in grassroots racing’s popularity. The series now includes 53 tracks across 25 states and four Canadian provinces, with drivers competing for points on both asphalt and dirt tracks, allowing a wide variety of cars to race weekly.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is pushing for NASCAR to actively scout and recognize talent from smaller, grassroots races. He believes these venues are essential breeding grounds for future Cup-level drivers. He shared his views, stating:
“Where do we find the best drivers? Where can we get the best drivers? Where are drivers learning racecraft? Where are some of the most talented drivers that could come up through the ranks into the stock car world? I’ve always felt like that style of racing that they do at those racetracks and those cars developed. Very talented!
“Race car drivers that could go win at the truck, extending a couple of levels. You know, for a while, I did not think that NASCAR was looking at late model stock racing and looking for drivers there. I wanted to succeed. I wanted to survive. I want NASCAR to look at it and go. There’s great drivers there. I didn’t think they were doing that five or 10.”
Many drivers have noticed that the sport’s simplified schedule and limited practice sessions have inadvertently boosted grassroots racing.
Kyle Larson, a versatile racer competing in everything from IndyCar to Cup Series and dirt track racing, is also a strong advocate for grassroots racing. He co-owns the sprint car racing series High Limit Racing with Brad Sweet. Larson credits NASCAR’s streamlined weekend schedules for allowing midweek grassroots races to thrive. He explained:
“I think grassroots has grown a lot in the last few years. … I think probably, a factor in that would be the Cup schedule being much simpler on a race weekend.”
Furthermore, FloRacing has significantly contributed by consistently streaming short-track and grassroots-level racing, enhancing the visibility of these small-investment motorsports series.
